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Oh well. We all made it out of childhood alive, right? What’s a little dirt?
“Yeah, it’s something August, and I do every year. Started doing it three years ago, actually, and it kind of, just stuck.”
Colin bends down to help me distribute water to more kids, and I force myself to keep my eyes on him and not on Sem, who’s chasing kids with water balloons.
“Watch your back, ladies!” Sem hollers, acting like this is World War III, as he ducks behind a tree. He pretends like a water balloon is a grenade, pulls the imaginary pin out of it with his teeth, and chucks it at an unsuspecting little girl.
It hits her on the back with a splash, and she screams in frustration.
“Gotchu!” he shouts and then jogs over to grab another large armful of balloons. They’re cradled in the bottom of his shirt, andeveryonewatches him as he moves around the park. Probably because those damn unicorn abs are showing.
“Daniel was really excited to come, too,” Colin says, pulling my eyes back to him. Shit. Must pay attention tothisguy. Notthatguy.
“Glad you all could make it.”
“Me too. It's been a little chaotic since things ended with my ex, and I’ve found myself not making enough time for him.”
“I’m glad I could provide something fun for him to do,” I say with a flourish. “Anyways, this is almost over, and then we can head out.”
Colin smiles softly at me, and then both our heads whip to the side when I hear a loud groan. Sem is bent over, clutching his crotch as a little girl lobs another water balloon at him. It smacks him right in the face, and Sem growls, standing up straight and grabbing the girl into his arms, tossing her into the air. She laughs so hard her breath comes out as a wheeze. I can’t help the smile that erupts on my face.
“Wow, he has energy,” Colin says in amazement. “I wish I had that.”
“He sure does,” I say as Sem laughs, grabs another water balloon from his stash, and chucks one at Daniel’s back.
“Maybe I should hire him to babysit,” Colin adds, and I force myself to grin at him, lest I smack his face off. Colin will not be gettinganywherenear Sem.
“I don’t think he’s much of a babysitter.”
“No, probably not. A man like that….”
His words trail off, and I bite back my urge to ask what he meant. A man like what?
So,” Colin says, turning towards me and reaching out to lightly touch my hand, diverting my thoughts from Sem back to him. “Tell me more about you, Magnus. I’d like to figure out what makes you tick.”
* * *
SEM
I watch that fucker touch Maggie, and I want to rip his arm off. But of course, I don’t because that would be, well, physically impossible. But I still envision it as I chase the kids around.
Me walking up and tugging dream guy’s arms clean off.
Bashing his skull in with the bloody stump.
Throwing Maggie over my shoulder and carrying him home.
Fucking him against the wall.
It’s better if I don’t look at the two of them, and then I’ll be fine. Won’t go nuclear. But sometimes, my gaze slips, and I see how Maggie smiles at his dream guy. It’s like he’s looking at Jesus or something. He never fucking smiles like that for me.
Because I’m not who he wants.
I press my back against a tree and take a deep breath. Even if I wanted to be his, I couldn’t be. I’m not smart enough, not witty enough. Not well-read. Nothing like the guy who’s literally playing with Maggie’s fingers as they stand side-by-side.
Fuck.
I just can’t look at the two of them. It makes my chest hurt.
