Page 41 of Wickedly Betrayed

“Can you ask him to hurry it up? It feels like I’ve been waiting on him forever,” Andrew says in a serious voice. He really is unbelievable sometimes.

Chris chuckles. “It’s hasn’t been that long, Andrew. I only showed you the picture a little over a week ago.”

“Yeah, but the day you showed me that picture was already aday too long. I need to see him in person. Wait!” Andrew straightens up in his chair and faces Chris. “Does he know about me?”

Chris looks away from him guiltily. “No. I didn’t want to add any more pressure on him.”

“So, that’s why he’s not up here already. If he knew about me, he wouldn’t want to waste any time getting to me,” Andrew says cheekily.

“God,” Bailey says. “Can anyone be more full of themselves?”

Chris gives us all a sad smile. “He’s already dealing with the repercussions of my family by himself. I want him up here as soon as he can get here, and I was worried that if I told him I was trying to set him up, he may hesitate. Jase is a very independent and determined person and doesn’t like to be coerced.”

Andrew picks up Chris’s hand and kisses the back of it. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Chris. I plan to take good care of him. No coercion will be needed once he gets a good look at me.” He winks at her.

And Andrew will. He’s the type of person who will give his life for those he cares about. Andrew is outrageously funny, sweet, loyal to a fault, and a badass when he needs to be. The guy who captures Andrew’s heart, and gives his in return, will be very lucky. Andrew will give his all to ensure that person is happy, I have no doubt. However, don’t let his loving nature fool you. It takes a lot to make Andrew angry, but when he is, he’s unstoppable. You don’t want to be in his path when he’s angry.

“I know you’ll take good care of him, Andrew. That’s why I wanted you to meet him. He’s a really good guy. A little rough sometimes, but he’s one of the best people I know. Not to mention, you’re hot, and I’m hoping that once he gets to know you, it’ll make him want to stay.”

“Think I’m hot, do you?” he asks, grinning.

“You know you are,” all three of us girls answer at once, which causes Andrew and Jaxon to laugh.

“I know, I know, you all want me. I’m sorry, ladies, but as pretty as you girls are, I just can’t get it hard for you. But you, Jaxon,” he gives him a sexy dimpled smile, “you can have me anytime, until Jase gets here. No dice after then. I’m a one-man man.”

Chris elbows him in the ribs, and I throw a coaster at him, which he dodges. Jaxon just chuckles, bends his head, and plants a kiss on the back of Bailey’s neck.

“In all honesty, Chris, he’ll be in good hands here. We’ll find a way to get him to stay.” Andrew gives her shoulders a squeeze before letting go.

The door opens again and in walk Mac and Nick. They immediately head in our direction. Mac stops beside my stool. His leg brushes against mine when he squeezes in to take a seat. I can feel the heat from the close proximity of him, and it makes my heart rate pick up.

There’s an empty stool beside Chris that’s closest to the door, but Nick bypasses it, instead choosing to take the one on the other side of Mac. He keeps his eyes away from Chris as he passes her. I watch as Chris’s expression falls at the obvious rejection. I look over at Jaxon and Bailey and see they noticed as well. Jaxon looks at me and shrugs. Bailey just looks sadly at her friend. There is some seriously fucked-up shit going on there.

Both Mac and Nick order beers, and Jaxon fetches them.

I look across Mac and talk to Nick. “Hey, Nick, how have you been?”

“Just peachy,” he says into his beer bottle, his body tense.

I raise my eyebrows at Mac. I don’t let Nick’s attitude deter me.

“When did you get back?”

He looks at me out the corner of his eye and grumbles, “This morning.”

“Are you okay?” I prod some more.

“Yep,” he grunts.

“Are you sure? You seem kind of tense.” I know I’m pushing, but I don’t care anymore. It’s time we stop pussyfooting aroundhim. He’s moped around enough. If no one else is willing to put a stop to it, I will.

“Jesus Christ, woman! Yes, I’m fine, okay!” he barks.

“Hey!” I raise my voice and lean across Mac with my arm on the bar in front of him. He sits there quietly drinking his beer. Everyone else is quiet as well. “We’re your friends and we care about you and we’re worried. If you don’t like it, then too damn bad.”

“Mia—”

“No, Sheriff, he needs to stop being a dick. I’m tired of his grouchy damn attitude,” I tell Mac.

---