Page 42 of Blood & Betrayals

“It was weird, though. Rafe wasn’t as broody, and he seemed to… approve of me being there. As protective as they all are of each other, I thought he would be furious with me.”

“It’s possible Rafe and I have been in cahoots,” Alice confesses a little bashfully, fluttering her lashes coyly at me.

“But you’re the one who suggested the jerseys!”

Alice shrugs, smiling unrepentantly. “I’m still chaotic, okay?”

I roll my eyes. “Well, you’ve been as subtle as an atomic bomb today.”

“We just… think you’d be good together. It was a meeting of the minds.”

“Rafe hardly knows me. What makes him think I’d be a good fit for his brother?” I tilt my head, taking another bite of my pancakes.

Alice thinks for a moment, “You two just have a… spark? I can’t explain it.” She shrugs. “I just think you deserve a guy who will worship you.”

I sip my coffee and look away, unsure how to respond to such unfiltered kindness.

Alice covers my hand and waits for me to look at her again. “Sum? I just…” She pauses, trying to formulate her sentence correctly. “You should see your face when he’s around. Even when he’s annoying you.”

My brows draw. “My face?”

She nods. “You just… Look, I know you’re guarded. Clearly, I am, too. Which is probably why we are the way we are. You just look a little less… mistrustful when Connor is there.”

I roll my eyes but regret it immediately, realizing how fucking rude it is. She’s just trying to be kind, and I am pretty sure that acts of kindness do not come easily to Alice. I can endure this for her sake, begrudgingly and under extreme duress.

“I suppose,” she scrunches her nose, “very selfishly, if I can see you be happy, maybe I can be too. Someday.”

“We’re going on one date, Al. Not binding our souls for eternity.”

Alice flips me off. “Shut up and let me dream.”

I laugh and take another bite of my pancakes.

“So, what are you going to wear?” she asks, ordering herself an iced coffee. She’s been eyeing mine since I sat down.

I shrug. “I’m not sure what we’re doing yet.”

Alice brightens. “So, we need to go shopping?”

I nod. “I guess, but I’ll need to wait for Connor to text me so I can ask him.”

“Wait, you don’t even have his number? You’re such a bitch. So you were screwing with me earlier?—”

My phone alerts, cutting her off. I pull it out of my bra and put it on the table where we can both read it.

Connor

You know, it’s really not fair you left me for Alice.

“Yeah, well, better get used to it, bird brain. I will always be her number one,” Alice grumbles.

My lips twitch, and I pick up my phone. I quickly add him to my contacts before responding.

Summer

I thought you would be using the time to plan our ONE date tonight.

The text bubble immediately starts to jump up and down as he types out his response. Eager angel.

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