“Not now. The texture weirds me out,” Jeff admitted.
“Why not head to Legends for a burger?” They had great food and were just down the block. I checked my phone, deleting four texts from Veronica and two from Frankie. My fist clenched, the girls’ persistence irritating me. Callie’d had a point when she’d told me the challenge she provided intrigued me. Something about how easy the girls made it… I felt ashamed for my gender.
“Great idea. I’m going to get that waitress’ number this time. I can feel it,” Jeff replied puffing out his chest.
“No, you’re not.”
“Fuck off. Let’s go.”
I followed him and used the walk to see what Callie was up to. I hadn’t texted her all day, which was hard as hell. I didn’t want to scare her, and I tried to tone it down. Even in the goddamn lecture hall where two of Frankie’s brat-pack followed me, I thought of Callie.
Zade: Every strike brings me closer to the next homerun. How’s that for a dorky quote? I think it has a double meaning…get it?
Callie: The joke loses the steam if you have to ask if I get it. But yes, I do.
Zade: How’s your day? Jeff and I are heading to grab some food.
Callie: Nice. Greta and I are eating ice cream and watching the Walking Dead. Best show ever. I want to be Michone.
Zade: I bet you know how to handle a sword.
Callie: No matter what I say it’s going to sound dirty after that.
Zade: My favorite. What are you wearing?
Callie: You never turn it off. Nothing sexy, sorry. I’m not good at this. I’m wearing an old shirt that Greta got me as a joke. It says, ‘I like juggling balls’. And it has a clown on it.
Zade: Why did I get turned on by picturing you in that?
Callie: Because you flirt on the side of crazy.
Zade: I blame you.
Callie: Sure, blame me for your issues. Shit, Greta’s yelling at me. I need to put my phone down. Have fun!
Zade: Can I stop by on the way back?
I asked her that knowing I sounded like a schmuck. I’d kissed her senseless after our breakfast that morning, but that hadn’t been enough. Jeff was a lightweight and would only survive maybe three beers before wanting to head back. He thought he was a party animal. I laughed at the thought and waited for my phone to go off. It never did and I sighed. She must’ve put her phone down. The only girl in the world who I wanted to text all night had the power to ignore me. I felt humbled and irritated as fuck.
“Bro…look. It’s Omega’s back-to-school bash.” Jeff pointed to the various girls dressed up as different subjects. The concept was cool…I dug that, but the normal excitement of seeing barely clothed girls was not the same. I nodded in acknowledgment and had no choice but to follow Jeff.
“Ladies…you are ravishing.” He went up to a red-haired knockout and kissed her cheek. “Dana, damn.”
She giggled and dragged her fingers through his hair. Her friend eye-fucked the hell out of me but I tried to keep my face blank. Old Zade would’ve winked, played it up, touched her arm or something. But now…I tried to be polite. She wiggled up to me and put her arm around me. I didn’t exactly shove it off me, but I attempted to. She was a fighter, though, and persisted.
“Zwillows. I’ve always wanted to meet you. You’re even better in person.” She grazed her nails down my arm.Gross. I didn’t know how to respond whatsoever. I nodded curtly. “I am your biggest fan, seriously. I watch you throw every single game.”
Dumbass. I don’t throw every game. We have a rotation.But she continued.
“You hit well. I love watching you bat, too. You’re super strong.”
I rarely hit. I had a designated hitter for me most of the time. Zero for two.
“Plus, I like a man who knows his way around the dirt.” She purred and I fought a gag. She knew nothing about me or the sport I played. I thought of how Callie would react to her and I laughed. She took it as encouragement and a flash went off. She pressed her mouth to my cheek before I backed away as if she was on fire.
“What the hell?” I saw her friend, Jeff’s latest distraction, holding up a phone. “Come on.”
“Bev was dying to meet you and we wanted to commemorate it.” Her expression said the entire event had been planned. All of it. They’d used us and it pissed me off. Jeff realized it, a little too late, and his face fell. He released the redhead and shook his head as we walked away.
