Turning around, I shove my hand into his chest. “She’s a big girl. Back the fuck up. We’re talking.”
“Fuck you, Nate. She’s my girlfriend,” he growls, pushing my hand away.
His words sear through me, and I grab him by the shirt. “You got exactly what you always wanted, didn’t you?”
He tries removing my grip, but it’s no use. “This isn’t Nori Beach. You don’t run shit here.”
Huffing a laugh lacking humor, I raise my eyebrow at him. “That’s what you think.”
Suddenly, Graham is beside me. “Nate, let him go; you’re drawing attention.”
Carter puts a fake smile in place. “Yeah, QB, we wouldn’t want people to see your true colors.”
“You are one to fucking talk,” I say, shoving him hard as I let him go.
“The girls can stay, but you need to go, Graves.” Cash’s voice joins this shitshow.
When I face Berkley again, Bellamy’s by her side, scowling in my direction. “Actually, we were all leaving.” She turns her attention to Cash. “Your little girlfriend is looking for you out back.”
Ignoring whatever that’s about, I keep my eyes on Berkley, whose face is full of rage that’s pointed in my direction. But I’ll take anger over indifference from her any day. Wanting to spur her on more, I reach into the fridge as the three of them start for the door.
Calling out with the Blue Moon in my hand, I taunt, “BB, you want a beer for the road…or maybe Graves does?”
“Don’t call me that…” she hisses.
She looks around at a few of my teammates, who are now watching the drama unfold. An unhinged smirk takes over her face, and I brace for impact. “As far as the beer goes…if my memory serves me correctly, you like things up your ass. So that’s exactly where you can shove that.” She nods to the bottle.
Berkley thinks she embarrassed me, but I don’t give a fuck; it just adds fuel to my fire.
I tilt my head, matching her smirk. “But BB, I thought you said you didn’t remember anything.”
She flips me off over her shoulder, taking Carter’s hand in the other. I squeeze my fist, imagining I’m breaking his wrist, but instead, I do something else I know will piss him off.
“PS: I only likeyoutouching my ass.”
By the way Carter slams the front door, my jab landed as intended.
I may have gotten the last word, but right now, as I watch her leave through the window, it does fucking nothing for me. My chin falls to my chest.Fuck.I didn’t intend to fight with her, especially the first time we came face to face again. But what the hell else did I expect?
I fucked up, and this is my price to pay.
Five
“Hey, ol’ buddy,” my dad greets me, closing his laptop as I walk up to his table at The Wolfpack. I can’t help but search the staff members’ faces, even though I already know the answer.She isn’t here.Because when my dad suggested meeting here for a quick lunch, I pathetically asked Graham, who confirmed that Berkley didn’t work on Fridays. No matter how badly I want to see her again, I don’t want to put her in an awkward situation because she and my dad were always tight when we were together.
And after I caught a glimpse of her across campus on Wednesday, and she immediately turned and went in the opposite direction, I know for a fact she doesn’t want me to just show up while she’s on the clock.
My dad stands up, wrapping me up in a hug.
“Glad you’re here,” I say, loving the familiarity of his embrace.
“I wouldn’t miss your first big game.” He nods toward the chicken breast and salad he ordered for me since I don’t havea lot of time between class and reviewing game film before practice. “Now eat up. You don’t have much time.”
“I’m sure she texted you, but your sister was so torn about not coming. She’ll come to the next game with me, for sure.”
“Good. I’m glad she listened for once.” I take a bite of my salad, chewing before I continue, “I remember how fun the weekend before senior year was in Nori Beach, the last taste of freedom before the end of summer.”
My dad chuckles, closing his eyes briefly. “Don’t remind me. I try my best to be fair and give her the same freedoms you had, but I worry about her ten times more than I did you.” He shakes his head. “Sorry, bud.”