Page 31 of Mr. Charming

“Your boyfriend is Decker Davis?” My eyes narrow, and my stomach clenches.

Tedi smiles bright and wide, almost too wide, as if she’s lying. Then again, there’s a smugness to it too. As if she’s saying, “I didn’t need you, Tweetie, I’ve got myself another pro athlete.”

“Was that the next item on your fuck-it bucket list? A baseball player?” I regret the angry words the minute they’re out. I want to drag Tedi into a corner and apologize profusely, but I don’t.

Her smile falls, and her jaw hardens.

“Tweetie!” Kyleigh hits me in the back.

“We apologize on his behalf.” Jade peeks around my shoulder and extends her hand. “I’m Jade, Henry’s fiancée.”

Tedi steps away from Decker and shakes her hand. “You don’t have to apologize for him. Jealousy looks kind of good on him, don’t you think?”

She walks over to the hostess stand, dragging Decker with her. He’s now giving me an expression like, “Sorry, man.” He shouldn’t be stealing my girl. Okay, he didn’t steal her, but I didn’t see this coming.

I’m so stunned and pissed off at myself for saying what I did to her that I don’t register that they’ve all started following the hostess until Henry slaps me on the back. “Come on, man.”

I inhale deeply and follow the group, counting the minutes until this dinner is over so I can go wallow in pain.

Sixteen

Tedi

I’m so pissed at Tweetie, but I won’t give him the pleasure of seeing me react to him throwing in my face how we met. He used to brag about how he was supposed to be a one-night stand, then made me fall in love with him.

Decker looks like a scared cat in a tree waiting for the firefighters to show up. He needs to loosen up and show me some affection if we’re going to pull this off.

The hostess, who has thoroughly enjoyed gawking at all of the guys, shows us to a room down a hallway from the main dining room. The table is a large round one, snuggled in between draped walls and a fireplace.

“Man, hockey players are some high rollers, huh?” Decker says next to me.

“Whatever, you guys have the highest salaries.” I let go of his arm and sit at the farthest side of the table with the hopes everyone else will fill in and Tweetie won’t be anywhere near me.

Everyone files in, taking the chairs to my right, Decker on my left.

Tweetie stops the hostess before she can leave the room, touching her elbow, and she turns around with hearts in her eyes. He releases his hold, running his hands through his hair. “Thanks. I know we filled up your waiting area for a while.”

She sighs and follows his hand as if she’s envisioning running her own hand through his hair.

I groan and place my napkin in my lap.

“You’re welcome. If you need anything, just grab me.” She sticks out her tits.

I pick up my water glass and look away.

“You’re so thirsty, babe.” Decker puts his hand on my wrist, giving me a look like you cannot throw that glass at her.

“Sure am, babe.”

Rowan side-eyes me from the seat next to me. I’m going to have to tone down using the pet name.

I should make an appointment at the dentist now because my teeth are going to be ground down to stubs before this night is over.

Tweetie keeps his back to us, watching the hostess leave. She does have an amazing ass, and no doubt he’s noticed. I hate the sick feeling that swirls in my stomach.

As Tweetie is about to finally join us, Bud Caldron walks in with a woman I’m fairly sure isn’t his wife. What the fuck?

“Ky,” Rowan says, his hand slipping under the table to grab her thigh. When he looks at her, she narrows her eyes at Bud and the youngest woman in the room on his arm. I get the feeling there’s something behind Kyleigh’s reaction, but I have no idea what, beyond the same amount of disgust I have over him so openly cheating on his wife.

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