Page 69 of Friend Zoned

“Nope. You’re not my first white boyfriend.” His drink stops halfway to his mouth. Vickie snickers at the table, and Colt leans closer. “What?” I ask when he continues to stare at me. “It was in high school. Puppy love. Nothing ever came of it.” I put a hand on his arm.

“You told me you couldn’t date in high school.”

“I couldn’t. Doesn’t mean I didn’t.” I wink at him.

“I’m telling Myra,” Aiden mumbles.

“Face it, Coach. Jeannie has a past,” Vickie says. “Anyway, I went from living my best single life, to married and a soccer mom.” She runs a hand through Evan’s curly hair.

“You said you like being a soccer mom,” the little boy says.

“I don’t like it. I love it.” She kisses the top of his head. “I’m the snack czar,” she says with a big smile. “Gluten, nut, and sugar free snacks. Yum.”

Aiden grabs a plate with a steak. He surprises me when he starts feeding it to me. No one has ever done that for me before, and I’m not the least bit embarrassed about him doing it in public. Not that our tablemates notice. Colt is too busy feeding his own wife.

“So, were you at the club too, Aid?” I ask him. As ridiculous as it sounds, I hate the thought of him at a club looking for a woman to dance with. A woman who isn’t me.

“Me? No. I’m sure I was at home looking at old games. I had no life until we met.” He squeezes my thigh underneath the table. “Not to mention I wasn’t invited. You’re my only dance partner, baby.”

“And who was watching Evan while you were out?” I ask Colt. The entire table goes silent, and I think I might have put my foot in my mouth. Both Colt and Vickie put down their knife and fork. I have my apology on my tongue, but Colt speaks first.

“Coach, keep her,” he says.

“That’s exactly what I asked him,” Vickie tells me. She gives me another high five and turns back to her husband. “You had no business being out that night.”

“He was with his grandmother, and parents are allowed to have lives,” Colt says.

“Well, your life is over,” Vickie tells him. “I better not hear about you at any club unless I’m there.”

“Whatever my queen wants,” Colt says.

“As if I need anyone telling me to keep you,” Aiden whispers in my ear, right before he kisses my temple.

The waiter brings us fresh margaritas, and while I sip mine, Evan gets up and walks to my side of the table. He hands me the paper he was drawing on and runs back to his seat. When I look down at it, he’s drawn a heart.

Colt and Vickie look at the drawing, then at their son. He has his head down while he inhales a plate of chicken fajitas, but I can see a blush on his pale cheeks.

“Did little Chastain just hit on my girl while I’m sitting here?” Aiden asks. He reaches across the table and messes the boy’s hair.

“My boy,” Colt says, puffing out his chest.

“Don’t start with the misogyny, Chastain,” Vickie warns.

“Thank you, Evan,” I say to him. “I love it.” He looks up and grins. “I’m going to put it on my refrigerator.”

Chapter 39

Jeannie

It was hard leaving Aiden this morning. I considered taking a sick day but didn’t for two reasons. One, I don’t want one of the other assistant managers to have to come in because I wanted to stay in bed with my boyfriend. Two, I don’t want Quintin to think that I care about his baby shower. It was with great reluctance that I left the warm bed and the hot, naked body underneath the sheets.

He only started to stir when I brought him a cup of coffee before getting in the shower. He was just getting out of bed when my car arrived. It took everything in me not to go back inside with him, especially when he pulled me into his bare chest to tell me how much he loves me.

The morning has been chaotic. I’ve had to deal with a missing order, damage to two rooms, and several noise complaints from guests. It’s quieted down now, and I hope it will stay that way. It’s been so busy that I’d forgotten all about Quintin and his shower until I walked into the lobby. Eve is there talking to Layla, likely anticipating this afternoon’s drama. None of which I plan to participate in since I’ll be in my office having lunch and working.

I go through the lobby and ignore my employees while I walk to my office. My phone rings the instant I step through the door.

“What the fuck now?” I whisper under my breath. “Yes, Layla,” I say when I see the extension from the front desk.

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