"Oh, hey. What are you doing here?" I ask, and lift a hand over my eyes to see him better. He's wearing black swim shorts and no shirt, and has on mirrored sunglasses so I can't make out his eyes.
"I'm in Alpha Ze,” he tells me.
"Ah, it all makes sense now."
He tilts his head to the side.
"What does?"
"That cocky charismatic charm of yours that you're able to flip on and off whenever you like. Nice chatting this week, by the way. Coffee was great," I tell him and he grimaces. After we ran into each other I thought, I don't know, that we'd actually try the whole friend thing, but I guess when he realized he'd be stuck in the friend zone he didn't want to waste his time.
We never talked after that day and in class he wouldn't even look at me. If he wanted me to get the hint, I heard him loud and clear. I just wish he wasn't such an asshole about it. I don't understand why guys can't just be friends with a girl. Why does it always have to be something else?
"About that," he rubs the back of his neck and is silent for a beat before dropping down on the lounge beside me.
EIGHTY-NINE
Kasey
Deacon massages his throat and I get the feeling he's working his way up to telling me something I’m not going to like to hear. When the seconds turn into minutes, I shift my focus back to applying my sunscreen. Seriously, if I don't, I will fry.
"I didn't mean to ghost you."
I put a little lotion on two fingers and massage it through the crisscross ties running down the front of the suit. I look ridiculous doing it but a girl has to do what a girl has to do.
"So why did you?" I ask. My feelings aren’t hurt by it, to be honest. I have plenty of friends and I’m not actively searching for more. I guess I mostly just find it annoying. I don’t get why guys only see value in women if there's a chance of them getting laid. It’s bullshit if you ask me.
“Look, I don’t want to cause drama and shit.”
I wait. I don’t know what he’s looking for from me, but I’m not going to help him out here. He approached me, so if this is going to be an issue—him talking to me—he’s just as welcome to walk away.
“A few of the guys on the team aren’t cool with the idea of us hanging out,” he tells me and I stiffen. Dammit. Because, of course, Dominique didn’t forget about the bruise after he left the classroom. I mean, he had no problem forgetting, but not Deacon. Not when it gave him the opportunity to be an even bigger asshole.
I grind my teeth together and ask, “Was it all three of them?” If it was, then I have three Devils to get back at instead of just the one.
Deacon shakes his head, “I don’t think so.” He pauses. “Not in the beginning at least. I think only my QB had a problem with it, but those three are tight—“
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I know.”
We’re both quiet for a moment.
“He your ex or something?” Deacon asks.
I snort. “Definitely not. We’ve never dated and trust me when I say, we never will.”
One dark brow raises over the rim of his glasses. “You sure about that? The way Price was acting, it’s the way a jealous ex would be if he caught someone sniffing around his girl.”
My lip curls. “First, I’m not a dog. No one is sniffing anywhere. And second, yes, I’m sure about that. I’ve known him since we were kids. We’re all sort of in the same friend group and he’s roommates with my older brother. He takes the term ‘overprotective’ to the extreme.” They all do. They’re the bonus brothers I never asked for. Well, except for Dominique. I mean, I still didn’t ask for him. That part is true. But of all the guys, he is the one I most definitely do not see as a brother. Even more so after what happened between us earlier this week.
Asshole.
Deacon nods, and I hate that I still can’t see his eyes, so I decide to do something about it. Reaching up, I pluck the shades off his face, folding them down and setting them beside me.
“So, what did those three knuckleheads do, exactly? I’m assuming threats were involved, or did he go on a power trip and threaten to have you removed from the team?”
A flash of fear appears on his face, but it’s gone a second later. Shit. Dominique really got to him.
“No. Not that. I’m still on the team.” His Adam’s apple bobs as he visibly swallows. “He can’t get me kicked off, anyway.”
