Page 82 of The Love Playbook

“Well, like you know, he caught me off guard and showed up Sunday with breakfast.”

“After the stunt he pulled at the party Saturday night, you didn’t gouge his eyes out?” Liz asks wide-eyed.

“No.” I snicker. “However, I was still wearing Danger’s hoodie, and he immediately noticed.”

Brynn’s eyes glitter with excitement. “Oh shit. I bet helovedthat,” she croons.

“Yeah, he wasn’t a fan. He basically started gagging like the drama queen he is and demanded I take it off because he couldn’t eat with me in it. When I refused, he threatened to take it off for me.”

“Oh, god, that’s hot,” Elizabeth says. “Please tell me you let him make good on his threat.”

“Sadly, no. I was still in my you-repulse-me-and-if-you-so-much as-look-at-me-I’ll-poke-your-eyes-out mindset, and so I swiftly removed it myself.”

“Bummer.” Liz deflates.

“Speaking of, I really should return that jersey.” I gnaw on the inside of my cheek as I glance around my room.I swear I laid it over my desk chair and haven’t seen it since. Weird.

“Forget about the jersey,” Brynn says, waving a hand. “What happened next?”

“We ate and he insisted on fixing my car for me since he knew I needed a way to get back home to check in on my mother. I guess his father was a mechanic and Chris used to help him when he was young. Then in high school he worked for another local mechanic so he could learn the trade. He basically restored his own car, which is vintage and admittedly pretty cool, so he knows a lot and plans on reopening his father’s shop after college.”

“Damn. Why are mechanics so hot?” Samantha asks.

“I think any man who knows how to get his hands dirty is hot,” Liz says with a wistful sigh.

“Definitely. Any guythatgood with his hands is bound to be good at other things, too.” A wicked grin spreads Brynn’s mouth. “Plus, those calloused palms sliding over your body . . .” She shudders.

“Okay, hornballs,” I say, chucking a fortune cookie at them. “Focus.”

“Right.” Samantha shakes her head. “Sorry about that.”

“So, of course, I couldn’t let him do something for nothing because it’s not in my nature. The last thing I want is to be indebted to him, so I told him I’d only go along with it if we made a deal. A favor for a favor.”

Brynn gasps. “You gave him a blowie!”

“What?” I scrunch up my face. “No! Get your head out of the gutter.”

“Sorry, sorry!” She throws her hands up. “But in my defense, when you said ‘a favor for a favor,’ I thought that’s where you were headed.”

“You’re in time-out,” I say, pointing at her.

“Noted.” She rolls her lips together while I shake my head.

“Anyway,I told him to name the stakes, and he wanted me to agree on a date, so I did.”

“Wait. You can’t stand him, but in order for him to fix your car and not be indebted to him, you agreed on a date?” Liz nearly chokes.

“Yes.” I wince. “Maybe it sounds crazy, but I need transportation. And, okay, if I’m being honest, I still had that kiss from the party on my mind, and so I think a part of me wanted to agree just to see, you know? Kind of like scratching an itch? And if it’s disastrous, then maybe he’ll leave me alone once and for all. But then . . .”

“But then . . .?” Brynn asks, watching me closely, practically vibrating from her spot on the bed.

“I had a lot of fun on Sunday. Like, a crazy weird amount of fun. I even spent some time with his family, and he surprised me.”

“In a good way?” Liz asks.

In the best of ways.

“Yeah, in a good way,” I say.

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