“I’m not avoiding anything. I just realized that maybe I need to do some soul-searching before I jump into a relationship with someone.”
“That’s great, Brin,” I say. “These guys just wouldn’t get it because all they care about is sticking their—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don’t lump me in with these guys. Not all of us are sleeping with any girl that crosses our path.” Jeremy shakes his hands like the idea of him being like his friends is crazy.
“I doubt that. When I started coming over to work on the project, the house reeked of sex.”
“That’s my cue to leave.” Maia scrunches her nose.
“You mean the fact that you’re on shift, isn’t?” Fletcher asks, and she rests her hands on her hips.
“T, keep your friend in line, or he’ll be up close and personal with Brinley’s shake.”
Tate laughs as Maia checks on her other two tables in the diner.
“And if Zeke didn’t bang three girls an hour, maybe our house wouldn’t reek of sex,” Jaxon replies.
Bang?Brinley mouths, and I hold in a laugh.
“Um, banged, past tense,” Zeke argues.
“I don’t know, man. Just because you’re not doing it at home doesn’t mean you aren’t doing it elsewhere,” Fletcher adds. “We never know your whereabouts anymore.”
“Or Zeke finally gave in and got himself a girlfriend,” Tate teases. Laughing distracts everyone, so I’m pretty sure I’m the only one to notice the pink tinge on his cheeks, which lasts only for a moment.
Something I’ll most definitely be bringing up later… probably to distract him duringNHL 17.
“All right,” Brooks begins. “I’m out.”
“We just got our food,” I say, watching him force Jaxon out of the booth, so he can get out.
“Liv texted me and needs my help moving some furniture.” He reaches over the table and grabs his burger off his plate, taking a big bite, practically devouring half of it at once. “So, I gotta bounce.”
His mouth is still full as he drops the burger back on his plate and heads to the door.
“I think I’ve seen Brooks’ girlfriend for all of two hours since I started hanging around your place.”
“We don’t think she likes us very much.” Jaxon shrugs. “Anytime he brings her around, she always finds a reason to leave, and he usually follows.”
“Why would he put up with it?” I wonder. “Brooks is hot; he could easily find another girlfriend.”
“Do you want me to tell him you’re available?” Declan pokes my side. “Put in a good word for you?”
“You’d do that?” I smile. “I originally wanted Brooks, but he was unavailable, so I settled for you.”
“Being with me is far from settling.” He winks, grabbing an onion ring off my plate and tossing it in his mouth.
“They’ve been together since before Freshman year,” Fletcher says. “He says they’re gonna get married. I wouldn’t be surprised if he already had a ring.”
“She keeps him on a pretty short leash,” Brinley adds. “Always has. She freaked out on him once when she came over, and we were sitting on the same side of the couch. Like, it’s Brooks; I’d never think about going there.”
“You better not,” Declan warns.
“Does she want to get married?” I ask.
“I think she’s hoping he goes pro,” Jeremy replies. “I think she cares about that more than him.”
“And you guys haven’t talked to him about this?”
