Page 38 of Wrecked Rose

Scarlett stops in the middle of the hallway, grabbing at my arm to stop me. “Wait, what? What thing at lunch? When?”

I turn my head when I hear her worried tone and give a disturbed chuckle. “I guess you missed me leaving the lunchroom last Friday.” My head swivels to Daphne. “You didn’t mention it to her?”

Daphne cringes, the apology to Scarlett clear on her face before she meets my gaze again. “Well, no. It didn’t seem like you wanted people talking about it, otherwise you would have sat on Griff’s lap and laughed at the asshole.”

Funny, I had the same thought. Maybe I should have fucking done it.

“Wait. Back the fuck up and explain to me what happened.” Scarlett’s eyes are bugging out. “I can’t believe I missed this.”

“He took the chair I was going to sit in, and when Stacia got up off Griff’s lap, he told me I could have the vacant seat. It wasn’t super in-your-face, but his meaning was clear—I’m gay and therefore I’d enjoy sitting on another guy’s lap.” I roll my eyes to the ceiling, waiting for one of them to pick up on how much I would have freaking loved to have done it under different circumstances.

“Griff probably would have played along. Yousoshould have done that,” Scarlett huffs and lightly slaps my chest. “Still. ThatJackhole. Who the fuck does he think he is treating you like that?”

I shrug, trying to remain calm. “Anyway, that was the first time Jack had ever said something like that to me, and I was too shocked to do anything but walk away. That night was when Sam got the crap beaten out of him. He wouldn’t tell me much, but he finally admitted that he was pretty sure the guys who did it were baseball players. I told you that when I showed up at Beau and Griff’s. I’m positive Jack was one of them.”

“That douche canoe,” Scarlett hisses. “Jack better not come near me, or I’ll let him have it. Do you really think it was him?”

“I do.”

Daph inhales quickly, looking at me with a frown. “But what about Griff? You don’t think he—”

I give a sharp jerk of my head. “No. He’s definitely not involved in it.” If he is, he’s got me completely fucking fooled. But no. Not unless he’s one of those assholes who is so nervous about his own sexuality that he goes around beating up gay men just so he doesn’t have to think about wanting to fuck them.

“But when I came into the game room, you both lookedseriouslypissed off”—Daph’s forehead develops a distinct crease right down the center—“and for fuck’s sake, you were on thefloor,Max.”

“Yeah, what the hell happened that Friday night with the two of you?” Scarlett rests her hands on her hips. She studies me with shrewd eyes, and I wonder how long it will take for them to figure out I have a giant-size crush on Griff.

“I confronted him about his dickhead teammates and asked if he knew anything.” I shrug as my phone vibrates in my pocket. “Hang on, lemme see who this is.” I whip my phone out, not even considering who could be texting me.

Dreamboat Danbrook:Hey. I don’t like the way Jack is talking.

Dreamboat Danbrook:Watch your back.

Daph’s eyes go wide as she peeks over my shoulder. “Oh,” she breathes out.

My head jerks in her direction, catching her surprised expression right as I hear a quick intake of breath and another, “Oh,” this time from Scarlett.

And suddenly, I’m being dragged down a side hallway.

I drop my head back on my shoulders and let them pull me along.Great.

When we stop, Scarlett pokes me in the side. “Max, look at us.”

I take a deep breath and blow it out through my nostrils, then finally meet their curious gazes. Scarlett and Daphne face me, a united front.

“Setting aside the fact that Griff is nervous about something… Max, do you have a thing for Griff?” Scarlett’s hushed voice is almost accusing in nature. “Like real feelings, not just being funny about how you think he’s hot.”

Daphne’s eyes roam my face, looking for the answer. I don’t know what she sees when she looks at me, but her lips curve into a smile, and she tilts her head to the side before she softly asks, “Why wouldn’t you tell us?”

I exhale harshly. I hadn’t intended to have this conversation right now. Not when everything is still so up in the air. “Because it’s Griff.” I swallow uncomfortably and lift my hands up in anI don’t knowgesture. “It’s a little awkward.”

“I don’t understand.” Scarlett shakes her head, frowning.

Daph winces. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with me at their house. Is that when this all started?”

“Sort of.” I heave out an exasperated sigh. “Okay. Can we be real here?”

They both blink up at me, expectantly.

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