Page 26 of The Truth About Love

I smile to humour him. Ten bucks says he gets lonely tomorrow night and tells her he’s home early. Wouldn’t be the first time.

“Why don’t you just sack her off and go for someone like Elena?”

“We’ve talked about this, man.” He sighs. “Mia drives me crazy, but I still love the psycho.”

I gulp down some of my beer, wondering why I bothered to ask when I already knew what his answer would be. “Yeah. Yeah, I know, man. Sorry.”

He shrugs off my apology.

Our attention is stolen by the team’s mascot, still kitted out in full costume, singing the national anthem at the top of his lungs as if the team just played in the NFL. Before long, everyone around us is joining in. Fred in particular goes hell for leather and I take the opportunity to slip outside while he’s distracted.

The fresh night air fills my lungs and I instantly relax. I didn’t even notice how tense I was back there. Considering I scored the winning touchdown of the game tonight, I should be in a better mood. But for some reason, the idea of partying into the early hours of the morning isn’t as appealing as it usually is.

In fact, I’d rather just go home and text Summer-Raine. Maybe tease her until she hits me with some sassy remark that would have me falling asleep with a smile on my face.

For the first time, getting drunk off my ass and fucking a cheerleader to celebrate the team’s win doesn’t feel like a decent use of my time.

Sighing, I go to head back inside to let Fred know I’m heading out when long fingernails grip my shoulder. Turning, I find Lana Sanders looking up at me through false eyelashes and heavy makeup.

“Hey, Lana.”

“Hey, you.” She drags her acrylics across my chest to play with the neckline on my t-shirt, bleached blonde bob catching the early Fall breeze. “You’re quiet tonight.”

I force a smile. “Not feeling it today, I guess.”

“Anything I can do to cheer you up?” The tip of her finger trails down my body, tracing the hard ridges on my stomach before settling just above the waistline of my jeans.

I catch her wrist and gently move it off me.

“I’m actually about to leave,” I say thoughtlessly and instantly regret it.

Her face lights up, completely misinterpreting my words. “Meet you outside in ten?”

She spins in her stilettos without waiting for an answer and disappears inside the house, to say her goodbyes, I assume.

“Lana, wait,” I call after her, but she’s already long gone.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

Sighing, I decide to text Fred to let him know that I’m leaving instead of telling him in person. At least this way I can hopefully slip out without Lana catching up to me.

I slide my phone from my back pocket and my heart stutters at the notification blinking at me on the screen.

Summer-Raine:Congratulations, Quarterback. You killed it like I knew you would.

I text her back immediately. Does that mean she watched me on tv?

Me:You saw?

Summer-Raine:Every minute.

I fire off a quick message to Fred before slipping into the shadows at the side of the house.

Summer-Raine:Enjoy the party, Auden. You deserve it.

Me:I’m actually heading out.

Summer-Raine:Somewhere better to be?

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