Page 22 of Pick Me

“Well, then I guess it will just be me and my hand tonight,” I said, patting the corners of my lips with my napkin before placing it on the table. Then I took a swig of my beer and looked between the happy couple. “So, what’s next? Netflix ’n’ chill?”

It was the first time in the night that Britt’s smile faltered, and she eyed Matty warily. Okay, maybe that comment earlier wasn’t an invitation, and maybe, just maybe, I’d overstayed my welcome, but what was I supposed to do? I had an hour until I could go home, as I had no doubts Thea wouldn’t let me in until ten thirty to make a point. I didn’t want to sit outside just so she could gloat when she opened the door.

“Netflix ’n’ chill? We, uh, thought you were going home after dinner,” Britt said with a high-pitched voice. Well, there goes my dream of a threesome. Damn, Britt would look so good between us. Matty grumbled again, and I knew that was my cue to leave.

“Home?” I blew out a breath and waved her off. “Pfft. I wouldn’t call living with Thea home. Tanner maybe.”

When my eyes connected with Britt’s, I saw the smirk behind her gaze. What the fuck had I done to deserve a look like that?

“And what’s so funny, Mrs. Mathieson?”

“Nothing.” Her lips pursed in a way that suggested it was most certainly not nothing. “It’s just… the way you say her name.”

“Who’s name? Your name? Are we back to watching you in the bedroom, because I’m more than down for that? Just let me know where you want me to sit. Come to think of it, can we make sure the angle is not one where I have to stare at Matty’s ass the entire time? I want full prime-time view of your beef cur—”

“Jackson,” Matty growled. Was he always this moody? Had Olana shielded me from this?

I raised my hands, protesting my innocence.

“I was talking about Thea,” Britt said.

I frowned. “Thea? What about her?”

“See. Right there.” She pointed from across the table, almost jumping out of her seat. “You said it in this low, rough kind of way.”

“Did I?” I cleared my throat and took a sip of my beer, suddenly feeling a little hot under the collar.

“Oh. Oh, look.” She tapped Matty’s hand and tipped her chin in my direction. “You can see it too, right? He’s blushing.”

“I don’t blush.” I was feeling a little heated; however, that was from the beer I’d been drinking

“Oh, you’re right.” Matty grinned.

“I’m not blushing.”

“Are you sure?” Britt waggled her brows at me.

I looked to both sides of the room and wondered if I was imagining things. I didn’t have a thing for Thea. She glared at me with the heat of a thousand fires on the regular, and that didn’t interest me.

“I’m sure. Why has her name even come up?” I asked.

“You mentioned her, and I don’t know, I guess I always thought you had a thing for her.”

“He did,” Matty interrupted, making Britt suck in a sharp breath.

“What?”

“Yeah, Matty, what?” I asked, perplexed.

“Come on, J. You can’t hide it. We all saw it when she first started at Covey. You were all over her. Calling her Queen T and letting her eat my chips. I can’t count the number of times I found you guys at home together, giggling like you had your own inside jokes.”

“I could say the same thing about you and Britt,” I retorted.

He raised Britt’s hand, flagrantly showing off that rock again. Like I needed the reminder he was loaded.

“And look how that ended up.”

Britt swatted his hand away.

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