Page 4 of More Than Dad's Best Friend

I watch as his butt comes off his seat and he inches his chair closer, his arm rubbing against hers.

I’m so enraged I could blow my top as I sneer in his direction.

My posture stiffens and I hear the table creak, not even realizing I’d moved my hands to the sides, squeezing the life out of the already dead wood that makes up the furniture.

My double espresso rattles in its saucer, my forearms shaking like twisted ropes being serpentined on the dock of a shipyard.

I can feel my pulse in the side of my neck as my jaw tightens, and when that little shit leans in and brushes her beautiful brown hair off her ear so he can lean in and whisper something to her, I’ve had enough.

CHAPTER 4

Morgan

I didn’t even want to do this project with Casey, but the teacher said we couldn’t change partners. I saw Myles in the corner when I walked in and I was immediately embarrassed. I wanted to go to him, to sit with him, to study by him.

He’s smart. He knows calculus better than I do, and he knows how to make me feel safe, loved, and how to make something as dry as math fun so I’ll be laughing in no time.

But I have to stay focused. The sooner this project is over the sooner I don’t have to deal with this juvenile boy. If anything he just serves as another reminder as to why guys my age don’t do it for me, and why one particular older guy, absolutely does.

“I think we need to take a break,” he says to me.

I knit my brows wondering what he’s talking about. He just got here and he’s sliding closer, too close, and acting weird already.

“The bathroom stalls are big here…if ya catch my drift.”

“We need to stay focused.”

“Oh, I’m focused all right,” he continues, not catching my hint, as his eyes skate up and down my body as his arm presses into mine.

I feel the need to run home and take a shower, this guy is so disgusting, and I know it’s only going to get worse.

I intentionally sat at a table where Myles wouldn’t be able to see us very well, if at all. I’m embarrassed to be here with Casey and now I’m even more embarrassed if Myles walks by and sees how he’s acting.

“You know what they say about guys with big hands, right?” Casey says, his oversized hand that will make him a professional athlete one day engulfing mine as he places it on the table directly above mine.

“They say, when you break a finger the snap is even louder,” a deep voice booms out from behind me and Myles’ hand comes down over Casey’s, pulling it off mine as he grips his hand hard.

“Oww. Fuck man! Let go of me,” Casey wails as Myles’ grip crushes Casey’s as he bends his elbow and drops his shoulder trying to move in a way to relieve the pain, but it only makes him look like he’s trying to do some sort of weird, drugged out dance.

“You touch my woman and then use bad language in front of her.”

“Let go of me or I’ll call the cops!” Casey yells, and some of the other patrons pull out their phones and start recording the event.

“How are you gonna type on your little pink, glittery phone when I break your fingers?”

“You wouldn’t. I’ll sue you for millions. I’m gonna be pro and if you don’t let go you’re gonna pay.” He pauses before continuing. “And my phone’s not pink and gl—”

Myles shoots his arm forward, jamming Casey’s elbow into his body as he guides him backward right to the door.

He opens the door with his other hand and pushes him out onto the sidewalk.

I can see Casey shaking his hand, trying to remove the pressure when suddenly he puts the knuckles of his first two fingers in his mouth and sucks them…kind of like a child.

Half of the coffee shop laughs and the other half claps.

“Thanks, Mr. Mason. I always hated that jerk,” one boy my age says. “He wouldn’t leave my sister alone.”

Myles marches right back over to my table, a look of worry in his eyes. “You okay, princess?”

I nod.

He grabs Casey’s books, pivots on his heal and calmly glides right back over to the door and outside.

Casey scrambles on the sidewalk, but he’s not fast enough. Myles shoves his books into his chest. “Don’t you ever cause trouble with anyone in this town again or we’re going to war…and only one of us is coming out alive. You understand me?”

Casey nods and takes off running in the other direction.

Myles needs to be careful. This is a new generation that apparently he’s not used to. Parents don’t discipline like they used to and a threat like that could bring Myles a lot of trouble.

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