Page 55 of Reviving Kendall

“I’ve told you before,” he says talking low, “I don’t share well with others. The only reason this is working is because it’s the four of us. I’m not doing this shit with anybody else.”

This pisses me off more than anything else, “I might be trailer trash, but I’m not a fucking whore, Maverick.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” Goose says, speaking for the first time.

Without taking my eyes from Mav’s, I reply defensively, “Well, that’s what he’s making me sound like.”

At this, Teagan jumps in, “He’s not meaning it that way. He’s just asking the question that we’re all wanting to know the answer to.”

When I try to glance at him, Mav shifts his shoulder in my way, “Who is he, Kendall?”

I have no choice but to look him in the face as I answer, “It’s just some guy at school. He sat down with me at lunch a couple months ago and started talking. We eat lunch together and that’s it. Today he brought out the bullshit about tomorrow being Valentine’s Day, and asked me out. When I told him no, he said he’d pick me up tonight, and before I could say anything, he left. I tried finding him to tell him that it wasn’t going to happen, but he disappeared, and I guess we’ve figured out where he went. Then, as I’m walking out to the parking lot, he ambushes me. Drops the flowers in my hand, kisses me on the cheek and runs off with a promise to be here at eight.”

Goose chuckles darkly under his breath, “He’ll have a surprise waiting on him if he shows up here tonight.”

“Now why couldn’t you just say that?” Mav asks, still not moving.

I cross my arms against my chest, “Did you give me a chance to before you come in here with an attitude, acting like a crazy caveman? Me man. You woman. No share.”

Catching sight of Teagan and Lucas over Mav’s shoulder, I see them leaning on each other for support as they try to hold in their laughs.

Mav tries his damnedest, but eventually a smile breaks free as the guys fail at holding theirs in. He pulls me to him and whispers in my ear, “I’m sorry. You just make me crazy sometimes.”

I press my lips against his Adam’s apple, “Just returning the favor I guess.”

He chuckles, and I feel the sound all the way down to my toes.

“So, is this guy for real about showing up here today?” Goose asks.

I share a grim smile with him, “Yeah, I think so.”

“Guess he’ll get a little more than what he bargained for then, huh?” Teagan asks as he fist bumps Goose.

Oh damn. This is going to be ugly.

We make a spaghetti dinner while we wait. Of course, that means Goose and I make dinner. The other three would burn boiling water. Well, maybe not Lucas. He’s not that bad.

I mentally bite my nails waiting around for the clock to turn. I’m seriously kicking myself in the ass for not having his number so I could just tell him. Even though, that might have made the situation worse earlier.

When lights cut across the front windows five minutes before eight, I jump up and beat the guys to the door, “Let me handle this. There’s no reason for anyone to have to get arrested or go to the hospital tonight.”

Goose and Teagan look disappointed, but nod almost at the same time. Then, surprising me, Lucas says, “He’s got one chance to accept your answer. That’s it.”

I sigh and walk out on to the porch. The closer he is to his car, the better.

He’s just walking around the front of an older style Camaro as I walk down the steps, and the sight of it squeezes my chest like a vise. If things weren’t already looking bad for him, that right there would have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. I’d never ride in that car.

Billy smiles as he sees me, “Hey Kendall.” He moves in for a hug right before his eyes find the four looming shadows I’m sure are behind me on the porch, and pulls up to a stop.

“Hi, Billy. I’m sorry you went out of your way today, but I can’t go out with you tonight, or any night actually,” I tell him.

His face looks defeated for a second, “I didn’t mean to come off so pushy earlier. I just didn’t know how to get you to agree to a date with me.”

I shake my head, “It’s nothing you did. I’m in a relationship right now and I tried to tell you earlier, but you kept running off before I could. It would be best if you left now.”

Stepping closer, he leans down so only I can hear it when he says, “If you feel threatened, I can help you know.”

The guys shift on the porch and one of them comes to stand behind me. Lucas’ cologne hits my nose, and I have half a second to be thankful it wasn’t one of the others. That is until he opens his mouth, “Are you deaf? She said leave, dude.”

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