Her lashes flutter as she frowns. ‘It thinned out a lot when I had Noah. Hormones and stress and all that. I … I can hide that more when I wear it up.’
I hate it—that she thinks there’s a possibility she could ever look bad. Because as far as I see it, it’s a goddess standing in the mirror opposite.
‘Don’t believe that,’ I declare, reaching for her braid and carefully easing off the clear band at the end. Her silky hair instantly loosens from the braid, and I run my fingers through the strands to encourage it further, savouring the way it slips like satin against my touch. I’m certain Honey leans her head back to give me more too.
I tuck her now loose hair behind her ears, just like she used to wear it in high school, and I catch her eyes again in the mirror when I can’t help but say, ‘I think you look beautiful, Blue.’
She swallows, then turns to face me fully, eyes sparkling as she catches the glittering slice of sunset casting through the room. ‘Thank you.’
I step back to lean against the counter, to ease the weight off my bad leg, and my tight chest. It takes me longer than I’d like to admit to find something to say under her gaze. ‘Off somewhere nice?’
‘Um …’ She plays with the ends of her hair, shyness rearing its head despite how phenomenal she looks. ‘Just some drinks that apparently a bunch of the teachersand school staff go to sometimes. Every other Friday or something like that.’
‘At Duke’s?’ I ask, certain I’ve never heard or seen anything like that. ‘I don’t think Wolfman’s ever gone to that.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah,’ I chuckle. ‘Although it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s just never been invited … I guess I’ll see you there?’
‘Right, of course, you always go on Fridays. I didn’t think …’
That I’d be there tonight. She almost looks disappointed. Maybe she wants to get away from me as much as I do her. Just for different reasons.
It’s fine. Duke’s is always packed on a Friday so we should be able to keep our distance. God knows I need it.
When Honey saidbunch of teachers, I expected to find her with at least a few other people, not sat in a booth with justoneguy. And said guy is Parker fucking Brady to make things even worse. He was the plainest guy I ever met in high school and hasn’t changed one bit. Couldn’t throw a football to save his life either.
Did she lie to me?
For all I know she made up a story about going out with a group because she didn’t want to tell me she was on a goddamndate.
Not that it’s a problem. She’s allowed to date whoever she likes. We might live together, but that’s strictly it. She made that clear enough—we’re just friends. Co-habitation,nothing more. At a stretch, I’m a glorified babysitter for Noah some days.
So, it shouldn’t matter if either of us wanted to see someone tonight. I’d usually be scouting the bar for girls, anyway—there’s been plenty of them batting their lashes and throwing smiles my way as soon as I walked in. At the very least I’d be trying to chat up one of the waitresses. But for some goddamn reason, none of that’s appealing to me. Instead, there’s a sharp, burning sensation in my stomach that has me glancing over too often to Honey’s booth.
Given that my leg’s slowly getting better, and that we’ve got a Noah-free house, tonight of all nights would be the best opportunity to bring a girl home if I wanted to. But that’s the problem—ifI wanted to, and I’m not sure I do. I haven’t felt the desire to in months now.
But what if Honey has? What if she’s taking tonight as her chance to bring a guy home? I never told her she couldn’t—in fact, she was pretty open about not wanting to stop me from bringing girls home. I didn’t consider that she might want the same for herself. Even if she did say she wasn’t looking for anything …
Wolfman swigs his beer opposite me in our usual booth, so I nudge him with my now booted foot. ‘How come you never go for Friday drinks with all the other teachers?’
‘What do you mean?’ Wolfman asks, furrowing his brow.
I nod towards Honey’s booth, which is three down from ours, and he twists to get a better look, making no effort to peer over secretively. Wolfman waves and receives a rather confused wave back from Honey, before he turns back with a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.
‘I don’t go forFriday night drinkswith the teachers, because the teachers don’t doFriday night drinks.’ He raises his brows at me. ‘If you’re asking me, I’d sayFriday night drinkswere an excuse to get Honey on a date. Parker’s been frothing at the mouth for her the second she started.’
I throw my hands in the air. ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me that before?’
Wolfman shrugs but his grin remains—too knowing. ‘Because according to you, Honey was just a choir girl who helped you study so you could stay on the team. That’s all.’
I scratch at the label on my beer bottle. ‘Yeah, but she lives with me now.’
‘And?’
‘And …’ I narrow my eyes knowing I have zero arguments for him—not unless I want to spill a decade’s worth of secrets. So, all I say is, ‘Fuck you.’
His grin doubles—too aware he’s cornered me. But he doesn’t press again until he’s had a long pull from his beer, watching me the whole time. Then he shrugs. ‘Parker kinda seems her type anyway.’