Page 160 of Call the Shots
I tried to give it back to him, I really did, but Bear threaded his fingers through my ponytail, slipping the hat on properly, before he tugged it into place. My heart crashed against my ribcage as he stepped back, studying me.
He nodded. “Yeah, that’s perfect.”
I walked with him, silent, and there he went, talking about video games again.
I’d never forget him and our summer. Bear had done so much for me, hemeantso much to me. An idea struck and I snuck another look at him, thinking it over.
Before Bear left, I wanted to give him the thank you he’d always remember me for.
I wanted to fuck that man so good, he’d buy aTexas Girls Do It Betterbumper sticker. I wanted the memory to haunt him.I could buy a new bottle of lube after class—oh, I’d rock his fucking world.
“Bear!” Denali’s yell shattered my daydream. “June!”
We turned to Denali followed by Fridge and Elijah.
“The checks came through!” Elijah blurted.
Denali grinned a bittersweet one. “It’s backpay so we’re going toGianna’stonight. One last party for the Gladiators.”
Oh.
I was going to proposition Bear tonight. As if he could taste my indecision, Bear hesitated, his eyebrows drawn with concern. He glanced down at me. “Can I go?”
The guys gawked and a blush colored my cheeks.
“Did you ask her if you can come?” Denali said incredulously. “June isn’t your prison warden. Dude, grow a pair?—”
“Denali, shut the fuck up,” Bear warned taking me by the elbow away from the others. “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot?—”
“Bear, you don’t need my permission?—”
“We canceled the movie night, I didn’t know if we’re rescheduling? And you’re staying away from alcohol. I don’t want to knock any progress.”
Wow, he added a messy blowjob to his future, and he didn’t even know it.
“Bear!” Denali shouted. “What’s the hold up? You’re coming!”
Bear glared. “Don’t ruin my good fucking mood, you’re really starting to piss me off.” The glare vanished when he turned to me. “I don’t want to pressure you, and you don’t have to drink, but…if you’re not going, I don’t want to go.”
I could do one of two things. I could tell Bear that we were fucking each other’s brains out to a three-hour RnB mixtape or… My eyes flickered to the guys. With different university requirements, some transfers would happen earlier than others.Until we got a hold of more information, everything was up in the air. How long did they have together as a team?
I couldn’t take that away from him.
“The mocktails are calling my name.” I smiled.
The matching grin on his face made it worth it. We returned to the guys where Denali made a sympathetic noise. “Did your parole officer sign off? Are you allowed to leave the house? Is she taking off your ankle monitor?”
“When I want your fucking opinion, I’ll go to your incel support group,” Bear retorted.
It wasn’t onlythe Gladiators. I had Willow and Tallulah in my dorm to tag along. We sat Tallulah at my desk, and I cracked open some makeup I hadn’t tried out yet.
“I don’t wear a lot of makeup,” Tallulah confessed. “I’m not, like, against it. My cousins did my makeup when I was in third grade, and I got this gross eye infection—” Tallulah flinched. “I’m sorry—I’m rambling—that’s disgusting—I’m so nervous about tonight?—”
“No reason to be nervous,” I assured her, taking out a new shade of lipstick.
“Fridge is the first guy who’s been interested in more than—you know—” She blushed. “I’m going to miss him.” She accidentally dropped the lipstick I offered and rushed through apologies. “So—um—tonight, I’m checking this item off this college bucket list and it’s the first item I’ve checked off?—”
“College bucket list?” Willow asked, intrigued.
