I glare at her, then pick up my beer and turn my attention to the television. “I’m doing what she wants. Staying the hell away from her.”
Ruby comes into the back room. “Graffiti boy says you guys want shots?”
“No, we’re good,” Decker answers for everyone.
“Graffiti boy?” Callie asks.
“That’s what she calls Foster,” Easton fills her in.
“Who puts tattoos all over their body like that?” Ruby shakes her head in disgust. “And on your neck.”
Easton laughs, then turns his attention toward my sister. “Hey, Callie, I’ve got a hookup at Saffire tonight. Wanna come?”
“Ask me after I get my brother to man up.”
“Why is he being so crabby? He just sits around here and pouts these days.” Ruby gestures to me. I’m sure my sister is about to fill her in.
“It’s a girl thing. He’s not used to feeling that beating organ in his chest. It’s new for him.” Callie smiles at me condescendingly.
I narrow my eyes at her. “Cute.”
Foster comes back in and sits next to Callie. She slides her chair closer to me. At least she realizes he’s the last kinda guy she needs.
“You messed up with the girl?” Ruby asks. “This is why I loved my Falcons. All that drama was over. I can’t go through another round of getting you boys to see the error of your ways and figure out how you’re going to get the love of your life back.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t ever have that problem with me.” Foster raises his hand.
“Me either.” Easton raises his hand, then points at Decker. “This one however, you will have to coax through it.”
“She broke it off with me,” I admit, and my chest squeezes. “All thanks to these fuckheads.” I uncross my arms to point at Decker and Foster.
Neither of them says anything.
Foster slides up to the table. “Listen, yeah, sorry, I fucked your plans up, but what have you done to fix it?”
Callie peers over her shoulder at him.
Easton snaps his fingers and points at Foster. “He’s got a point. You haven’t even fought for her. You’re just sitting there, brooding and waiting around for her to do something. Action gets results.”
Callie crosses her arms and smiles.
“What?” I say to her.
She holds up her hands. “Nothing, just seeing what you’re going to do.”
“You guys can fuck off. You don’t understand.”
Callie shakes her head and sits up again. “All right, let’s try this. Hayes, I don’t want you to fight for Leighton. Under no circumstances are you to go over there and have an adult conversation with her and work this out. I’ll be so mad if you try to win her back. You just used her, didn’t you? It pisses me off that you took advantage of my best friend.”
What the hell is she even talking about?
“Are you trying reverse psychology on him?” Decker asks.
She shrugs. “It usually works. Maybe I was too direct.”
“Oh my god, do you want to be alone for your whole life? You love the girl. Go get her,” Ruby says. “What’s the worst she can say? No? Again? How did you end up a professional ball player when you’re so goddamn timid?”
I look at Callie, and she raises her eyebrows.
