Page 72 of The Playboy's Playbook

He helps me in and makes sure I’m buckled up before rounding the hood to the driver’s side. He starts the engine, the loud truck roaring to life.

“Feel free to play whatever on the radio,” he says, passing his phone to me.

I can’t help but give him a sideways glance at how casually he’s passing his phone to me. He doesn’t care if I see if he gets a text message. He doesn’t care if I just so happen to look through his photos. He’s so chill about everything – meanwhile, I’m over here trying my best not to hyperventilate by our closeness. Even after all this time, I’m rattled by this boy.

I fucking hate being rattled.

Chapter Thirty-Five

MATT

Laila rattles me and I fucking love it like I love her.

She turned on a country playlist and it’s doing a good job at filling the tense air surrounding us. When I handed her my phone, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

I don’t know why she was surprised or thrown off – I’ve given her my phone plenty of times to play music and just to have it. I have nothing to hide…anymore. As soon as Laila agreed to going out with me tonight, I called Luke and begged for him to come along and bring the boys. Needless to say, Luke isn’t my best friend at the moment.

“Please, man! You and the boys are a good buffer and right now, I need a buffer!” I beg.

“You didn’t need a fucking buffer when you asked her out, so tough shit,” Luke says on a huff.

“But –”

“I’m hanging up. Have fun and tell Laila we said hey.”

I glance briefly at Laila and she’s looking out the window like she always does when she’s in the passenger seat. She looks absolutely stunning – if I’m not mistaken, she’s wearing a similar, if not the exact same outfit she wore when I first saw her at the rodeo last year.

“So, how’s life been?” I ask, trying to break the awkwardness in the truck.

As if she’s surprised I’m speaking to her, she looks at me and I swear I see a slight glimmer in her eyes. That might just be how I see her because she’s a glimmer in my dull and shitty life.

“Life’s been…life. Nola turns five and graduates from “kin-dog-garten” next weekend. I booked her a graduation and birthday photo shoot.” She twirls a piece of hair around her finger and looks down at her boot-clad feet.

“She’s growing up,” I whisper.

“Yeah, she’s no longer a baby. It’s kind of sad.”

I shake my head. “Not true. She’ll always be your baby. Plus, she’s about to be a whole paw! That’s exciting!”

Laila chuckles and a small smile cracks across her face. “Yeah, a whole paw and still a menace to society.”

I burst out laughing. “Nola is too cute for her own good.”

Laila shrugs and the smile cracks a little more.

Come on, baby. Give me your smile. I’ve missed it so damn much.

“Nola’s just like her mom,” I continue, looking at Laila before putting my eyes back on the road.

She lets out a sad laugh, so I continue.

“No, I’m serious. They say pets are a reflection of their humans and Nola’s spot on.”

Laila turns her body toward me, leaning forward to rest on the center console. “How so?”

“She’s spunky. She’s hilarious. And best of all,” I stop as I turn down the dirt road that leads to the rodeo.

“And best of all what?” Laila murmurs.

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