If I do fight, does that mean you’ll come on all our road trips?
NerdGirl
I don’t have time for these games, Aidan. I have my own life and a business I’m trying to run.
Aidan
Let’s just hope I don’t play better with you there, or AJ will be REALLY determined to have you keep traveling with us.
NerdGirl
Don’t you dare suggest that! This is all because you got it in her head that I’m a good influence on you.
Aidan
Maybe you ARE a good influence on me.
NerdGirl
Grow up and be a good influence on yourself.
Ilaugh to myself as I sit on the plane, waiting for everyone to finish boarding, and read through our text messages from Sunday. I remember the way my dick jumped at the idea of whatever “agreement” she might be proposing, and the letdown when I realized that she was basically just asking me to act like a fucking grown-up.
Now that I know fighting makes it more likely she’ll travel with us, I’m tempted to keep doing it just to keep her around more. But as much as I like to rile her up because she’s cute when she gets feisty, I don’t want to take a step backward in our friendship. I also don’t need to be pissing AJ off by fighting, so, as tempting as it may be, it’s not a road I can go down.
“Who’s NerdGirl?” McCabe’s voice surprises me, even though he’s sitting right next to me.
I glance over at him as I turn my phone screen off. “No one.”
His gaze moves to the open door of the plane, a few rows in front of our seats, where Morgan’s boarding the aircraft. She’s looking down with a small smile as she reads whatever’s on her phone. Her other hand holds the Nerds Gummy Clusters I dropped into her bag with an “I’m sorry” note as I boarded the plane, and she’s currently tapping them against her shoulder as she chews on her lip like she’s deep in thought.
Her thumb flies over the screen as she stands there, waiting to make the turn toward the front of the plane where she’ll sit with the other staff members.
I glance over at McCabe and watch him notice the pink packaging of Morgan’s candy, then back at my phone when it buzzes in my hand.
NerdGirl
I appreciate the candy. I would appreciate it more if you could stop fighting so I don’t have to do this again.
McCabe clears his throat, then with his gravelly voice barely audible, he tells me, “I gave AJ a nickname in my Contacts at one point. Didn’t do it because there was nothing going on.”
Fuck.I shouldn’t have had that text thread open on the plane. It’s a recipe for getting caught, and I’m normally smarter than that.
“Giving her a nickname doesn’t mean anything.”
“Hmmm.” The sound rattles around in his throat. “I’m going to tell you what I’d tell anyone in this situation. She’s your agent’s daughter and she works for the team. Don’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.”
“That’s exactly what I would have toldyouabout our boss if I had been here last season.”
I don’t know what possesses me to compare the two situations. What Morgan and I had in Bermuda was casual, and nothing’s happened since. McCabe’s already made it clear that AJ is his endgame. The two situations are not even in the same ballpark.
“You’re serious about her, then?”
I scoff. “I’m not serious about anyone. I just gave her some candy to apologize that she has to travel with us.”
His brows dip. “She’s traveling with us because ofyou?”
Oh shit, I shouldn’t have assumed he knew. “AJ didn’t tell you?”
