What are they doing here?
This isn’t really Cal or Courtney’s scene. It’s not mine either, but I wasn’t about to leave Blaire out to dry.
My stomach pitches to the floor at the same time a memory wriggles forward. Courtney and I had been relaxing on her couch as she gushed over the idea of her and her boyfriend having name alliteration. She’d been excited about the potential of naming their future children with the same starting letter.
Of course, I hadn’t realized that Courtney had meantmyboyfriend.
When Cal kisses Courtney’s temple, I duck my chin, shielding my face with my hand.
“Why don’t we like them?”
The way the baseball player crowds forward, protecting me with his tall, toned body, the way he uses ‘we’ as if we’re on the same team is the only thing keeping me from bolting out the back door. All my muscles twitch in anticipation, and my blood zips in my veins. I glance up to find his brows drawn, twin lines of concern creased between them.
With him this close, the miniscule difference between our heights becomes glaringly apparent. I’m six-foot-even barefoot. This baseball player has four—maybe five—inches on me. If I tilted my chin up, I could easily capture his lips with my own. Unconsciously, my gaze flicks to his mouth before I force it away.
Where it crashes right into my ex’s.
Shoot.
Cal’s eyes widen before determination settles over his dark irises. I used to love how deep brown they were, but now I just see pits of deceit. When he tugs Courtney in my direction, I flinch.
Double shoot.
Right after I found out about them, Cal hounded me with text messages saying that we should all be friends, that there wasno reasonI should be upset.
Like, really, Cal? No reason at all?
After that, I blocked him, but apparently he’s just found his window to chat.
“What happened?” The baseball player’s gaze is unyielding as it locks on mine.
“He’s my ex. She’s my best friend—former best friend.” Swallowing hard, I tamp down the bile rising in the back of my throat.
“And they got together while you were still with him.” He practically growls. “What a complete scumbag—both of them.”
Pain rockets through my ribs as I hunch until my forehead almost touches his shoulder. “I just don’t want to talk to them tonight.”
Or ever.
I’d barely made it through finals. The only thing keeping me going these last two weeks has been not failing my classes and my ticket to O?ahu. I’ll have all summer to get over this heartbreak and focus on what really matters—Olympic trials.
“What can I do?”
The craziest answer pops into my head, and I almost don’t say it aloud. But with my ex getting closer with each passing second, a pressure builds in my chest until I blurt, “Kiss me.”
“What?” He blinks, incredulous.
I tear my gaze from my nearing ex to focus on the man in front of me. “It won’t mean anything.”
His lips press into a frown. “Like a stage kiss?”
“What?” My panicked gaze flits between him and Cal again. “Yeah, sure. Whatever.”
I’m almost certain he’ll refuse before one possessive hand grips my waist as the other slides beneath my hair, his thumb resting lightly on the corner of my jaw. Instantly, the anxiety spiking through my veins drops into lulling white noise. It feels like slipping underwater, but instead of being rag-dolled by a wave, there’s only supportive warmth.
An exhale pops from my parted lips as my muscles slacken.
All I can see is blue. All I can feel is his breath washing over my lips. All I can hear is the slight hum in the back of his throat as he inches forward at a pace that’s almost painful.
