Page 63 of Framed

“Okay, well… good. Cause you still owe me that rain check.” His mouth hitched up and his piercing blue eyes danced with mischief. Like he was up to something.

Oh, no.

I shook my head. “Can’t tonight. I have to work and then get some homework done after.” The latter was a lie. I was nearing the end of my six-page paper and only needed to add my conclusion paragraph. I could have made it out after work, but I just didn’t have the heart to tell him I wasn’t interested.

Kane was nice. Safe. The kind of guy Ishouldbe interested in. He was the guy I wished I liked, because he would be so much easier than the alternative.

But was it fair to lead him on with everything I had going on with Xavier? Did that even count as anything? Xavier hadn’t said a word about last night either. When I texted him about work tonight, I got the usual caveman response.Ok.

And here he was allowing some girl to grope him in public.Perhaps he wasn't interested. Perhaps he only wanted to keep everyone else away from me.

I grimaced again. I didn’t want to let him waltz back into my life and act like he owned me. Especially since he’d made it clear he wasn’t going to change any of his behavior.

No matter what threatening notes he got, it didn’t erase what he did to me. He dropped me and ignored me foryears. And he still hadn’t told me what his notes even said. Who dropped a bomb like that and refused to elaborate?

Okay, I could have pushed him for information, but every time I’d seen him since, my traitorous body reacted before I even got the chance.

It’s official. I’m pathetic.

This was supposed to be my new start. Away from Tuscaloosa. Away from my past. Away fromhim. I couldn’t just fall back into him, no matter how much I wanted to.

So why shouldn’t I enjoy a nice man’s company?

“Where do you work?” Kane asked.

“A bar in Little Vegas called Sweat. Do you know it?”

A look I couldn’t decipher crossed his face. Did he know that Xavier owned it? “What time do you get off?”

“Eleven thirty,” I said.

“The movie night doesn’t start until twelve-thirty. I could pick you up from work and we can go after. It’s on the beach. Everyone’s going.”

Now that he mentioned it, it rang a bell. Winter had been talking about the big campus movie night tradition on the beach all week long. She said the showing was just the pretense, but afterward it always turned into a huge party.

I’d been dodging her invitations all week. But she’d kick me if she knew I turned Kane’s down too.

Still, I hesitated. “I don’t know, Kane. I have a paper I need to finish.”

He glanced past me at the screen. “If I leave you alone to finish now, would you get done before work?” He smiled again, one dimple showing on his right cheek.

It was an adorable smile. Handsome as hell. No wonder dozens of girls tripped over themselves to hang out with him after every football game.

I took a deep breath and spared the couple in the back corner one last glance.

Yep, she was still trying to stick her entire tongue in his ear. But his eyes? They were on me. On us. Watching with an unreadable expression.

“All right,” I said quietly. “But I reserve the right to back out if this party gets as wild as Winter claims.”

He laughed. “Deal."

***

Work was uneventful. I didn’t see Xavier and if I had to bet, he was probably somewhere fucking the blonde from early.

No.

I was not jealous.

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