Page 48 of Baby, It's You
I throw my head back and laugh at that, realizing he did look like a total bro. “He might dress like one sometimes, but he’s not. Except, well, he does sleep with a lot of women so maybe that is bro behavior.”
Olive raises an eyebrow. “Exactly.”
“Well, you got me there.” I’m smiling from ear to ear. “We are just a bunch of bro degenerates.”
“I knew it.” She smirks as we pull up to the lake entrance.
She grabs one of the bags of beef jerky from the truck floor and rips it open. “Why does beef jerky taste so good, but smell like a bag of farts?” she asks, eyes wide.
Laughter consumes me again. Everything she says is always something I don’t expect to come out of her mouth.
“I think it’s just from the spices or dehydration process or something?” I respond.
“I don’t know, but man, it’s good. Just bad for everybody around you while you eat it.”
“I can handle it; you can eat a bag of farts around me any day.”
She holds her hand to her heart. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she says playfully. Then, she shoves a piece in her mouth.
I continue to smile as we turn around the right side of the lake, pulling up to a rocky area where I see Eddie and Wes already set up with a small group. Eddie turns from their game of football, hearing my truck, and waves. I wave back and throw the truck in park.
I turn to Olive just as she leans in and whispers, “Do I spy a fewbrosplaying football?”
I slide even closer to her, our faces just inches apart. “You’re right. The bros are bro-ing.”
I hear her breath hitch as I stay close, keeping our eye contact. She looks down at my mouth, her gaze lingering. I’m not going to be the one to break this moment of intimacy first.
Suddenly, she pulls back as if remembering herself and exclaims, “Great! Let’s go! Introduce me to the group.”
Then, she pops out of the passenger seat and shuts her door. I blow out my own breath and adjust my hat, knowing that my feelings for her are intensifying and there’s nothing I can do now to stop them. The train left the station the first second I laid eyes on her.
Chapter 33
Olive
To say I rushed out of the truck would be an understatement. I practically jumped out of my seat when I realized how close we just were to kissing. I constantly catch myself letting my guard down around Hunter, which terrifies me. He gets out of the driver’s side and gives me a quick, inquisitive look before heading to the bed of his truck. I meet him around the back and grab a pop-up chair, slinging it over my shoulder.
“It’s fine, I can carry that,” he tells me as he reaches for it.
I pull back gently. “You know, I’m not some fragile little bird; I can carry stuff. I carry kegs at work.”
“I know that,” he tells me, “I just want to help if I’m here.”
Before I can respond, I see his two best friends, Wes and Eddie, walk up towards us. Wes gives me a huge smile, his blond hair shining like silk in the brutal sunlight. “Hey, Fruity O’s!”
I groan. “Oh god, is that nickname going to stick?”
Eddie chuckles. “Wes is all about nicknames. You got off easy.”
“Oh yeah?” I raise an eyebrow. “Well, let’s hear these other nicknames.”
Eddie points to himself. “Bologna.” Then he points to Hunter. “Hot Dog.”
“I’m noticing a food theme.” I look at Wes.
“Well, Eddie used to have a bologna sandwich every single day for lunch growing up.”
“And you?” I turn to Hunter and ask him.
