Page 68 of Waiting for Friday Night

“They talk to each other all the time. Switching schools doesn’t mean the end of a friendship anymore. They’ve got social media and texts. They just don’t see each other daily.”

Halle continued to the meat section and scanned the selection of meat.

Quinton looked over his shoulder at Shania then back at Halle with a questioning glance. “Um...is that her girlfriend?”

Halle looked up at him. “Like friend who’s a girl or girlfriend?”

“The latter? The other night she said something about letting me know if she likes girls and I wasn’t sure if she was serious.”

“Would it bother you if she were?”

He shook his head. “It wouldn’t. I just want to know for sure. I don’t want to make a mistake and put my foot in my mouth by assuming.”

Halle relaxed, once again pleased to find another way that he was considerate of getting to know Shania. “I don’t think she likes girls. She’s never told me that she has.”

“I think Octavius on the team likes her.”

Halle blinked. “The other receiver?”

“Yeah, when we were throwing the ball earlier today, he had the look on his face of a guy in love. I’m curious how this may go.”

Halle looked at Shania and her friend and then frowned. “I’d be happy if she didn’t start dating someone on the team. I didn’t play sports, but I was in the band and I remember what happened on the band bus.”

Quinton’s eyes narrowed and the corner of his mouth lifted. “What happened on the band bus?”

Heat spread through Halle’s cheeks. She rolled her eyes and looked away. “Just keep an eye on them. No making out on the way back from a game, please.”

Quinton continued to smirk but nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on the Octavius situation. If things look like he’s getting serious, I’ll try to keep them apart.”

“You will?”

“I may not know what happened on the band bus, but I know what can happen when romance develops on a football team. I need my team working together, not dealing with love drama. Especially when Octavius is already dating a cheerleader.”

“You want to avoid any potential of drama with Octavius’s girlfriend?”

He nodded. “Exactly.”

“Well, if it helps any, I don’t think she likes Octavius. I think she’s into the boy who lives across the street. He’s a theater kid and isn’t intimidated by her playing football. She said he was interesting. Which is the most I’ve heard her say about anyone. Boy or girl.”

“Then maybe the Octavius thing will work itself out.”

“I hope so.” Halle focused on the ground beef offerings.

“Just like the things between the two of us can work out.” Quinton’s softly spoken statement made Halle stop as she reached for a package.

Halle’s eyes widened and she looked around. Shania was still chatting happily with her friend and had drifted farther away. “We aren’t going to talk about that.”

“Why not?”

“Because Shania is with us and we’re in the middle of Walmart.” She motioned to the other shoppers around them.

He shrugged. “She’s not here now. And I’m pretty sure worse conversations have gone down in this store.”

Halle fought not to grin at his observation. She pointed at him. “That’s not the point. Your parents will be here tomorrow. We need to focus on that.”

Desire still lit his dark eyes, but he nodded. “We’ll do that. I just want you to know that I can’t stop thinking about you. The feel of you.” His voice lowered and he leaned in close. “The taste of you.”

If her body got any hotter, she’d roast the meat in the deli section. “You’re not helping.”

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