Page 88 of Breakout
“Hey, baby.” I lean down and kiss the top of her head. “Thanks for waiting for me.”
“You’re welcome,” she says as she leans into my touch.
I look over at Kellan and see that he’s laughing silently. The dude knows how hard it is to want someone but not be able to be with them. Cora is Clay’s sister, which meant she was off-limits to the entire team, including Kellan. He didn’t let that stop him, though.
“Thanks for keeping an eye on my girl,” I tell him.
“Hey, looking after my friends isn’t a hardship,” he tells me.
“Cora, Grace, beautiful as always. You ladies having a good time tonight?”
“Oh, it’s certainly looking up,” Cora quips.
“It’s a little much for my liking, but I’m definitely intrigued,” Grace tells me.
Movement out of the corner of my eye tells me that the stranger is starting to get antsy.
Perfect.
I look over at the guy who’s interested in my girl. “Who’s your friend, Pey?”
“This is Gabe. We were part of a study group last year. Gabe, this is my…Beckett.”
As fucked up as it is, it pleases me that she got hung up on my name. Was she about to call me her husband? Her boyfriend? Her fuck buddy? No matter what she was about to call me, it’s a step in the right direction. She is showing a claim. Using me to get rid of this guy.
It has me puffing my chest out.
“You like hockey, Gabe?”
The dude’s face scrunches up. “No, I have better things to do with my time than watch a bunch of dudes hit each other with pads on. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, I just assumed you were a fan when you’re at our house.”
Kellan laughs, failing to hide it behind a cough.
Gabe’s eyes narrow and move from me to my girl. “Well, Peyton, it was lovely as always to see you. Let me know when you change your mind about that date,” he tells her.
“I won’t,” she says immediately and with conviction.
The guy turns tail and heads straight to the door.
“Dude, when did you get a stalker?” Grace blurts out.
Peyton groans. “That was weird, right? Like it wasn’t just me.”
“No, that was uncomfortable for all of us,” Cora tells her.
“How many times has he asked you out?” Kellan asks.
Peyton scrunches her nose. “I think this was the third time? I don’t know, I could be wrong. It’s just so weird because he seemed so normal last year.”
“Maybe he had a girlfriend then,” Grace offers.
“I don’t know, maybe.”
I don’t like it. I know my girl is the fucking best, and everyone who doesn’t see it is blind, but the dude is coming on a little strong for my taste.
“You’ll let me know if he doesn’t back off,” I tell her.
