“Bennett?” I laughed, then slapped my hand to my mouth to force myself to stop. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just that Bennett isfarfrom who I imagined you having the hots for.”
Bennett was quite something. But hey, if she thought he was good-looking or date-worthy, then so he was, apparently.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alana leaned against the sink counter.
“He’s the captain of the football team, no?” He was, I knew that. I knew Austin too well for my linking. Okay, I might not have known Austin personally too well, but I knew the stupid things he pulled all the time. “You’re a wallflower, Ally-Bear, while he’s, well, Bennett. For that guy to notice you, you’re in desperate need of more confidence… Or you need a boyfriend who’s more liked than him. Both are even better.”
I wasn’t even kidding. Austin preferred my leftovers. The moment he found out Alana was my girlfriend, he’d slowly find an interest in her, so she barely even had to do anything to make him like her. That was probably not the true love she was hoping for, but it was all she was going to get from Austin stupid Bennett.
And that wasn’t my problem anyway.
For years now, Austin hadalwaysbeen with my exes. He could never be me, but he sure tried.
Her jaw tensed, and I could watch as her brain was working to process what I was saying. “And why exactly would that be?”
“Between every woman out there who throws herself at Bennett at any possible chance, you’re invisible. He’s too busy watching everyone fight for his attention, enjoying it even. Why would he fight for someone who’s not on his radar when he has multiple to choose from? I can, however, draw his attention to you.”
Apparently, I was really good at drawing attention from other guys to my girlfriends. Austin especially.
But I was being truthful. Austin didn’t have to work to get it, so why would he? He only ever started reaching out first when it was my girlfriend he wanted. And even then, he always got her.
Not because he was handsome or anything. In my humble opinion, he was no better looking than roadkill. But he was an athlete. He was charming, or some would lie. He was easy to have.
“You make him sound like such a bad guy,” she almost snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.
Imade him sound like a bad guy? He did that all on his own.
“He’s not exactly a friend of mine, Ally-Bear. I don’t know the guy beyond what I see and hear. But you can tell me all about how wrong I am once you’re officially his girlfriend.”
If Austin ever agreed to anything with a title for longer than a few weeks.
Alana nodded softly, barely. “I’d only have to give you baking lessons?”
“Yup.”
“How would we even start this whole thing?”
Relief flooded through me as I realized she was actually willing to give my ridiculous deal a chance. “We can start slow,”I suggested. I could survive another two weeks without baking lessons. “Maybe we could meet up for coffee later or tomorrow and just have a chat about it? We can discuss how far you’re willing to go and what exactly I need from you.”
I had to get to my next class, so we couldn’t have discussed this any further right now. I was a lot of things, but never late for my classes.
She nodded again, faintly, taking shallow breaths.
“No pressure, of course,” I quickly added. “No expectations either. Just two people getting to know each other.”
Alana seemed to consider it for a moment longer before nodding again. “Okay. I can do coffee. Tomorrow after classes.”
“It’s a date.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I mentally kicked myself in the ass.
It’s a date? What was I thinking?
Alana’s eyes widened in surprise at my slip-up, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
Smooth, Eden. Real smooth.
Contrary to what I thought Alana was going to do next—panic mostly—she giggled. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said softly before walking past me to exit the restroom.
7
