Page 23 of Grumpy Darling

“If you get one of my brothers, I’ll wish my lunch had already finished me off.”

I relaxed and settled back in my seat. “Just chew your food properly next time, okay?”

I glanced at Bonnie, who’d been sitting back, watching this all unfold, and appeared to have thoroughly enjoyed it.

“Way to burst into action and help, Bon,” I said. “Remind me never to choke around you.”

The bell rang, and Bonnie jumped from her seat, still smirking. “I’ve got to go.” She scrambled to gather her things. “I have to stop by the newsroom before class. But don’t worry about our hunt for the perfect set of lips. I’ve got a good feeling about the new guy.”

“I haven’t even met him! He could be crazy.”

“As long as he’s crazy good at kissing, that’s all that matters.” She grinned at me over her shoulder and was gone.

“I’m beginning to wonder if asking Bonnie for help was a bad idea,” I said as Grayson and I slowly followed the rest of the students out of the cafeteria. “Although, she’s enthusiastic, I’ll give her that—” I paused when I heard our names being called.

“Grayson? Paige?”

Turning to find the source of the voice, I was met with a pair of bright blue eyes, tanned skin and sandy-blond hair—it was the new guy. And for some reason he had a large smile bursting from his lips. It took me a moment as I tried to figure how he knew us, but as I looked into his eyes I was hit by recognition.

“Damien?” I gasped.

Gray stiffened beside me. Bonnie’s number-one pick for my first kiss wasn’t just some new guy. He was also my first friend. My first crush. The boy who got away.

And now he was back.

Chapter 6

Grayson

Damien? Why did that name sound familiar? And why did I recognize that messy blond hair and cocky grin? A moment later, it clicked. Damien Stone. I’d thought talking about Paige’s first kiss was the worst thing to happen to me today. Apparently, I was wrong.

“Damien?” The way Paige gasped his name, you’d think he were the answer to all her prayers and the subject of all her dreams. She didn’t hesitate for another second—just rushed forward and launched herself into his arms.

He swung her around, pulling her feet right off the ground. I stood and watched, waiting for them to finish their reunion like my heart wasn’t aching at the sight. Paige was always smiling and joking around with the guys on the team, but something about seeing her with Damien hit differently.

Damien Stone had lived across the road when we were growing up. He hung out with me and my brothers sometimes, and other kids in the neighborhood. I’d never liked him, but he’d firmly cemented his name on my shit list the day of my eighth birthday, when he blew out my candles and stole my wish. In hindsight, it wasn’t the best reason to hate someone, but when you already had to share a birthday with your twin brother, you didn’t want to share your candles too. I hadn’t been the least bit sad to see him go when his dad got a job out of state, and he had to move away. Mostly, I was glad I no longer had to share Paige with him.

They’d been friends when we were younger too, and it had always felt like we were competing to see who she liked the best. I’d assumed it was Damien, because he could always make her laugh. Then there was the wedding. I shuddered at the memory. I could never recall whose idea it was to play dress-up that day. But I would never forget it was Damien who got to stand next to Paige under the tree at the bottom of her parents’ garden and pretend to get hitched. I had to stand on the sidelines as Paige’s maid of honor, watching my place in the friend zone become official.

“You’re all grown up.” Paige still sounded slightly breathless as Damien lowered her back to the ground. She was grinning brightly up at him, and his smile was just as wide. “And you got tall. You might actually be bigger than Grayson.”

I stood slightly straighter as I realized she could be right. Damienwastaller than me. Not by much, but I rarely found myself eye to eye with another guy, and I was used to being the largest person in any room I entered. Not anymore, apparently.

“And you stayed short,” he replied, making her laugh. “How the hell are you guys doing?” Damien turned his friendly smile on me, but didn’t give me a chance to answer. “Still cheery as ever, hey, Grayson?”

I hadn’t even said anything. Was the pain on my face really that obvious? Usually, I found it easy to keep my emotions a closely guarded secret, but being around Damien must have been making it more difficult.

I decided to ignore his “cheery” jab and focus on what was important. “What are you doing back in town?” I asked.

Apparently, I’d said something hilarious, because Damien was laughing again and shaking his head. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Neither have you,” I grumbled. “Just visiting then?” I added hopefully.

“Actually...” he replied, “you’re looking at the newest member of the Ransom Devils.”

The hits just kept coming. Coach Ray had said something about a new player. Perhaps I should have listened more closely.

“That’s so great,” Paige replied excitedly. Did she have to sound quite so happy about it? “Isn’t that great, Grayson?”

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