He laughs and chokes on his beer. “Cutting right to the chase,huh?”
“What’s the point in beating ’round the bush? I know you have a thing for Joey, but she’s off limits.” I point at his overheated face. “And you brought Renee to piss offJoey.”
Anger radiates off him as his mouth tightens. “See, you’ve been saying Joey’s off limits for a while, but I don’t see you making a claimthere.”
I look him straight in the eyes. “Things have changed. I’m gonna try to figure thisout.”
Patrick shakes his head, the anger fading from his expression. “You suck.” He shoves me, and we both crack asmile.
It’s hard to stay mad at him. After Silas went rogue and our buddy Isaiah took off to some hellhole to be an extreme sports guide, Patrick’s the only one who stayed around after high school. We stayed friends ’cause it was either that or hang out with the old men and listen to them complain about their ballssagging.
After another drag of his beer, he sighs. “I like Joey. I have for a while. Nothing like that unrequited, star-crossed lovers crap you two have going on, but I’d be an asshole for trying to come between you.” Another sigh. “The Renee thing wasn’t malicious. I figured one of the guys would be into her. She’s hot as fuck.” He gives me a long look. “You’re not looking to piss a circle around Renee too,right?”
A hot surge of disgust rises up in my chest. “You really think I’d be trying to get serious with Joey while making the moves onRenee?”
He shrugs, and that has my heartsinking.
That’s not the first time I’ve been told I’m too much of a player for the likes of Joey. It pisses me the hell off. It alwayshas.
Although, if I’m being honest, until Joey up and left for Florida, I doubt I was ready to get serious with onewoman.
Turning to Patrick, I level him with the truth. “If I ever fuck over Joey, you have my full permission to kick my ass down MainStreet.”
He smirks. “Don’t think I won’t take you up onthat.”
I sure as hell hope he won’t haveto.
16
Joey
Laughter beltsfrom Tori as Ethan whips her into his arms. They’re standing in the middle of the pool with their friends nearby, but as they look into each other’s eyes, they might as well be alone. Their love is palpable, the thing of fairytales. It swells my heart to see how blissfully happy they aretogether.
They’re some serious couplegoals.
I sigh, wondering if this burgeoning tryst with Logan will blossom into anythingmeaningful.
Of course it’s meaningful for me, but will it be for him? I know his reputation. I don’t want some flash-in-the-pan vacation fling. But I’m not sure I can avoid it withhim.
He sits on the other side of the pool, talking to Patrick. They seem to have mended whatever drama that had come between them. In other words,Renee.
Patrick has his arm over her shoulders as he talks to Logan on the other side of him, and although Renee seems aloof, she appears to have switched her objective for the weekend justfine.
If I weren’t so nervous about tonight with Logan, I’d have a Cheshire cat grin that she backedoff.
Tori jumps out of the pool and dries off next to me. She follows my line of sight and snorts. “I bet that’s not how she expected to spend herweekend.”
I give her a crazy, wide-eyed smile that I know will make her laugh. “Tough shit,huh?”
We bothcackle.
I don’t really curse, thanks to my father who would tan my hide if I so much as gave a dirty look, but Tori has the mouth of a sailor, and any time I let a foul word slip, it delights her to noend.
Her sister Kat saunters over to us. “You two are up to mischief, aren’tya?”
Tori holds her fist up to me. “Hell yes, we are.” I bump her back andchuckle.
“Have I thanked you yet for agreeing to do our hair next weekend?” Kat wraps a towel around her waist. “I feel bad making you work at thewedding.”
