Page 58 of The Stand-In Boyfriend

Chapter Twenty-One

NOAH

“You’re awfully chipper today,” Elliott says, wiping his face. We just finished our weightlifting session. My body should be burning, but I can barely feel it.

“Don’t know what you mean,” I say, shrugging as I gulp down some water, trying to hide my smile.

There is no bullshitting Elliott though. He’s watching me carefully, trying to figure me out. “Did you get laid? Is that it?”

“What?” I ask, choking on water. “No!”

“Don’t sound so disturbed by the thought,” he says, chuckling, and leans in, whispering conspiratorially, “Somebody might think you’re gay.”

I shove him away, shaking my head. “You’re seriously messed up. And you know I’m not gay.”

“Hey, no judgment here.” Elliott lifts his hands in the air.

“No judgment here either, but I’m not. I have a girlfriend.”

He looks around, and leans in, whispering, “Fake girlfriend.”

I smile. Just like I’ve done every time I’ve thought of Jessica since I left her house. “Not anymore.”

Elliott’s mouth hangs open in surprise. He didn’t see that one coming, now, did he?

He shakes it off quickly, a wide grin spreading over his lips. “I knew you had it bad,” he says, punching me in the shoulder.

“Whatever, man.”

“So where is Miss…” he doesn’t get to finish because the door to the gym bursts open, banging against the wall in the process.

All heads turn to see what all the commotion is about, us included, only to find Jack and Liam striding right toward us.

“Shit,” Elliott mutters as soon as he sees them.

Shit indeed.

I square my shoulders, getting ready for the inevitable. I’m not sure what has their panties in a twist, but I’m about to find out.

“You piece of shit,” Jack spits in my face so loudly that the whole room can hear him.

“You don’t want to do this here, man,” Liam warns, wrapping his arms around his best friend and throwing me a dirty glare over his shoulder.

“What the hell is your problem?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. There is no way I’m letting the two of them intimidate me because of whatever they think I did. It’s all probably bullshit anyway.

Only that seems to rile him up even more. Jack tries to shake Liam off, but he holds on strong. This probably isn’t his first rodeo. Jack is a hothead if I ever saw one. Thinks he can get away with everything just because his dad was a hotshot professional hockey player. I seriously don’t get what Jessy ever saw in the guy.

“Our problem? What the hell isyourproblem?”

“I don’t have one, you came barging in here, not the other way around, hotshot,” I say, trying to keep my cool, although inside I’m boiling.

“I came here because of Jessy!”

Jessy?

My irritation dies down, if only a little, worry replacing it. Did something happen?

“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask, trying to calm my racing heart and thoughts.

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