Page 15 of Catastrophe Magnet

“Oh, I know who he is,” she states, smirk still firmly in place.

I sit straighter in the booth. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She shrugs. “Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about.”

“You think he’s pretty?” Kass asks, incredulous.

“You’re prettier,” she assures him, patting his chest.

He scoffs. “I’m not fucking pretty. I’m rugged and manly, damn it.”

Carter, Mase, and Trick all burst out laughing.

Ariel and Snowhave dragged me to Jack’s despite my adamant protests when I wanted to go home to chill with Bosco and stuff my face with cheesecake. Butnooo, they went behind my back and got Meg to drop Bosco home so I didn’t have the excuse of needing to do it myself. Tricky bitches. But I can’t let them get away with foiling my plans that easily, which is why I pretended to desperately need a pee the moment we stepped inside; therefore, forcing one ofthemto have to wade through the crowd at the bar to order for us.

I’m feeling pretty smug as I make my way out of the bathroom hallway, until I spot my sister talking to a guy while perched on her boyfriend’s lap.

Theguy.

Myguy.

The smokin’ hot guy I haven’t been able to stop thinking about all week. The one I—God, I can’t even think about it. Mortification heats my cheeks and I turn tail, making a mad dash for the exit before they can see me.

In my haste, I walk into another of my sisters and groan. “Ugh, what are you doing here?”

Belle arches a perfectly sculpted brow at me, as I impatiently tap my foot on the sticky ground. I need to get out of here.

Licking my lips, I shoot a quick glance back over my shoulder, and shit, he’s turning his head in my direction. “I gotta go. I left my straightener on this morning. Don’t want to burn down the house!” I say, stepping around her.

Her hand darts out, wrapping around my bicep. “What’s going on?”

“Hair straightener,” I grumble, tugging my arm.

Belle tightens her grip. “Kida.”

Damn it.Why is this happening to me?I squeeze my eyes shut, take a deep breath, then say, “There’s a guy here I really don’t wanna see. Okay? Happy now?”

My sister’s eyes narrow, scanning my face, then the room. “Who is he? What’d he do? Do I need to relieve him of his balls?”

I should have known she’d gothere. “Jesus, no! It’s not him per se, it’s me.”

“Oh, hell no.” She tugs on my arm, dragging me along with her. “You just point him out to me, and he and I will have a little chat while you stay with Ariel and Snow.”

Slapping at her death grip on my arm, I tell her, “Belle, seriously he didn’t do anything. I just don’t want to see him.”

She comes to an abrupt stop, and I know without looking over my shoulder, exactly where we are. I can feel his eyes on me, as well as everyone else at the table. But it’s his that have my skin prickling with a mixture of embarrassment and the awakening of my libido.

“Belle,” I hiss between clenched teeth. “Let me go.”

“Ah, there you are!” Snow chirps.

Please, God. Please. Kill. Me. Now.

Snow sounding chirpy is never a good thing.

I tentatively peek over at the group, my eyes finding Snow, and my heart sinks. She’s smiling. FML. All the British Bulldogs in the world couldn’t save me from her now.

“Uh, hi,” I murmur, slowly turning to face everyone and being met with a handful of chin lifts and, “hey, Kida’s.” I look anywhere but athim.

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