Page 61 of Wild Love
“Thanks.” She smooths a hand along the spandex of her black dress. She is dressed to impress tonight. “What are you two up to? I haven’t seen you around.”
“I’m trying to convince Dakota to come out to Beverlee’s with me.”
“Oh.” Her eyes light up. “I’ve heard that place is great. Some friends and I tried to go last week, but they’re booked up for months.” The girls she’s with start to walk off and she steps after them. “It was good to see you guys.”
“Wait,” I call to her before she leaves. “You should go with Maverick.”
“Me?” Her smile broadens, but she ducks her head a little shyly.
“Yeah. It’s perfect. I can’t go. I have a date.” I look at Johnny. “But you two should go out and celebrate getting rid of the crutches. It’s a big deal.”
I’ve put him in a position where he can’t say no, but Anika is beautiful, seems nice, and I don’t get any puck bunny stalker vibes from her. She’s a fan, sure, but that’s probably half the nearby population.
“Uh, yeah, if you’re up for it,” he says.
“Really?”
He nods and places both hands in his pockets.
“Okay. Yeah. I just need to tell my friends.”
“Sure,” Mav says.
When she walks off, he closes the space between us and lowers his voice. “What was that?”
“I’m sorry, but she seems really nice, and she’s beautiful. Those glasses with that dress.” I give him a thumbs-up.
He chuckles softly.
“This is good. You need to go celebrate, and this way, we’re both out meeting new people.” I slide from my chair. “I’ll see you later.”
Outside, I let out a long breath and start back toward the apartment. As I enter the building, my phone pings, and somehow I just know. I know he’s blowing me off at the last minute.
Confirmed when I pick up my phone and read the apologetic text claiming something last minute came up at work, and he’s so sorry, let’s reschedule, blah blah blah.
I kick off my shoes inside the apartment, scoop up Charli, and call Reagan.
“Are you calling me from the bathroom to tell me how great he is?” I can hear her smiling on the other end. “Or do I need to text you in five and claim there’s an emergency?”
“He canceled.”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not.” I hit the video button, needing to see her face.
She accepts and appears on my screen, brows scrunched together as she studies me. “You’re not?”
“No. Ask me why not.” I lie down on the pink couch. Johnny’s scent still lingers from the night he slept on it, or maybe it’s from being in his apartment. I wonder if it’ll always smell like him now. I kind of hope so.
“Why not?”
“Freaking Johnny Maverick. That’s why.”
* * *
I consider goingout so that I’m not sitting at home thinking about how I forced the guy I like to go out with someone else because I don’t want to like him. Maverick and I don’t make any sense. We want different things.
Instead, I go to bed early. I’m lying awake listening for him to come home when it occurs to me he might bring her back here, and I’ll have to listen to them having sex. He said he wouldn’t bring random girls home, but it would really serve me right. Maybe if he sleeps with Anika, I’ll be able to get the thought of kissing him out of my head.
