Page 61 of Those Summer Nights (Sweet Cravings 2)

"It doesn't really matter. Nothing's going to happen between us."

"Gotcha." He took a long sip from his cup as he stared at me. “And your friend Kristen?”

I saw Kristen a few feet away absolutely eavesdropping.

“I wasn’t sure I was ready to go on a date so I asked her if she’d come along. Actually, I think you two have more in common than we do. But it was also her idea to try to make J.J. jealous.”

“What?” She closed the distance between us. “That’s not fair, you roped me into this mess. This craziness is all your doing.”

I was relieved when Reggie laughed. He handed Kristen her drink.

“Well your diabolical plan is working,” he said. “J.J. seems really jealous right now."

I looked over my shoulder at J.J. He did seem pretty mad.

"I'm sorry, Reggie. I didn't mean to drag you into this. I'm just going to go." I'm such an asshole. What is wrong with me? I still liked J.J. I should have never agreed to this date.

"I can help you if you want."

"What?"

"If you're trying to make him jealous, I'll play along."

Kristen squealed. “Ah, that makes this so much easier!”

"I can't make him jealous,” I said. “He doesn't like me."

"He does like you. He couldn't keep his hands off you during the football game. And as soon as he heard you were here with me, he got pissed."

"Why are you helping me?"

"Um...because this is going to be fun. It’ll be great, I’ll act like a real asshole and hit on both of you all night long right in front of him. It’s only a matter of time before he’ll swoop in and save you from me. Or until he gets all self-righteous and snaps.”

“Oh, fun,” Kristen said. “This is third-wheeling done oh so right.”

I laughed. I was already feeling slightly buzzed. Could this plan really work? I wanted my lifeguard to notice me. Me flirting with a guy who was flirting with someone else? Confusing and possibly a perfect plan.

"Besides, if I’m lucky one of you will actually like me at the end of the night. I'm a much better catch than J.J."

Kristen laughed. “I’m totally in. Here’s to a fun night.” She held up her glass. Reggie did the same.

"I guess we'll see where the night goes."

“Cheers to that,” Reggie said. We all clinked our glasses together. Not really, because plastic doesn’t clink. But it was the principle of the thing.

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Reggie slung his arms over both our shoulders. I didn’t feel guilty about agreeing to the date anymore. It seemed like he was having the time of his life.

“Um…how’s it going over here?” J.J. asked. He looked at Reggie’s arms wrapped about Kristen and me. His eyebrows pulled together. It already looked like he was going to snap.

“Great,” Kristen kissed Reggie’s cheek and whispered something in his ear before she stepped away from him. “You must be the infamous J.J.” She put her hand out for him. “I’m Kristen.”

“Ah, Kristen. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Kristen laughed. “Good things I hope?”

He nodded. “You’ve been taking up a lot of my girl’s time recently.”

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