Page 71 of Perfect Alpha

“Whoa,” Savanna replies. “Is he hot?”

Pausing, I consider the question. Bobby and Gavin are the quintessential tall, dark, and handsome. They’re built like brick houses, strikingly bronzed, ridiculously jacked, and the consummate players.

Bobby always jokes he’s going to grow a man bun like a Viking, but to date, both twins have kept their chestnut-colored hair in faux mohawks. Their eyes are the palest azure blue and undoubtedly the subject of many female fantasies.

Gavin is more rooted in responsibility than his twin, a little quieter and more hesitant. Bobby goes through life laughing and taking nothing too seriously. They both have hearts of gold, even if they are allergic to commitment.

“That’s way too long of a pause,” Savanna says. “He’s gross, isn’t he?”

“I guess you could say he’s hot,” I decide. “Definitely not for me, but–”

“I’m going to Google him,” Savanna interrupts. “You only have eyes for Cade and can’t give me a decent opinion. What’s Bobby’s last name?”

“Henderson. There are actually two of them. He’s a twin.”

Six seconds pass before she speaks again. “Holy shit. I mean… Oh, my God and everything holy.” Savanna’s accent is so heavy, I can barely understand her. “He’s the quarterback! And he’s hot as hell! Have you dated him, or at least slept with him? What about his brother?”

“No!” I exclaim. “Ew. That’s a hard no to either of them. They’re my brothers and that would be… No. Never even thought about it.”

“Ew?” Savanna demands. “Have you lost your mind?”

“So, I take it this means you’ll come out with us?” I return dryly.

Now it’s her turn to pause. “I’d love to, but… Dinner is all I can swing tonight.”

Savanna has something going on with her family back in Ireland, and while I know she regularly sends them money, she’s been mum on the details.

“Tickets are free,” I promise her. “And Bobby will buy drinks after the game. When he gets a look at you, he’ll buy you anything, I’m sure.”

My new friend is so sexy you have to do a double-take to believe she’s real. Her long black hair is straight out of a Pantene commercial, her porcelain skin is impeccable with an adorable smattering of freckles across her dainty nose, and her eyes are a mesmerizing gray.

But it’s her body that’s the showstopper, dangerously curved like a country backroad and reducing men at the dojo to incoherent, grunting imbeciles.

“I don’t know…” she stalls.

“Come on, it will be fun,” I plead. “Dinner is on me. Let’s ordera tonbecause I need an excuse to eat fried food, and we haven’t seen each other in way too long. It will be a celebration of our friendship.”

Hannah instilled the importance of finding joy in the everyday. My best friend loves holidays, but she’ll take any excuse to celebrate, even just because it’s a sunny Wednesday.

And I love her for it.

Savanna laughs. “Okay, okay. Let’s meet at Crave since it’s so close to the stadium.”

“See you in an hour,” I reply.

After swiping on the barest trace of make-up, I pull on skinny jeans and a formfitting Knights jersey with Bobby’s number eight on it.

I snap a selfie and send it to Hannah, who writes back immediately.

Hannah:Adorable! I’m going to tell Cade you’re going on a date with Bobby. Miss you, babe.

The mention of Cade makes my stomach drop. He’s been texting and calling from a new number, but I’m done with his games.

Status: officially over it.

But I’m not sure I’ll ever be over him.

Victory:He won’t care. Miss you, too, babe.

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