Page 41 of The Casanova Complex

Zach raises his beer, and Tyler offers me his fist.

My phone chimes in my hand with a new text, and I look down, seeing the response from Merritt.

STABBY GIRL : Yeah I still don’t believe you but whateverrrrr you say

Suddenly, it hits me.

My thoughts connect the second I read her message.

I didn’t do anything differently before tonight’s game… except kissing her.

Holy fucking shit.

Now I’m thinking about that fucking kiss. Again. Her plush lips, the sounds she made that I’m sure she didn’t even realize she was making, the way she tasted. So sweet, just the tiniest bit of tartness from the dark chocolate in the croissant. That kiss I haven’t stopped thinking about since I walked out of that bakery.

I think…

I think that Merritt St. Pierre just became my good luck charm.

I can’t help the smile splitting my face at the thought of how much she’s going to fucking hate that.

CHAPTER TWELVE

MERRITT

I’ve gotten three toes on my right foot painted when my phone chimes… again.

For the third time in the last two minutes, which is really starting to ruin the vibe during my Cranberries session.

I’m painting my toes a funky lime green that I love, eating a ridiculous amount of hot Cheetos, and listening to my favorite music.

Suuuper-wild Friday night of a college girl, right?

Despite Stell and Mads all but blackmailing me to meet them in Baton Rouge to go out at Tigerland tonight.

I truly did not have the energy nor the mental capacity to go out and party tonight. All I want to do is chill in the comfort of my room, my safe space.

I am all peopled out.

Another text comes through, and I groan, depositing the nail polish brush back into the bottle. I rip the earphones out of my ears and grab my phone, fully expecting the person interrupting my version of a self-care night to be Dickface.

You’d think that he’d give up on the “I’m so brokenhearted, I need you back” thing after the bakery, but nope.

Thankfully, the barrage of texts isn’t from him though.

They’re from… Bennett.

Oh, perfect, even better.

Swiping open the notifications, I scan the messages.

GOOD BOY: Can we meet somewhere? I need to talk to you

GOOD BOY: Important

GOOD BOY: Or I can come to you? Or pick you up?

GOOD BOY: Merritt?