Page 78 of It Was Always You

Lexi shrugged. "Yeah, I know. It was weird when I got his text a few minutes ago, telling me not to wait up for him."

Interesting. Maybe if her dad was busy dating someone else, he wouldn't have time to be so paranoid about his own children. That could be a good thing.

I shook the thought out of my head, though. Lexi and I were done. Over with. I was just giving her a ride home.

I pulled my keys out of my jacket pocket. "Ready to head out?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

I almost held my hand out to her, the habit that I'd formed over the last week, but I shoved it back in my pocket before she could notice—hopefully, she hadn't noticed the impulse, anyway.

I was going to have to get used to that.

I led her out of the gym, and I couldn't help but notice that we did have quite a few people looking at us as we walked past. I was tempted to tell them to mind their own business and that I was just giving her a ride home. But I didn't. I would let them think whatever they wanted. Whatever happened between me and Lexi was now just between me and Lexi. The public didn't need to be a part of this anymore.

"I noticed you and Harrison getting close during the game. Does that mean that our plan ended up working out after all?"

I couldn't get that image of his arm around her shoulder out of my head, no matter how hard I had tried throughout the game. And each time I had looked over my shoulder to check on them, an image of my fist connecting with Harrison's pretty-boy face came to mind.

I needed to stop thinking these violent thoughts.

Lexi buckled her seatbelt and looked at me with a smile that I didn't understand. "Yeah, actually, Harrison was asking me out."

"You're going on a date?" My voice came out too loud for my small car, and it felt like she had just kicked me in the stomach. Lexi wasn't supposed to go on dates with other guys.

Her smile broadened. "I'm kidding, Noah. He was just comforting me over our break-up."

I released my grip on the steering wheel, feeling more relief than I should have. "Oh, that's good."

I turned on my car and pulled out of the parking lot a moment later.

"What about you and Raven?" Lexi glanced at me with an expression that I didn't understand. Was it a curious one? Or jealousy?

"WhataboutRaven?" I said it like I didn't understand what she was getting at. Lexi had teased me, I might as well do the same.

"She just seemed like her old self again. I'm guessing she isn't handing out too many ‘I'm sorry you broke up’ condolences."

I shrugged as I turned the corner onto the street that led to her house. "She invited me to watch a movie at her house tonight."

"Oh." That was all she said.

I smiled. Shewasjealous.

When I didn't say anything, she asked, "And are you going?"

She was really cute when she was jealous.

But I had had my fun. We were even now. "Easton invited me over to hot tub tonight."

Her shoulders sagged like she was relieved. "That's good."

"Yep. So, me giving you a ride home actually isn't that far out of my way."

We pulled up to her house a few minutes later, and I followed her inside.

"Well," she said, turning to me, and I could tell she felt awkward about being alone with me in the house. "I guess I'll see you later. I'm sure Easton will be back in a few minutes."

"You could join us in the hot tub if you wanted?" I offered before I could think better of it.

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