Page 19 of Life Blood
These guys were positively gorgeous—other-worldly level gorgeous—and here I was, some small-town loser with the worst life ever wondering why they were even talking to me.
“Earth to Elle!” a squeal from my right brought my attention around to Kaley. The entire cheer team must have been watching me gawk at the guys, and now I would have to hear about it.
“What?” I snapped, pulling my gaze from the beautiful boys who were now scattering and leaving the coffee shop.
“You don’treallythink that you have a chance with any of them, do you?” she pressed her fingers against her lips, covering her smile.
“What makes you think I would?” I dismissed her and turned to start in on a drive-thru Frappuccino order.
“The fact that you’re staring at them like you want to eat them, maybe?” she said in typical mean-girl fashion. “Logan has already been talking to Jamie, and Braden and me, let’s just say he’s an awesome lab partner.”
“Well, if I didn’t know any better I would actually think that Kaley Thomas was threatened by me,” I said with a laugh as I leaned over the counter, “Don’t worry, you can all have them. I’m sure your douchebag boyfriends would love that.”
“Oh, please,” Kaley rolled her eyes. “I don’t give a shit what Jackson thinks. He’s transferring colleges this summer anyway.”
“If you’re done talking about things I couldn’t care less about, please excuse me. I need to get back to work.”
“Yes, get back to work, CinderElle. Make sure mommy has enough money to pay her bar tab.”
I felt my cheeks flush as my heart hammered in my chest, “Shut your mouth!” were the only words I could manage to spit out through my rage.
“We still on for tonight?” Braden’s voice diffused my nerves, and I unclenched my hands that I had unconsciously balled up into fists.
“What!” Kaley said, covering her heart and giggling as she approached him. “I didn’t realize we—”
“We?” Braden’s stunning eyes silenced her after he interrupted her, “Are you talking to me?” he asked, his forehead crinkling into humor.
True to form, Kaley style, she stuck her hand out and ran it along Braden’s muscular bicep. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Some possessive emotion ripped through me, and I almost shouted at her to stop touching him.
“Yes,” she said in her usual flirty voice, “Listen, the girls and I wanted to know if you and your cousins want to join us later tonight at the beach.”
I shook my head, trying to shake these emotions off. I had no right to be possessive. One minute I’m terrified of them, the next I’m mentally claiming Braden as my own.
“You know,” Braden said in a mesmerizing voice, “We’d love to, but you and your friends couldn’t handle us.”
“Oh, trust me. We could.”
Braden laughed, “Maybe. You seemed to havehandledmost of the other guys in town.” He smiled at her, “Sorry. I’ve made plans with Elle, and my cousins aren’t really into cheerleaders anyway,” he shrugged.
“You don’t have to be a dick about it,” Kaley snapped. “We just wanted to involve the new kids in something, but I guess you’d rather hang out with the trash.”
“You might wanna reevaluate who thetrashis after what your boyfriend and his buddies pulled on Elle last night.”
Kaley glared over at me as I stood there watching them go back and forth like an idiot. “What the hell! Are you telling everyone lies about Jackson?”
“Watch your mouth, young lady,” Brenda scolded her snotty niece. “Quit harassing my employees and go finish your homework before I call your mother, Kaley.” Brenda nudged me, “Take the drive-thru. I’ve got the counter until the girls leave.”
“This isn’t over,” Kaley warned me.
“It never is,” I said dryly.
Time flew by after Kaley and her mind-numbing voice left the coffee shop, and the next thing I knew, my shift was over.
“That’s it, I’m outta here!” I said, wadding up my black apron, scoring three make-believe points after it swooshed into the dirty apron barrel.
“You need a ride tonight?” Jill, my boss, asked. “I saw you brought your mom’s car to work.”
I glanced over to see that Braden was standing at the door, waiting patiently with a smile. “I’ve got a backup ride in case the car doesn’t start.”
