Page 32 of No Way Home
I blew out my breath. “Six of hearts?”
“That’s me,” Blaze, Anna and Blue’s boy, bounded up to me.
My elation shot up like a bottle rocket. “Sweet!”
“Dude,” Blaze said. “We’re gonna dominate.”
“Heck yes.” I grinned, giving him a high five. At fourteen, Blaze hadbeaten every one of his dad’s records at that age. Looked like God wasn’t trying to punish me after all.
But then Theo walked over. “Bruh. That’s a nine.” He flipped Blaze’s card around and laid his against it. “See? Matchy-matchy.”
“Oh, sick,” Blaze said, offering him a low five like Theo and I were interchangeable. We were not. He shrugged at me. “Sorry, bro.”
I groaned.
“That’s me, Bowen,” Magnolia said just loud enough for me to hear, sounding as excited as I felt.
That was the moment I knew: God played favorites and I was at the bottom of his list.
The dam of frustration burst open, and I growled like a pissed-off lion. “You have got to be kidding me!” How was I supposed to stay away from this woman when she was constantly being shoved in my face? I stormed over, being the douche I always was whenever she was involved. “Let me see your card.” I ripped it out of her hand. And groaned again.
Six of freaking hearts.
My head fell back and I shook my fists at the sky.
Magnolia waved her hands dramatically. “Oh no! Not the sky fists. Anything but the sky fists.”
I shot her a look, silently demanding that she stop being such a menace to my peace of mind. And to my idiot heart, which still hadn’t gotten the memo that she was off-limits.
We’d gone on one stupid date two years ago. We hadn’t even kissed. And yet she’d lodged herself in my system like a splinter I couldn’t dig out.
She pursed her lips. “Relax, drama queen.” She tore her card from my hand. “It’s not like we’re getting married.”
“Dang right, you’re not,” Griffin threatened, teeth bared, likeIwas something she needed to be protected from.
I wanted to knock that look right off his face. Wanted to say Icould’vehadher if I’d let myself go there. But I didn’t. I made myself chill. Because underneath all that bravado, Griffin was scared. He loved her and he was scared to death of losing her.
To me.
It was pathetic really. But it was real.
The truth was, every time I caught a glimpse of his doubt, it gutted me. Because I was the one who put it there. And I wouldnotdo anything to add to it.
So my jackass heart could get all excited every time Magnolia walked into a room, and my eyes could flick over without my permission, checking out her legs. I could even have full-on make-out sessions with her in my dreams—and I had, many times. But there was no way Magnolia and I would ever get together. I’d promised myself that the minute I left her apartment during Sole Mates.
And, I reminded myself, Griffin didn’t know any of that.
So I didn’t punch him. But I did flick my card in his face.
It hit him in the nose. He sputtered and slapped it away, knocking it to the ground, nostrils flaring, fists balled.
“Oh geez,” Magnolia said, head in her hand.
I laughed and sauntered toward Cash and Charlie like it was no big thing. But deep down, I knew the truth—I was at the top of a steep and dangerous slope. All it would take was one soft laugh from her, one shared look, one Magnolia-scented breeze, and I’d be skidding down fast with no brakes—and I wasn’t sure I’d come out in one piece at the bottom.
That night, when I was lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, and a text from an unknown number popped up, the first light brush of air blew in.
(555) 016-8472
