Page 16 of The Neighbor's Son

“The gym,” he says slowly, a taunting grin on his face.

Clara, clueless at his comment, jolts and grabs my arm. “Yes. You know I have been begging you to come with me sometime. Maybe we could all work out together.”

Conrad nods. “Absolutely. I do some personal training on the side. I’d love to give you some pointers.”

His words drip with condescension. I’m equally repulsed by this man.

Dinner continues on, the three of them carrying the conversation. I’ve mentally checked out. I’m not even hungry anymore. While they get sloshed on cocktails, I count down the seconds until we can leave.

I’m miserable.

Dinner last night was so much fun. Brayden made me feel desired—like I was actually something special and beautiful.

After we eat, Wyatt tries to get us to go to a bar. But Clara is already kind of drunk. She needs to go home. Maybe the two of them can go on a date without us.

“Sorry to be a buzzkill, but I need to get my girl home,” I say, forcing a smile. “Say bye, Clara.”

She pouts but then allows herself to get pulled into Wyatt’s embrace. They start kissing which his incredibly embarrassing to have to witness while standing next to a guy who doesn’t give two shits about you.

“I was serious,” Conrad says, giving my butt a playful smack. “Call me and set up a session. We’ll get this ass in shape. There’s probably a cutie hiding underneath all that.”

All that?

His breath stinks of liquor and garlic. Up close, I can see he’s not that cute. There’s a meanness in his eyes that makes him ugly. Unfortunately for him, he can work out until he’s nothing but muscle, but he can’t hide what lurks beneath.

“Fuck off,” I hiss. “You’re a piece of shit.”

He gapes at me, shocked at my words. I don’t let him say another word to me as I rush over to rescue my friend from the man sucking her face off. She complains all the way to the car, but I feel lighter with each step away from those douchebags.

Clara falls asleep on the way home which makes me even happier that I didn’t let them talk us into going to a bar. She’ll sleep it off and later I’ll tell her what an asshole Conrad was.

After I get her safely into her townhome, I finally make it to mine. I’ve barely gotten the door open when Mo rushes inside. He’s basically my cat now. I’m going to have to confess this to Maggie sooner or later.

I’m about to close the door when I hear someone clear their throat.

Brayden sits on his back porch, arms crossed over his chest. He’s watching me with an unreadable expression. I get the sense he’s pissed.

Because I went on a date?

“Hi, Brayden.” I walk over to the edge of my patio so I can see his face better. “You okay?”

He scrubs a palm over his face and shakes his head. “Nope. Feeling kind of shitty to be honest.”

Because of me.

I made him feel this way by leading him on and then dropping him at the first date that came along.

“Why?”

His stare bores into me. “You’re smart, babe. You can figure it out.”

I shiver at the word babe. “You’re unhappy I went on a date.”

“Unhappy,” he parrots, the word sounding strange as if it’s not the right one.

“Mad?”

He grunts as he rises to his feet. “I just want you to be happy. Are you? Did this guy do that for you? Did he make you smile?”

---