Page 66 of Need You to Choose Me

Bodhi smiles. “We’d be just two people who enjoy each other’s company talking about…whatever. I don’t really want to be here anyway. Do you?”

I think about Sebastian’s parting words and find myself frowning. Would he harass me for leaving with Bodhi? “I don’t know.”

“What don’t you know? If you want to stay at the party or if you want to go out to dinner with me?”

“Both?” I offer weakly.

Understanding has him nodding once, his hand sliding back into his front pocket. “Tell you what. If you decide you’ve had enough mingling here, give me a signal. We can meet by the front door.”

I contemplate. “What kind of signal?”

He flicks his nose. “What about that? You see it in movies all the time.”

“Exactly,” I point out. “Which means everybody will know we want to ditch. Or they’ll think you’re offering me cocaine. That’s probably more likely. I’ve seen some of the girls you hang out with. I’m pretty sure the one before Barbie offered me coke while we were waiting for you guys to finish in the locker room.”

He laughs, the sound boisterous enough to shake his shoulders. “Honestly, that wouldn’t surprise me. She did like her nose candy.”

“Come on, before Seb comes looking for us and finds us here.”

He stares at me curiously, his eyes narrowed slightly. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

Rubbing my lips together, I manage to shake my head. “No. Not to me anyway. Let’s go, hot shot. I’m sure your team is wondering where you are anyway.”

He looks like he wants to say something but chooses not to. Then he smoothly puts my arm through his and guides us toward the room like he’s my prom date escorting me to the big dance.

I never went to my prom.

When we walk through the open doorway, I realize how this might look to my brother. So, I causally slip my arm out from Bodhi’s and offer him a small smile when his eyes find mind. “It’s warm in here,” I lie, flattening my palms down the front of my shirt.

I study the room and find Sebastian immediately. And he’s already looking at Bodhi and I like he sensed us.

Clearing my throat, I step away from the right wing. “I’ll text you if I want out. Deal?”

He watches me, his brows furrowing together at the center. “Deal, O-Dawg.”

Palms clammy, I suddenly wish I’d sucked it up and asked Alex to come with me.

*

I’ve never beengood at schmoozing, but I’ve always mastered pretending like I am. So I consider Bodhi’s offer after spending two and a half hours talking to people I couldn’t care less about. Sebastian must sense something, though, because he’s kept me close to his side since I walked over to him.

He gave me a hug, asked how the train ride down was, and then passed me a drink. Coca-Cola. Not wine. Unfortunately.

Once in a while, I see Bodhi’s eyes wander in our direction while he talks to people. The very attractive redhead who was trying to get his attention didn’t seem to like that very much, which made me laugh to myself.

“No Tori tonight?” I ask my brother as we walk over to the table full of finger food. There are sandwiches with the crust cut off, crackers with some sort of mush that resembles what Bentley spits up on his parents, and a tossed salad among the other picked-through snacks to tide people over before the entrees arrive at the tables.

Sebastian takes one of the mushy crackers and pops the whole thing into his mouth. “She wasn’t feeling well and thought some one-on-one time would be good for us.”

That’s…nice of her. “How did you two meet anyway? I still can’t believe you’re married.”

A small smile tilts his lips. “She was covering a game for an article she was assigned to. I believe the words she used to describe me were ‘too big for his britches.’”

My eyebrows arch. “Really? Didn’t Grandma used to say that about Dad?”

He doesn’t seem offended by that. “She did, yeah. And, normally, I don’t like anything that reminds me of the blood weshare with him. But Tori is one of the first people I met who didn’t try to kiss any of our asses. She wasn’t sure she believed the hype surrounding me. It was…refreshing to be doubted.”

I never would have thought he’d take something like that lightly. “You used to get offended when I’d tell you that you were too slow on your laps or not quick enough in your passes.”

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