“Tate. I’m going to need you to do me a favor,” Robbie says after closing the gap between him and my brother, resting his hands on Tates shoulders.
“Anything. I’ll do anything.” The desperation is felt fucking everywhere. Every single person in the room is struggling to peel their eyes away from the awkward encounter.
No one is successful.
“I need you to take a breath, have a drink, and chill the fuck out. We’re here for the Wingrove game night, and to celebrate our girl, for fucks sake. Pull your head out of my ass, and focus. You can be on my team, alright?” He slaps my brother across the arm to hype him up, and Tate shakes every limb attached to his body while the whole room bursts out laughing.
Our girl.
God dammit. If I didn’t like him so much, hearing him call Jenna ‘ours’ would really bother me.
It should.
Hell, it does.
“So. Want to tell me why my best friend is avoiding you? Aren’t you guys supposed to be athing?” Cassandra appears over my shoulder, pouring six glasses of wine for her and her group of friends.
Jenna—whom my eyes can’t seem to look away from and hasn’t acknowledged my existence even once—looks fucking immaculate in her soft blue summer dress.
There are two girls who look similar to Cassandra, but look more like each other. I recognize Bea from Bridie’s; she’s glued to what I assume is her wife’s hip.
“Because of that guy,” I say casually, nodding in Robbie’s direction. He looks as though he’s trying to do anything but sit next to my brother. It doesn’t seem to be working. Tate looks likehe wants to bounce on Robbie’s knee and tell him what he wants for Christmas. “And we’re only athingaround work people.” I shrug. “I guess that’s my fault.” I have a sip of my beer.
“Robbie?” Cassandra asks, eyebrows shooting up, and I nod. “What does he have to do with…anything?”
I don’t reply. Instead, I fetch my phone from my pocket, open up the text thread between her best friend and me, and let her read it, which, surprisingly, doesn’t take her long.
“What do you want from her?” she asks before acknowledging what she just saw on my phone.
“Not to be ignored, for one,” I say, placing my beer onto the countertop, crossing my arms over my chest. “I guess I just thought we had a good night after the award show, and hoped she’d want to do it again.” I shrug, and she snickers while I tilt my head in confusion.
“Oh, Cole. You have so much to learn about her,” she tells me, patting my chest.
“Sohelpme. Teach me. Tell me everything there is to know so I can catch her off guard,” I say, and now it feels like I’m the desperate one, begging for a girl to notice me.
Maybe Tate and I are alike, after all.
“All to get her into bed? That’s a lot of effort to get laid, Cole.” She matches my stance, crossing her arms over her chest, three wine glasses still left to fill.
She’s right, and I retreat.
“True. I guess if she wanted any part in this, she wouldn’t openly tell me she's fucking one of my brothers biggest heroes.” I take another swig from my beer bottle.
“She isn’t fucking anybody. Truthfully, she hasn’t slept with anybody since that night with you.” She puffs out her cheeks, taking a drink. My cock twitches in my jeans at her admission. “Was it you who called her name while she was walking back to her apartment?” she asks, turning her body to face mine.
“So, it was her.”I fucking knew it.“She ignored me then, too.”
“Do you live—”
“In the building she walked past.” I confirm, knowing she wasn’t asking for specifics, and her cheeks turn rosy red.
“This just keeps getting better and better.” She laughs, filling the remaining empty glasses, letting out a sigh.
“Why’s that?” I rub the back of my neck, eager to know whatever she wants to tell me.
I’ll take anything.
“She’s fucking with you, Cole. Jenna and Robbie have never crossed that line, and never will. Play her game, meet her head on. She needs someone to challenge her, and I have a sneaking suspicion you might be a good fit for her right now.”
