Page 130 of Hayden's Stalker

“Well, it’s true,” she says. I’m about to turn back to face the front when Heather speaks again. “Why did Blake think you were sleeping with Tatiana, though?”

I freeze in my movements. Of course Heather would ask this. Of course she’ll have noticed things. Probably will today. I can’thelp but turn to look at Tati, whose face is turned firmly toward the road in front of us.

“You know Blake. Even from the first night Tatiana was with me, he thought we were having sex,” I tell Heather as casually as I can.

“Even though you don’t make out with her in public?” Heather asks with a wicked grin on her face.

I relax a little because this is old ground. It’s nothing that she’s noticed today, which is what would actually be something to be concerned about. I stroke Tati’s skin again as I answer Heather’s question.

“Just being too close to someone is like making out with them as far as Blake is concerned. In his eyes, I might as well have been making out with Tatiana when we were having our picture taken with April,” I laugh.

“God knows how you put up with him for so long. So you’re single now?”

I squeeze Tati’s leg to remind her how grateful I am that I’m about to lie to my friend. “Yes, I am. Why?”

“No reason, darling,” Heather says in a far too cheery tone for my liking.

“And yet I find myself terrified about your ‘no reason,’” I tell her.

“I would be,” Harrison chuckles.

“I’m just thinking about something Sebastian said at Gabriel and Ariana’s wedding, that’s all,” Heather says very casually.

I think back to Seb’s absolutely awful speech from the wedding because that’s what sticks out for me on the day, and I ask cautiously, “Do I even want to know what that was?”

“Wouldn’t you know, it’s completely flown out of my head. Go figure. Anyway, have you spoken to April lately?” Heather asks.

I don’t believe this for a second, and I think I can see where she’s going with this, but I smile at her and say, “No, I haven’t. Why?”

“She’s got some time off before she goes to Los Angeles, so I was thinking about bringing her with me next time I come to see you. You’re a big fan, aren’t you, Tatiana?”

Yeah. Heather wants to set me up with April. No fucking way that’s happening.

Tati’s cheeks turn adorably pink as she turns back to join the conversation again. “Um, yeah, I am.”

“Well, you would get a chance to talk to her without some asshole accusing you of terrible things,” Heather laughs and shakes her head. “Blake is such a dick. Anyway, what do you think?”

Tati blinks as she looks at Heather’s pleasantly smiling face. I stroke her leg not just to keep her aroused but also for comfort because she’s obviously uncomfortable with being put on the spot by Heather.

“That sounds good, I guess,” Tati says with a shrug.

“All settled,” Heather says with a grin. “I’ll text April and ask if she wants to come see you guys.”

Tati looks at Heather for another few seconds with a confused look on her face before she turns to look at me.

I smile encouragingly at her and say, “That’s pretty cool. Thanks, Heather. It’ll be good to see April, and it’s nice of you to think of Tatiana like that.”

I turn back to smile at Heather again, and she gives me a cheeky grin. “Hey, no need to sound so surprised. I’m known for being the most thoughtful and selfless person you know. ‘Always thinks of others,’ that’s what they say about me.”

I scoff and say with a grin, “If you say so. I can’t say that I’ve ever personally heard that about you, but I can’t rule it out, I guess.”

Harrison laughs, and Heather makes a sound of outrage before she says, “I can’t believe you would laugh at that, honey.”

“Where’s the lie, though?” he asked her in a casual tone.

“I should’ve gone in the van with Sebastian, Ariana, and the rest of the people whoactuallylove me,” Heather huffs.

Harrison and I both laugh at her as the van pulls to a stop in front of the pool hall. I quickly pull Tati’s skirt back down her thigh as I remove my hand from her skin, and she smiles at me as she stands up.

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