“I’m glad you’re getting along better with her,” Christenson said. “But this isn’t about getting her to date you, right?”
“Christenson, come on, man,” Brooker whined. “I’ve seen this guy around Kodi, he’s so far gone for her, and too pathetic to do anything about it. Let him reach for the stars, he’s not getting off the ground either way.”
“Damn,” Gallagher said with a whistle. “That was kinda cruel.”
“I’m just trying to help. I don’t want Christenson cockblocking.”
“I specifically told younotto help,” I reminded him. “There’s nothing to help with or … cockblock.”
“Then why’d you say you’d only come if she joined you, then? That kinds sounds like you want more?”
Why did I say that? The simple answer was I wasn’t thinking. Kodi suggested I go to bond with the team and I remembered how she reacted when Brooker said she was a part of the team, so I wanted her to come. If the team was bonding, she should be a part of it. And if she wasn’t … well, then I didn’t really have any interest in going anyway.
“You were the one literally begging for her to go,” I deflected.
“That was a little much,” Christenson muttered. “You better apologize when she gets here. Well-intentioned or not, you shouldn’t be pressuring anyone to go out, let alone a woman.”
Brooker rolled his eyes. “I know when a woman doesn’t wanna go out. Her hesitance was all because she was surprised Kean asked her to go.”
“You think?”
“Dude, you’re so dense,” Brooker groaned.
“Yeah, she might not remember you, but she does think you’re hot,” Gallagher added.
“What makes you say that?”
“I don’t think this is a productive conversation.”
“Shut up, Christenson,” I said, a little louder than I intended to. Brooker’s lips spread into a wide smirk and he opened hismouth to say something, but stopped when a taxi pulled up behind him and the rest of our party unloaded.
Ignoring Brooker, I went to the passenger door as Kodi was getting out, lending her my arm.
“Oh. Thanks,” she said with a slight stutter, her hand warm on my arm for the briefest of seconds as she stepped out of the car. But as soon as her feet hit the sidewalk, she let go.
Yeah, she wasdefinitelyattracted to me. Brooker and Gallagher are both full of shit.
I followed along silently with the group as we went through the security line, flashing our IDs before entering the dark and noisy club. This was one hundred percent not my scene. The music was too loud, the smell of sweat and alcohol repugnant, and there were so many people that we had to form a single-file line to get to the tables in the back.
“You already look like you’re miserable,” Kodi said, nudging me as we sat down on a U-shaped low couch.
“Well …” I shrugged, not sure what to say. I wouldn’t say I was miserable, but there was definitely the potential for things to go that way.
“Then why did you —” she started, leaning closer to me so I could hear her over the crowd. But then Jimenez cut in.
“All right, I’ll grab the first round. What’s everyone’s drink of choice tonight?”
Conversation diverted as everyone gave Jimenez their orders and I looked around for a menu on the coffee table in front of us.
“Kean?” Jimenez prompted.
“Do they have a menu? I want food.”
“I’m not gonna get you food, man. Give me a drink or I’ll pick something for you.”
I waved him off and he moved on to Kodi, who ordered something fruity. When Jimenez took off, Kodi leaned into me, her side pressed against mine.
“This is the menu. They really just have appetizers.” She held out her phone in front of me. “I’ll run to the bar and grab whatever you want. These kind of places typically take a while to get any food out, though, so you keep your expectations low.”
