Page 92 of Falling Stars

“It’s been a long day, but thanks for the offer. Tell him to swing by my condo when he gets the chance.”

Great. I love hanging out with jocks who smash beer cans with their heads.

“Actually, he’s having a bunch of our high school crew over this weekend if you’d like to stop by.”

“Uh…” Maverick glances at me, and I clench my teeth and stare ahead. “I’m not sure…”

“Oh, please.” She tugs on his arm. He winces but doesn’t mention his injury. “It’ll be just like old times.”

When he turns to me again, I shrug. “Don’t let me stand in the way of a good time.”

His expression flattens, but I’m two seconds from ripping this woman’s hair out by the roots, so he can deal with my sarcasm.

“Baylee doesn’t mind,” Nicole says sweetly as she turns to me. “Guess you’re still tagging along with Mav, huh? That’s really awesome that y’all are still friends.”

I almost correct her and say “friends who fuck,” but then I remember that she’s fucked him too, and I clench my teeth. When the elevator reaches Chet’s floor, she juts out her bottom lip. “Well, this is my stop. Soon, it’ll be on the fifth floor! Yay! I’lllet you know when I close on my unit.” She reaches over and hugs him again. “Mav, my condo will always be open to you.”

The doors finally close again, and I unclench my jaw. “What she means is hervaginawill always be open to you.” She might as well have had a motel sign over her head that says “vacancy.”

“Babe…”

“Don’t ‘babe’ me.”

When we reach our floor, I push Leo out of the elevator and wait for Maverick to unlock his condo.

“That’s been over for a long time,” he says.

“Not my business.” I park Leo’s stroller by the couch.

“We were never serious.”

“Good to know you fucked around for fun.”

“Baylee.”

Turning to face him, I make grabby hands like I’m fondling him the way Nicole did and use her chirpy, annoying voice. “‘Oh, Mav, it’s so great to see you even though you’re still hanging out with that street urchin Baylee.’” I don’t care that I sound jealous.

“Peach, come on. What was I supposed to do? Tell her to fuck off? Her father sells grain to my brothers.”

“Is that why you fucked her? So your family could get a good deal at the Ashbury Feed and Seed?”

“Jesus.” He runs his hand through his hair.

“No, Jesus left the building when you let that harpy touch you and reminisce about all the sex you had.”

“It happened, like, three times.”

My eyes sting. “Twice more than with me.”

“Fuck.” I hear the torment in his voice, but that doesn’t fill the hole in my heart.

I finally ask the question I’ve always wondered about. “She was your first, wasn’t she? Before I tried to kiss you in high school, you slept with her.” When he looks away, my stomachdrops because I’m right. “Then you obviously banged her after homecoming and the Clemson game in college.”

Jealousy screams through my veins, and although I know things have changed between us, these blaring reminders of his past hurt.

It takes me a solid minute to get a hold of my emotions. “Look, I know it’s not fair to blame you for the past when we weren’t together, but I was honest with you about how this shit affects me. I told you it makes me unhinged, and trust me, I don’t like this version of myself. If you want a chill little girlfriend who falls at your feet and doesn’t care that other women fawn all over you, you should date Nicole. Because that will never be me.”

I hate myself for suggesting that because the thought of him dating her again makes me want to fling both of them off the balcony. But it’s a scenario that’s well within the range of possibility. He’ll be home for holidays and maybe he stays here in his condo, and she’ll be downstairs to welcome him with open arms and a gaping vagina.

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