Page 50 of Petals of Blue: Part One
I do my business and dab the built-in panties of my shorts. They're about as dry as they’re going to get, and they're only going to get wetter if I have to watch Roman workout.
As I wash my hands and make my way back out to the main gym, I wonder if there's a way I can get out of this. I'm flustered which gives Roman an advantage. If he has the upper handwhilelifting weights, my boundaries are toast.
Well, let’s be honest, they incinerated the moment I saw Declan and Felix together. What a fucking choice that was.
I blink and suddenly I'm in the twilight zone. Roman and Levi waltz out of Levi's office grinning.How long was I gone?
Roman shakes my friend’s hand. "This is great, man. Thank you for the opportunity. What time do you want me here tomorrow?"
"Does nine work? We'll go over some basics of the gym and work out your schedule." Levi looks so excited I almost feel bad for bursting their bromance.Almost.
"What's going on?" I snap, crossing my arms as I stop in front of them. They make me feel puny, but I shake it off. "Did you seriously just hire the enemy?"
"Enemy?" Roman asks, looking hurt and surprised.
I wave him off. "Levi doesn't know I'm attempting to forgive and befriend you so this," I gesture between them, "is against girl code."
"How do you know Rome?" Levi asks me, looking confused and worried.Good.
"You mean Roman? One fourth of the asshole squad who ghosted me in senior year?" I can't help it; I stomp my foot like Violet did this morning.Where's my water bottle?
"Shit. Fuck! You’re joking. Tell me you’re joking!" Levi grabs my forearm, looking a little green. He glares over at Roman who I refuse to look at right now. "Rome?"
"Stop calling him that," I growl, pulling my arm free. That'smynickname for him. "You knew what he did, Levi. All's just forgiven because you need a position filled? You're my best friend."
Shit, the anger is fading behind the hurt in my tone. My eyes burn a little too. Today is a complete mess. I want to go home.
"Petal..." Roman murmurs. "I met Levi in college. We were gym buddies. I didn't know you were friends. I'm sorry."
Levi's jaw grinds as he studies his college friend. "Son of abitch, dude. This sucks.You'reone of the guys who hurt my girl?"
Something shifts in Roman's eyes making me stand up taller and take notice. "Yourgirl?" Roman snaps, stepping forward threateningly.
My pussy flutters, enjoying the possessive reaction. I grab Roman's shirt and tug him toward me. "Levi's married. To Kevin."
"Oh." Rome deflates, almost curling around me in relief. Then he perks up. "Wait really? Congratulations, man!"
What the hell is happening?
"Thanks. We need to have a chat, though," Levi declares, glaring at Roman. "Blue, go do your warm-ups. We'll be there in a minute."
Not once does he take his eyes off of Roman. Slightly giddy over the fact that Levi's going to lay into Roman a bit, I skip over to my friend and kiss his cheek. Roman makes a sound of indignation, but I scurry away with a mischievous feeling buzzing in my spine.
If Rome can handle my buff bestie telling him off for his behavior, then we'll be another step closer to making amends.
Thirty-Two
JARED
Teaching high schoolers any form of math is exhausting. Even the prep work, for fuck’s sake. They don't want to be there—except for the select few. The thing about math is that what I'm teaching now is not what these students’ parents were taught. Therefore, these kids don't have much help at home.
Classes haven't started yet, but I guarantee I'll have a few people tell me I'm teaching them wrong. It's hard when there is one right answer but many ways to get there.
Something clearly happened between the time I left today and right now. I'm seeing the end result, but how the hell did we get here?
Blue's sitting on the island in the kitchen, arms flailing as she tells a story about someone handing Roman his ass at the gym today. She laughs, and Roman's face turns red, but he smiles good-naturedly.
Not only is Blue Bennett willingly hanging out in our home, but Declan and Felix are pressed together on separate stools watching Blue with wonder in their eyes.
