Page 34 of The Flirty Forward

“I know, right? It’s not like he doesn’t have his fair share of females everywhere who dote on him. Why does he need me to as well?” I say in exasperation. “I turn the guy down, probably for the first time in his life, and he makes a big deal about it and suddenly I’m the bad guy. Just because I don’t want to be just another notch in his belt, just another of the countless females he’s been in bed with. No thank you!”

“You go, Girl!” Amber says, turning around and high-fiving me. “You stay strong. Show him not to mess with you.”

“So did you get the picture?” Brielle asks.

“Yeah, finally. And then I hightailed it out of there. There were just so many people there,” I explain. “His family...there’s just so many of them. And they’re so loud and crazy...and overwhelming...and kind and welcoming...treating me like I’m just another member of the big family.”

“Wow, they sound awful,” Amber says dryly.

I smile despite myself. “They’re not. They’re just...”

“More family to you than your own family has ever been,” Bri says.

I look up, surprised, and meet her eyes in the rearview. “I—,” I blow out a breath. “Yeah.” I feel bad thinking these thoughts about my parents, but it’s true. My parents love me; I know they do. But I’ve never really felt their love; I’ve always felt like I was just something they had to deal with. I’ve always been a burden to them, keeping them from living the life they desired and doing what they wanted to. “Amber, what have you been up to?” I ask, desperate to change the conversation and get the focus off me.

“She’s dating a jerk of a guy,” Bri says.

Amber shakes her head. “He’s not a jerk.”

Bri pins her with a look, but Amber turns away and stares out the window. “What’s going on, Little Sis?” I ask.

Chapter 12

Sebastian

I watch Bri drive away and feel a knot in my stomach. Stephanie’s eyes meet mine for just a moment in the backseat, and I fight the urge to do something to stop her from driving away. But I know I can’t. I put my hands in my pockets and rock back on my heels. I’m used to going after what I want in life. I didn’t get to be a starting player for an AHL hockey team by sitting back and not doing anything.

“So she’s a runner, huh?”

I was so lost in thought, I didn’t hear my brother come out. “Yeah, I guess so.” He glances at me, waiting for me to say more. My older brother’s not much of a talker; he’s more like my dad.

“Did we scare her off?”

I shake my head. ”I don’t really know. She was fine on the way over here. I let her drive my car, and she—what?”

“You let her drive your Corvette?”

I shrug. “Yeah. So?”

“You don’t let anybody drive that thing.”

“Yeah I do.” I think about it for a moment. “Okay, yeah. You’re right; I don’t. But she was so happy driving it. Shoot. I’d let her drive it every day if I could get her to smile as much as she did while she was driving. But then we got here, and she just kind of...like froze or something. I don’t know what happened. That look in her eyes...” I shake my head. I could go the rest of my life without seeing that look in her eyes; it was equal parts lost and panic. I’d wanted to pull her into my arms, but I waspretty sure she wouldn’t allow me to. “The way she practically ran out the door,” I mutter to my brother.

“We’re a lot. You remember how it was for Kristin when she came into the family and that was before we got as big as we are now.” My brother slants another look at me. “What’s the deal with you two anyway? I didn’t even know you were dating until she showed up at the game.”

“We’re not. Well not for real anyway.” At his look, I continue. “Okay, I did something stupid. Yeah, I know, not for the first time. I had a run-in with her at Kayla’s school.” He frowns. “You know all this; she was the teacher that I had the run-in with because of Kayla’s homework. Anyway, I might have said during a press conference that there was this history teacher that I was interested in that wasn’t interested back. I can’t believe Kristin didn’t tell you all this.”

“She did; I just like hearing you admit to blowing it,” he says with a smirk.

“Thanks,” I say dryly. “So because I was stupid, people figured out who she is and went after her. They started showing up at her school calling her out, holding signs, saying stuff about her online. It really got out of hand.” Even as I say the words, I feel terrible that it got so out of hand. “Man, I am such a jerk.”

“So...” my brother prompts.

“So I decided to try and fix it, especially after she and Brielle both got hurt. Aiden was furious at me for that. I thought maybe if she came to my game and got pictures with me and then took a few photos with our family, it would make the haters leave her alone because they would see that we’re together now.”

“Even though you’re not,” he so helpfully points out.

“Yet,” I add.

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