Page 25 of Total Shutdown

Obviously fighting back laughter, he clears his throat. “I stayed behind for some extra gym work and saw you still parked up. I was wondering why you were still here …” He rolls his lips together and finally loses it, full-on buckling over in the middle of the players’ parking lot.

He rests a hand on the windowsill, and I’m half tempted to close the window on it.

“Oof …” He pants hard. “Hang on. I need a second.”

I sit back in my seat, folding my arms across my chest as I wait for my—now-former—closest friend to get his shit together.

“Okay, okay. I’m good,” he breathes out. “I was going to ask if you wanted to bring Ezra on Saturday.”

He’s still smirking when he delivers the question, but I choose to ignore it. Maybe Alyssa and Dom would like the night off since they’ll have Ezra over for the game on Friday night.

“Yeah, sure, that sounds good.”

Jack nods, his eyes falling to where my cell disappeared a few seconds earlier. “Okay, Kendra wants to know if he’s picky over food?”

I shake my head, grateful that, as a single dad, I’ve never had to deal with that. “No, he’ll be good.”

He nods, tucking his hands into his pockets. “We, errr … ever going to talk about Collins, or do you plan on secretly watching her content for the rest of time?”

I push my head further into the rest, closing my eyes. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

He makes a doubtful sound, raising a hand to scratch his neck. “My best guess is you left the locker room around a half hour ago—at least.” He motions to the seat where my phone is buried. “If you’ve been scrolling through her motorcycle page for at least half that time, I’d say there’s everything to discuss.”

Try forty-five minutes and all that time.

“Like I said, there’s nothing to talk about.”

He shakes his head and looks off down the empty lot. “What have you got against following what you want? You’ve been obsessed with her since last Novem?—”

“I’m not obsessed with her,” I snap, shifting my truck into gear since the engine is already running.

Jack runs his tongue across his bottom lip and steps back from my truck, granting me access to drive away.

I don’t move forward, instead gripping the top of the steering wheel with white knuckles. “Listen, I like her, yeah. But I can’t let myself think any further than that. Especially when she isn’t into me.”

CHAPTERTEN

COLLINS

Technically, I should be in Las Vegas. In reality, I’m standing outside Jack and Kendra’s apartment with a bottle of Chardonnay in one hand, my other one hovering over the door.

Up until a few hours ago, I talked myself out of showing up tonight. Fake Harley Rendezvous event or not, the best place for me was sitting on my couch, on my own, watching movies. I’m still not convinced this is a good idea, like being around Sawyer Bryce.

Still, I’m here. When I pulled on my boots and raced to the store for the wine I’m holding, I told myself this was about my friends and not letting them down. And it is.

The door swings open before I’ve had a chance to knock, and Kendra throws her arms around me.

“Oh my God, you came!” She immediately pulls back, a slight wince on her face. “Sorry, was that too much? I know how you feel about the invasion of personal space.”

With my free hand, I pull her back into me. “I can make exceptions for certain people.”

We break apart, and I hold up the wine—my turn to wince. “I figured it was polite to bring a bottle, but this also doubles as an apology. I know I said I wasn’t coming, but … yeah …” I trail off since I don’t have a valid explanation for turning down the meal—other than to avoid Sawyer.

Kendra takes the wine and moves aside for me to enter the apartment. I step in, and she sets the bottle on a table just inside the door.

“You know he’s here tonight, right?”

I nod and pull off my jacket. “I know. But just because we slept together doesn’t mean we should avoid each other for the rest of time.” I blow out a breath, and Kendra takes my jacket, hanging it up on the coat stand next to her. “Besides, I’m here for my friends.”

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