“She has a new family now, but I can try it. I don’t know how much contact she has with my parents anymore.” I finished my beer. Yeah, I would feel these tonight. “Want another one?” I rose from the couch and stepped into the kitchen.
“Might as well bring me one since you’re up.” He exhaled a long breath. “Are you really paying for their dinner tonight?”
With a shrug, I tossed my empty can into our recycle bin and grabbed two more. “Yeah, I guess I feel bad for Ella. I misled her into thinking we had something when I clearly knew we didn’t.” I’d put my phone on Do Not Disturb while we drove home. “When will they finish eating, do you think?” I brought the fresh beers to Malik and handed him one as I fell onto the couch.
“I’d say around three hours. It’s one of those places where you eat multiple courses.” He tipped his original beer back, finishing it, and then set it on the coffee table. “Speaking of which, I’m getting hungry.”
“I’ll order pizza. What do you want?” I slipped my phone from my jean’s pocket and opened the screen. A few messages popped up from Ella. “Fuck, she already texted me.”
“Order the pizza and then let’s see what she said.” He kissed my cheek. “If you want to. You don’t have to do this tonight, babe.” His brows wrinkled. “You can handle this on your own terms. You were pretty upset earlier.”
“Yeah, I don’t know if I was more upset about my dad finding out or about the possibility of losing you.” I chewed my upper lip. “Do you want the supreme?”
“Yes, get that.” He squeezed my thigh. “Grey, you will never, ever lose me. So don’t let yourself go there.”
As I ordered the pizza, my phone blurred. Fucking hell, what had I done to deserve him? With a sniffle, I turned to him, my arm hooking around his shoulder. In his ear, I whispered, “I love you.”
“I know.” He pressed a hard kiss on my cheek. “Love you, too.”
As we parted, I held my breath and opened Ella’s text messages. An image popped up of me and Malik mid-kiss, the emotion between us undeniable. “Fuck.” I angled the phone toward him. “I didn’t know she had taken a photo of us.” That would be her proof to my father.
“She didn’t, but her friend, Tiffany, did.” He pushed his lips together. “What’ll we do if she posts that photo on social media? Didn’t you say she has a big following?”
“Goddamn it, I hadn’t thought of that.” I chewed my thumbnail. “Will it matter to Dennis? He signed Casey Carter knowing full well he was gay, right?”
“Yep, and with a boyfriend.” He breathed in deeply. “What does she say in the text messages? Is she trying to blackmail you with it?”
With a scoff, I closed the photo, returned to her messages, and read them.
Ella
You should have told me you were fucking your friend. Had I known, I would never have visited.
Ella
Why aren’t you texting me back? Got nothing to say now?
Ella
Does your father know?
Ella
The dinner came to $843 with tip. You can Zelle it to my cell number.
“Jesus Christ, Grey. What the hell did they order for such an exorbitant bill?” With a scowl, Malik shook his head and drank his beer.
“Probably the most expensive shit on the menu.” It didn’t matter—Dad would pay for it. I opened my banking app and Zelled the money to her and then typed her a message.
Grey
I paid for your dinner. Hope you enjoyed it.
Clenching my jaw, I shut my phone off. How she handled the photo was her decision. I didn’t give a fuck anymore.
NINETEEN
MALIK