AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"What's on the menu tonight?"Brady asks as I stare into the fridge, searching for inspiration.
"Takeout," I suggest, slamming the door closed. It's been a long day, and the last thing I feel like doing is cooking.
"You want to order takeout? The guy who criticizes every meal he doesn't cook himself. Who refuses to let anyone else even make him a sandwich because he swears there's a perfect mustard to mayo ratio that no one else gets."
"What's your point?" I growl.
Brady's the most laid-back person I've ever met. I shouldn't be taking out my frustrations on him. He doesn't deserve my wrath. Normally, I'm able to bottle up my feelings. Not right now.
"That is my point. What the hell is going on with you today?"
Where do I even begin?
"Nothing. I'm just irritated with my parents. They hired an intern and are expecting me to take her under my wing. I don't have time for that shit this semester, but they don't give a damn. Which means I get to play babysitter at work to her as well as all the other employees."
"Is she hot?" Brady crosses his arms over his chest and wiggles his eyebrows at me.
"I have no idea, but it doesn't matter. If I don't have time to help her, I don't have time to date her."
"Fucking is not the same as dating."
"You're such a bastard sometimes. You realize that, right?" His smile grows, but he doesn't deny my accusation. "I'm not interested in sleeping with her. I don't want anything to do with her."
"Remember that when your dick has other ideas." Brady chuckles, his laugh growing louder when I growl in his direction. I'd take a swing at him, but he'd see it coming, block me, and pin me to the ground. Bastard is quick on his feet and stronger than he looks. "Think of it this way. You could use her to screw Piper out of your system."
"I've tried that, asshole. Didn't work before, won't work now."
The only way to get Piper out of my system would be to actually screw Piper. And since that's not an option, and may never be, I'm just going to have to figure out how to deal with seeing her, being her friend, and not being able to kiss her. Which is damn near impossible not to think about when she's around.
"What do you normally do when you fail? Quit? Not you. You pick your ass back up and try again. So, if your dick likes her, I say go for it. If not, at least introduce me."
He laughs at his own joke, but I'm starting to think it's only to cover for what's really going on with him. I tried to get him to talk about what Kendall said before he disappeared last night, but he kept deflecting.
"So, dinner? Pizza or Chinese?"
Glaring at him over my shoulder, I tell him to choose and head down the hall toward my room to take a shower. After golf, I went straight to the gym, attempting to work out my frustrations. I smell like a dirty sock, and my muscles ache.
My phone vibrates as I'm about to step under the hot spray.
FINN: Poker tonight. You in?
I'm caught off guard by his invitation until I realize it's Tuesday. Which means all the girls are at Lo and K's apartment for Taco Tuesday. Meaning, Finn is lonely.
ME: Jumping in the shower. We'll be there in an hour with beer and pizza.
Wrapping a towel around my waist, I head back to the living room to let Brady know our change of plans only to find it empty. My keys and wallet are still in the bowl on the kitchen counter, but his are missing.
His disappearing act is getting old. And happening a little too often for my liking these days. He's either up to something or there's a woman he's keeping from us. Those are the only two things I can think of that would make him so evasive about where he goes.
I shoot him a text letting him know to pick up beer and meet me over at Finn's. He replies instantly, a thumbs-up emoji and nothing more.
After showering and dressing, I grab two rolls of quarters from the stash Brady and I keep in the kitchen drawer and head out. By the time I arrive at Finn and Max's apartment, Brady's motorcycle is already parked out front. I touch the engine cover to find it's still warm.
There's a big round of applause as I walk into the kitchen. It only proves that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
Pizza boxes are being ripped from my hands by Declan before I can even set them on the counter.
"You're welcome," I state, punching him in the shoulder.
