Nope. Not dealing with their bullshit tonight.
I make the drive to the restaurant, grab the food, and head straight to Haley’s, ignoring any nerves I sense on the way there.
Nerves are pointless in this situation. We’re hanging out as two almost-friends. So what if we’ve slept wrapped around one another several nights? Who cares if she’s practically a stranger? Do I give a shit if she’s the sister of Hudson’s girlfriend? Mostly no.
I’m not letting anything interfere with my night off, with my current mood. I’m happy. I want to be fucking happy. It’s been too long since that emotion was true, real. Nothing will get in the way—not the kids, not Mercy’s health, and sure as hell not the guilt that eats away at me daily.
I climb the stairs to her apartment, walking the hall looking like a total weirdo because I’m smiling so wide right now.
Fuck it feels good to feel good.
She answers after the first knock, a grin gracing her lips. Her eyes light up as she takes in the giant bags of food I’m holding.
“Oh my God. You’re my hero! Get in here so I can hug your sexy ass.”
I quirk a brow, following her into her apartment, closing the door with my foot. “That’s the second time you’ve called me sexy, and you claim you just want someone to sleep with you—uh huh.I’m onto you, Haley. You’re totally into me.”
She throws a glance over her shoulder. “Just because I compliment you doesn’t mean I want in your pants, Addams.”
“Keep denying it,” I tell her, setting the bags down on the empty counter. I run a hand down my chest. “Let’s face it, I’m irresistible.”
She openly rolls her eyes and sighs. “You’re hot, not irresistible. Case in point: I’ve slept beside you the last two nights, wrapped nice and tight around your muscled body, and haven’t once felt you up.” She snorts and sarcastically continues, “Yep. You’re right. Totally irresistible.”
“Maybe something’s just wrong with you.”
“Or maybe something’s wrong withyou.”
“Is this your way of flirting? You need some work.”
She cackles, like legitcackles.“Oh, Gaige. If I was flirting with you, you’d know it, and you wouldn’t be able to resist me for a moment.”
“Sure. That’s what theyallsay, that they’re ‘irresistible’. Right,” I deadpan.
Her mouth drops open, and the smile that’s been plastered on my face since earlier widens. “You…you just…”
“Just what?” I ask innocently, holding my hand up to my ear, waiting for her explosion.
“You just saidyouwere irresistible and nowI’mthe one catching flak for it?” She’s riled up, her eyes lit with fire and fun. I like it. A lot.
Shrugging as I begin digging through our bags of food, I pull out the paper plates the restaurant threw in and set them on the counter, dropping a handful of Parmesan cheese packets on top of them. “Don’t be so full of yourself, Hales. It’s unattractive.”
“Don’t call me Hales.” She spins around and opens a drawer, pulling out two forks and serving spoons. She then marches over to the fridge, grabbing two bottles of water. When she turns back to me, her stare is challenging. “That’s reserved forfriends.”
“We’re practically best friends by now.”
“Best friends?” She scoffs. “With you? No way.”
I point to the stools then to the couch. “Here or there?”
“Either is fine with me.”
“Here,” I tell her, arranging the bowls of pasta in a line, breadsticks in the middle. She makes her way around the counter, and I wait to sit so she can choose which stool she wants. She picks the left so I go for the right.
As we start filling our plates, I say, “Watch, one day we’ll end up best friends and I can remind you of how reluctant you were to befriend me. That’s just how the world works,Hales.”
She rolls her eyes again, huffing as she slops a giant forkful of Alfredo onto her plate. “Bull.”
“Don’t stop our witty banter now. We’re bonding.”
