He strides out of the room as if he didn’t blow in here like a tornado and destroy everything I thought I knew about us. I’m in a daze as I get up and follow his command, and the high doesn’t lessen after I climb back into bed with my heart no more than a pile of love-sick goo in my chest.
Gage’s woman.
Yeah, I think I like the sound of that.
Chapter 20
Gage
The second I walk into Double Teep, I’m ambushed.
My friends are crowded around the front desk, trying their best to look casual. Morgan is sitting in the chair behind it “working,” Karis is sittingonit, and Nathan is half leaning against it while the three of them bicker. It’s obvious to anyone with eyes they are up to something—and that something is waiting to pester me.
Their attention locks on me as I step inside, and they fall silent. For a brief moment, none of us do anything but stare at each other, unmoving.
“So…” Nathan starts while the others watch on.
“So…” I parrot back.
They’re lucky I’m still riding the high from last night. If it were any other day, I wouldn’t entertain their antics, but I’m feeling uncharacteristically patient. And I might be itching to fill them in on what went down.
I’m an asshole, but I’m also human. Gossip is in our DNA.
A buzzing energy has been flowing through my veins since I left Yellow’s dorm. I barely slept with it vibrating right below the skin. Maybe a verbal purge will get it out of my system.
“Don’t play games with us,” Karis snaps. “How did last night go? Did she tell you to fuck off? I bet she told him to fuck off.”
“She didn’t tell me to fuck off.”
“Ha. You owe me ten dollars,” Nathan tells Karis.
“Shut up. You can’t blame me for thinking the girl might have more of a backbone.”
“So you and Kori are together now?” Morgan asks, completely ignoring our friends’ antics.
“We are going out on Sunday, but yeah. I think we’re together.”
I mean, I told her we were. But saying yes to one date isn’t a commitment. It doesn’t matter; she’s my girl…unless I fuck up this date like I’ve fucked up everything else so far.
“What’s the game plan for that?” Nathan asks.
Oh, so now he’s paying attention. Good to know my love life is more interesting than whatever bet he and Karis have going.
“Fuck if I know. I’m still trying to figure that part out. I’ll be honest, I would have been on Karis’s side with this. I had no hope she would say yes.”
“What does she like?” Morgan asks.
It’s such a simple question, but my brain completely freezes. In that second, every conversation I’ve ever had with my girl is wiped from my memory.
“She likes…yellow…”
“Jesus Christ, you’re a lost cause,” Karis says, hopping off the desk. “Have fun with your girl talk.”
“Man, she might be right if that’s all you’ve got,” Nathan says.
“Fuck.”
My gloom makes an appearance. Its tendrils of dread creep along my mind, slowly obscuring my bright mood with shadowsof doubt. I swipe my hand across my face and start to pace in the small lobby.
