Page 11 of Forgive You

“He hates me,” I say with my mouth full, wiping the excess chocolate from the corner of my lips.

“I take it your first run in with Jason went well?” Her big brown eyes look way too cute as her thick lashes flutter while she’s sporting that forced smile of hers, and I almost let a smile of my own slip through.

It’s no wonder Kayla managed to make Bodi crack, no matter how persistent he was that she was too young for him. The moment she flips her gorgeous head of brown hair and flutters her lashes, combined with her sassy humor, you’re a goner.

She’s not old enough to drink, but she sure as fuck can convince anyone to do anything like she’s a seasoned salesman.

In fact, she should go into real estate.

“Ran into?” I swallow the sugary dough away. “More like he barreled over me like a tropical cyclone.”

Her head tilts with skepticism. “Come on, it’s Jason. He’s, like, the definition of golden retriever energy and nobody in the history of time has ever been scared of a golden retriever. Not unlike Jensen, who’d be a growling Cane Corso, or Hunter, who definitely has some Rottweiler vibes, you know, loyal to the bone, but definitely still with street cred.”

“You’re blabbing,” I tell her before I can’t resist adding, “What would Bodi be?” I quirk an eyebrow, suddenly picturing her dark headed boyfriend as a dog.

“Easy, an Australian sheepdog.” She quickly glances over her shoulder before moving closer to the camera. “Don’t tell Bodi I said that.”

I laugh, a silly idea of a dog family picture popping into my head before my mind rushes back to Jason.

If the roles were reversed, I’d probably would’ve said the same. He’s a good guy. The one with the big heart. The one your mother will love probably more than she loves you.

You can’t help loving him.

But now I’ve seen how he gets when you’re on his bad side. He’ll turn into a Pitbull, loyal to those around him, but a fatal bite if you push him too much. One single bite and his jaw locks, no longer capable of listening to reason.

“I’m serious, though, Kayl. He hates me.”

“First of all, what did we just discuss? A golden retriever isn’t capable of hating anything. Or anyone. Annoyed, sure. Angry at most, but hate doesn’t appear in his vocabulary.”

“He does,” I interrupt.

“Hedoesn’t.But second of all, you won’t tell me why he’s mad at you, so I can’t even properly tell you that you are wrong.” She sticks her nose in the air, feigning offense.

“Is that why you didn’t warn me?”

“You’re damn right it is! Besides, you two not talking is like living in an alternate universe. It’s weird as fuck, and the sooner this whole bullshit fight of yours is over, the better. I got a friends’ vacation to plan.”

“Friends’ vacation?”

“Yeah, I decided on the Bahamas. You, me, Charlotte, Hunter, Jensen, Rae, and Bodi.And Jason,” she adds with a stern frown.

“I don’t see that happening any time soon.” It’s going to be a challenge to work with him side by side for the next couple of weeks, let alone hang out on a tropical island.

He’ll probably try to drown me in the ocean and claim it to be an accident, with a mojito in his hand and a perfect smile to back it up.

“Since I see you still refuse to share what happened, I have to go with my gut feeling. Jason doesn’t hate you. You two will kiss and make up in no time and we will go to the Bahamas.” The finality in her tone ignites a small smile, even though I won’t fall for her trap.

“He cornered me in the bathroom, told me he hates me, and then ordered me to fuck off,” I counter, resulting in a glare from Kayla, though it shuts her up for a few beats.

“Literally?” The smugness is replaced by surprise.

“Yup.”

“Jason did?”

“Yup.”

“Jason did? The guy who’d make it his sole purpose to cheer you up whenever his brother pisses you off? You’re not confusing him with his dickhead brother, right?”

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