Page 86 of Unrivaled

My mouth opens, but I don’t even know how to answer that question. Are we dating? I mean, we went onasingular date and we have sex fairly regularly. Is that dating? I don’t really even know what that means.

“Aww, look at her. She’s not even sure.” Ellie leans over and pats my arm. “I get it. Things between Simon and me started off all hush-hush, and I don’t know what I’d have said if someone asked me that question to my face like that.”

Autumn cackles. “I know whatIwould’ve said.”

Ellie shoots her a glare. “Well, yeah, but no one’s asking you. Anyway,” she looks at me again. “Ignore her. My point is, you don’t have to answer Piper’s nosy questions just because she’s putting you on the spot.”

“Who’re you calling nosy?” Piper gasps. “You’re the one who was all up in mine and Cal’s business when we were first together.”

Mouth dropping open, Ellie straightens, her palm hitting the table. “I was not!”

“Suuuure. You justhappenedto need to get your textbook and what was it? Lip gloss? The night that Cal and I went out the first time. You weren’t curious at all who your brother needed the house to himself for?”

The redness in Ellie’s cheeks gives her away. “I mean, of course I was curious. Who wouldn’t be? But I really did forget my textbook and lip gloss that night. That wasn’t a lie.”

“Mmhmm. Sure. If you say so.”

Something about their banter is relaxing, and I feel like I can finally drop my guard a little bit as a smile takes over my face. Dani leans closer to me. “They’re like this all the time. If their attention ever gets to be too much for you, just find a reason to make them argue and you’ll be home free.”

“Thanks for the tip,” I whisper back.

She tips her cup toward me. “Anytime. But also, they’re going to keep asking until you tell them what they want to know.”

“Noted.”

Fortunately, I’m saved by the barista calling my name.

“Alright, ladies, it was nice seeing you all.”

“Wait,” Ellie interrupts. “You’re not leaving already? You just got here. Sit and chat with us a while. We’re here commiserating about our boyfriends being away—well, Piper and I are. Autumn and Dani are along for moral support.”

“We don’t have boyfriends,” Dani puts in.

“I have plenty of male companions,” Autumn says airily. “Just no single one I’ve committed to.”

“Dani also has plenty of male companions,” Piper chimes in. “She just doesn’t sleep with any of them.”

“Piper,” Dani hisses, her cheeks turning pink under her tan.

Piper turns to her, wide eyed. “What? It’s true. You don’t. You’re just friends with like every single football player.”

Dani shrugs. “Noteverysingle football player. I’m not friends with your brother. Or Simon.” She gestures toward me. “Or Kilpatrick.”

“I said everysinglefootball player.”

Dani’s cheeks get pinker, but she just rolls her eyes and drinks her coffee.

“I really do have to get home,” I tell them before this can devolve further. “I appreciate the invite though. Maybe next time.”

As I get my coffee, my thoughts swirl even more. Gray and I have never clarified what we really are to each other. He asked me to give him a chance. But a chance to do what, exactly? A chance to be a good dad? A good boyfriend? Something else?

But now he’s gone for a week, so I can’t ask him that. And even if he were here, he’s still leaving in just over two months.

Does it even matter anyway?

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Gray

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