Page 105 of Call the Shots
It must’ve fallen when she tossed it on the counter. I stared for a beat too long before opening the dishwasher to shove the hoodie on the half-empty rack of dirty dishes.
June returned with a sigh. “Where did it go?”
“No idea,” I lied. “You can wear mine.”
“Bear,” June tried to argue while I grabbed my hoodie from my dresser. “I can’t wear a Gladiators hoodie on a Romans trip. And it has your name on it.”
“It’s for the bus ride,” I heard myself say. This was spiraling out of control, but I waited with bated breath.
“The bus does get cold…” she admitted reluctantly. “I don’t know where King’s hoodie went.”
“I’m sure it’ll pop up when you’re gone.”
“I—um—okay.” Reluctantly, June slipped mine on. “The guys are going to have a field day when they see this.”
She pushed up the sleeves and my heart thudded in my chest. MOREAU was written on her back. My fingers drummed against my thigh. I wanted to kiss June, and I wanted my brain to stop caving in, and I wanted to toss the rest of her hoodies in the dumpster so shehadto wear mine.
Instead, I swallowed. “I’ll grab the elevator.”
“You’re gigantically fucked,”I muttered at the elevator, needing a few seconds to get my head together so I didn’t blurt out anything, because my words had their matches lit, ready to explode. “What’s wrong with you? She has a boyfriend.”
A shitty boyfriend who never saw her, ever. A shitty boyfriend who still got to have her. The jealousy swept me up like a tidal wave, suffocating me.
“You don’t go after girls in relationships, that’s not who you are,” I continued, pacing. “You’re an asshole, not a scumbag.”
Thelookof June, bent over in my hoodie…I resisted the urge to bite my bruised fist.
“She dated your stepbrother. You’re roommates. She doesn’t even like hockey. She has aboyfriend,she loves him, she’s leaving at the end of the summer?—”
Our door opened, and I fell silent as June hurried with her suitcase. “Where’s Elijah? He was supposed to meet me.” She stepped into the elevator. “Did I give you the watering schedule for my plants?”
“They’ll be so well-watered, it’ll be like they’ve never been watered before.”Bear, close your FUCKING MOUTH.“Perfectly watered. Great watered.”
“Um…I can ask Montoya.”
“Trust me, your plants aren’t dying on my watch. I’ll be the best plant dad ever.” If I had duct tape, I would’ve used it on myself. “Best plant stepdad ever. I’m not the real dad, I’m better than that. I’m the dad who steppedup.”
“Uh…” She blinked. “Alright?”
Finally, I allowed the elevator to close, hands shoved in my pockets. “Have a great week.”
“You too, I’ll text the t-shirt delivery stuff.”
“Got it. Bye…friend!”
I didn’t say that. Please. Fuck.No.The look on June’s face confirmed it and the final shot I had was her staring, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
When enough seconds passed, I smacked myself in the face. “Bye,friend?” I stumbled backwards to the couch in the lounge. “You’re fucked, you couldn’t be more fucked?—”
I started to hike myself over the couch before a voice stopped me. “Bear! Wait!”
Fear paralyzed me as I stared at the elevator, unable to believe it. Slowly, I glanced over my shoulder to see Montoya, Fridge, and Nick, sitting on the floor, propped up against the couch. The three of them had been gaming together but now their tablets sat on their laps and their mouths were open.
My heart plummeted to my ass.
“Bro.” Nick shook his head. “Bro.”
“We didn’t hear any of that.” Montoya flinched. “I mean, none of the talking to yourself—sorry—or putting yourself in the friendzone?—”
