“If it’s real, then maybe not just yet, but then again, this is you.”
“Look, I said I was in and I meant it. Did I find someone unexpectedly? Yeah. Am I ready to get into it yet? Not a damn chance. I already told you her name was Summer.”
“Wait, your still seeing her?”
Pausing, I glared at Carlos. “Yeah. And that’s all you get to know.”
“Oh, he must like her then. He’s protecting her.”
“As if.” Carlos whooshed away the sentence as if he was swatting a fly away.
It bothered me. Maybe my history wasn’t the cleanest with women, but I wasn’t just an arrogant asshole who left themout to dry either. I clenched my teeth, “Why wouldn’t I protect her?”
It took Carlos by surprise with the way his mouth formed an O. “Just not your style.”
“Why, because you haven’t seen it? Because I only bring dates around and not someone I’m in a relationship with?” I inched closer to him. “You don’t know me as well as you think. And yeah, for the right girl—I’d protect her any way I needed to.” I hadn’t needed to, yet. My past had shown that with my taste in women, it was me who needed to be protected.
“Alright, let’s leave Romeo over here alone for now,” Jake added, the voice of reason, despite the protests from the rest of the guys. I shot him a thank-you nod to which he nodded back.
Jake and I may not have been that close, but it seemed that we understood each other more lately. Carlos and Jake took off to their wives. Kev and I headed out of the stadium.
“It’s April.”
“What’s April?” I asked.
“The phone.”
There was no use denying it to him. I trusted him, plus I needed them to know about her. No one was going to believe a few secretive texts and a grin. Although, it had them on edge. Especially Carlos. He backed down quicker than I’d ever seen.
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “I think it’s good, man.”
“It’s fake,” I replied flatly.
“Yeah? Tell me that in a couple weeks.”
“Weeks? What kinda thing is that?”
Kev smirked and strolled off to his car, leaving me in the parking lot confused. A couple of weeks? I dunno what love potion this guy drinks, but there’s no way it will be more than an arrangement. Once we both settle our dilemmas, then it allgoes back to normal. At least, that was what I was forcing my brain to think.
Unfortunately, the only thing on my mind was going to check on her. My body went on autopilot the minute I got into the building.
Softly, I knocked on the door and was surprised to see Nora answer. I’d almost forgot she had a roommate.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Uh, sorry, I wasn’t sure if April had someone with her.”
“And you were just checking on her?”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I nodded, slightly embarrassed. Maybe, I should have called first. Nora’s eyes drifted up and down, as if she was sizing me up, then glanced back toward the living room.
“She’s on the couch.”
Now, I was second guessing myself. “I don’t want to intrude.”
“I think you do.” She smirked, opening the door wider for me.
