Page 59 of The Chase

I read the incoming text from Hunter, who’d gone out tonight with a few guys from the team. I stayed home because Brenna had been supposed to come over and hang out. I have a feeling that’s the only reason Hollis stayed behind too. But she canceled at the last minute, hence why Hollis and I are alone.

Fitz isn’t home either, but I’m trying very hard not to dwell on why that is.

“Hunter wants to know if you want him to bring you some chicken wings,” I tell Hollis.

“How is this a question?”

“Is that a yes?”

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s a yes,” I say irritably, “but I’d like to be sure.”

“I won’t even justify his question with an answer.”

I swear one day I’m going to murder this guy. I text Hunter a yes to the wings, then send a message to Brenna.

ME:Due to you ditching me, I’m chilling with your bf tonight and he is mighty annoying.

BRENNA:Didn’t mean to ditch u, GB. Forgot about study group.

It takes a second to figure out “GB” means Greenwich Barbie. Grinning, I type back, All good. J/k anyway. Well, not about the annoying part. Because he is.

BRENNA:Very much so. And he’s not my bf.

She punctuates that with the middle finger emoji. Just to mess with her, I turn to Hollis and say, “Brenna says hi.”

His blue eyes light up. “Legit? Tell her to give me her number already. I’m tired of begging for it.” He stops, his gaze dropping to the phone in my hand. “Better yet, how about you give it to me and I’ll tell her directly?”

Oh my God. She won’t even let him have her precious phone number? Poor guy. I want so badly to laugh, but I think it might hurt his feelings.

“Sorry, sweetie,” I say lightly. “Can’t do that. It’s against hoe-code.”

Despite his disappointed expression, he leans over and drops a solemn pat on my shoulder. “I respect that. We all need to live by a code.” His attention returns to the film. “Jesus fuck, Kate Winslet looks so hot wielding an axe.”

I snort out a laugh. We watch as Kate wades through knee-deep water to rescue a handcuffed Leo. “See, rich girls can be badasses,” I tell Hollis.

“If that’s your way of offering to break my handcuffs with an axe, I graciously decline. In no way do I trust your aim.”

“No? How’s this for aim?” Lightning fast, I grab a peanut from the can of mixed nuts we’ve been passing back and forth and flick it at him.

It hits him smack in the forehead and bounces off with an actualping.

I curl over, inconsolable with laughter. “Why…did…it… make…that…sound?” I wheeze, trying to catch my breath. My stomach hurts from the force of my giggles. “Mike! Do you have a metal plate in your forehead?”

Hollis is as perplexed as I am. “Dude. I didn’t think I did. Now I just want to call my mom and ask.”

I’m still howling when the front door creaks open. I expect Hunter to appear with a platter of chicken wings, but it’s Fitz’s broad body that fills the doorway. Almost immediately, my laughter dies.

He went out with Nora Ridgeway tonight. Hollis was teasing him about it earlier when Fitz came downstairs in nice jeans and a light blue button-down.

Oh, and no beard.

That’s right. He shaved for her. And unlike Professor Laurie, whose beard removal made him appear prepubescent, Fitz is all man with or without the facial hair. If anything, the clean-shaven look emphasizes his masculine features more—the hard slash of his jaw, the sexy mouth, dimpled chin. I almost fainted with desire earlier when I realized he’s got a cleft in his chin.

“Hey. What’s so funny?” he asks gruffly, glancing from me to Hollis.

“My skull is made of metal,” Hollis replies. “How’d your date go?”

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