Page 32 of Fair Catch

Not wanting to pass up the opportunity—or let him wallow in defeat—I motion to his phone resting face-down on the couch.

“How ‘bout I swipe for you. Narrow down to guys that would even be worth your time. The ones looking for a relationship, not a quick lay.”

He frowns. “Sounds good in theory, but what makes you think we have the same type?”

“Well, I don’t really have a type, so that wouldn’t be an issue,” I maintain, doing my best to make my case. “And besides, I wouldn’t be looking at whether they’re attractive tome, just what they have to say about themselves. How they come across through the screen. After that, it’d be up to you to decide if you’re attracted to them enough to give it a shot.”

He doesn’t look convinced in the slightest, and I put on my best salesman smile.

“What else do you have to lose?” I pause, before adding wittingly, “Besides the unsolicited dick pics?”

He remains quiet, his fingers picking at the edge of his phone case while my offer digests. Honestly, I don’t really blame him for not jumping at it either. God knows I wouldn’t give anyone this kind of power over my dating life, my best friend included.

And Kason and I? We’re barely even friends. Why would he trust me with something like this, given our less-than-stellar track record?

Taking his continued silence as a rejection, I rise and start for my bedroom, only for his voice to stop me in my tracks seconds later.

“Fine. We’ll try it your way.”

Fuck yes.

Excitement taking over, I plop down on the couch again, planting my ass right beside his. Ready to set to work immediately, I hold out a waiting palm for his phone.

“All right, Fuller. Hand it over and go make us something to eat.”

Nine

Hayes

I’m in the middle of a practice quiz for one of my finance classes when there’s a knock on my bedroom door, pulling me out of the groove I’ve found when Kason’s voice calls from the other side of the door.

“Hayes? You decent enough for me to come in there?”

What the fuck?

Frowning, I shout back, “Uh, yeah?”

I hear the door open behind me, and I turn to find Kason stepping into my room. Nervous energy radiates off him when he enters, and his eyes are cast downward as he takes a seat on the edge of my bed like he owns the damn place.

“Make yourself at home,” I murmur, motioning toward the bed he’s already sitting on. “Can I get you a snack? Or maybe a beverage to quench your thirst?”

My sarcasm pulls his attention up to my face. “Would you rather me just stand there awkwardly like a fucking dumbass?”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him it’s no better than sitting there awkwardly like a dumbass, but I manage to catch myself. Barely. But I’m intelligent enough to know that my constant digs and comments aren’t very in line with our truce, and I’m definitely not gonna be the first one to go back on my word by pushing too hard.

See?Progress.

“Touchè,” I concede instead, leaning back in my desk chair. “What’s up?”

Kason taps his thighs with his fingertips before rubbing his hands down them, his anxiety filling the room so thickly, I might choke on it.

“Spit it out, dude. Before you spontaneously disintegrate on my comforter.”

He lets out an awkward laugh before looking up at the ceiling, almost in prayer, before he finally vomits out, “So this guy I’ve been chatting with for the last couple days wants to meet up at the Kappa Sig house tonight and I’m really fucking nervous.”

My immediate thought?Hell, yes.

Kason going out means I’ll have the house to myself, and that’s exactly what my hope was by helping him narrow down some decent options for dates. I’m just glad to see it’s finally working.

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