“Who says you’re competing?” He pulls his head back, his eyebrows knit together.
“Oh, no one,” I assure him.
“You and Wesley are good, right? Because if I know him as well as I think, that kid would quite literally punch himself in the face if he knew you felt like you were competing with other girls.”
I practically snort. He’s not wrong.
Cody comes back with more food than he can reasonably eat. Doesn’t surprise me.
* * *
There’s this guy I’ve seen hanging around for a while now.He came over and talked to Dad for a minute or two, then the booth beside ours, and I’m pretty sure it’s the same guy who accidentally ran into me when I went to get another drink.
“This guy…” Cody huffs, pushing his stool back from the table and yanking his ID badge from around his neck. “This guy needs to get educated.”
I hadn’t thought Cody even noticed that the guy had been circling our area, staring at me. He’d sort of followed me towards the bathroom earlier, and he got a little closer each time. I’m not scared—there are way too many people around for him to try anything—but still, it’s unsettling.
“Cody,” I warn, my voice firm. But he doesn’t even glance my way.
I look over at Mom and Dad, but they’re deep in conversation with someone. Jesse’s on the phone—probably with Ella—not paying attention. So I follow Cody.
“You touch her, I’ll break your neck,” Cody growls, standing firm, feet planted in the floor, shoulders squared. The guy’s barely a foot away from his face. His threat quickens my heart rate.
I whip around, and thankfully, Jesse sees me. He ends his call and rushes over.
“Hey. What’s going on?” Jesse stands beside them.
Déjà vu hits, and I’m remembering a day in second grade at one of Cody’s football games. He got into a fight on the sidelines during the game. Jesse was a senior then, and over that fence in a blink, breaking it up before anyone else even reacted. He’s always seen things coming before the rest of us. Like he knew how Cody’s brain worked.
“This guy’s been circling,” Cody says, eyes locked on the stranger. “Getting closer each time.”
The guy scoffs, letting out a dismissive laugh. “I haven’t. I’ve just been looking for the bathroom.”
Cody’s arm shoots up, finger pointing the opposite direction. “That way!” he shouts, loud enough to turn heads.
Jesse steps in, voice calm but steady. “Alright. Let’s not do this here,” he says, placing a hand on Cody’s chest. “Come on.”
Cody doesn’t relax, not entirely, but he turns back around. His glare lingers when he watches the guy scurry away and disappear through the crowd.
“You can’t do that,” Jesse tells him.
“You’re gonna get us kicked out,” I add.
“I wasn’t really going to hit him,” Cody says, his breath evening out and his body loosening up.
“Yes, you were,” Jesse and I say in unison.
Cody grins but his expression turns serious again. “He followed her.”
“I was aware. But I knew nothing would happen,” I say.
“You don’tknowthat,” Cody says and sits back down at the table.
* * *
Later that night, I go back to the hotel room early and get a shower. Wesley and I sit on FaceTime while I decompress from the day and savor the room service I ordered.
“Cody almost decked someone today on my behalf,” I say with a laugh.
