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I hated that I noticed. Not that there was anything wrong with admiring his body in a strictly observant way. It was just, the thought of him ever finding out those sort of things crossed my mind…. I would die. Death by mortification.
Denver already thought he was God’s gift to women with his blond hair and blue eyes, easy smile, muscles, height, his ability to set someone at ease with his magnetic charm. Yeah. He didn’t need one more admirer. In fact, he needed about a hundred less.
“I need to talk to you two about Makayla.”
I sighed, and he immediately stuck his finger out at me. “That. That right there needs to stop.”
“My sighing?”
“Yes. What is so wrong with Makayla that she can’t be your friend? What do you think all these muffin gift baskets have been about?”
I exchanged looks with Jenny. She knew all my theories, none of them flattering.
“You brought her over here to meet us,” I said with a shrug.
“No, she draggedmeover here so she could meetyou.”
Jenny’s forehead wrinkled. “I’m not understanding the difference.”
“She wants friends. And she wants to be friends with you two specifically for some strange reason. I can’t talk her out of it. She thinks you two arenice.”
I didn’t miss the accusation there, and neither did Jenny, based on the way her face fell. “Oh, man. I’m such a jerk.”
“Bingo.”
“Hey now,” I said, not liking where this was going. Jenny could be a pushover sometimes. It was the reason I tried to keep myself in check when giving her advice. “What were we supposed to think, Denver? You were after Jenny like the last seat in musical chairs, and when that didn’t pan out, you came over five seconds later with Miss Hotness on your arm. If there’s a little awkwardness left over, can you blame us?”
“Sadie,” Jenny warned.
Denver’s answering frown was ten-times more satisfying than his fear of Nitro, and I drank it in while I could. He was about to dish it back. But I could take it. We were finally having this out, and there was nothing I hated more than unsaid business. I mean, yes, the truth hurt. But it was still the truth. The truth was so much better than polite lies.
Denver stared me down. “The only person not letting it go, is you, Sadie. I’m pretty sure Jenny and I would be better friends if you weren’t around resenting me. And if Makayla’s not threatened by our history, I don’t get whyyouare.”
Oh, that cut deep, and I felt an angry blush breaking through, despite my best efforts. “Nope, I’m fine with it. You’ve explained it all. So, great. Let’s all be friends.”
“Great.”
We were so not friends. Not even close. I was trying to be protective, and he’d just made me look spiteful.
Makayla gave a perky knock, and Denver opened the door for her, asking, “Was the oven on?”
She laughed. “Nope. Only the oven light. But when you get that thought in your head, it’s hard tonotcheck. You know?”
“I totally get it. Hey, let’s get going to dinner. You ready?”
She nodded, but stepped around him to give Jenny a hug goodbye first, and then hesitantly moved towards me.
I’d given her hugs before. Quick, one-armed ones. She was a huggy person, and I hadn’t minded when I could write her off as Denver’s flavor-of-the-month. But dang it, Denver had humanized her. Worse, he’d called me out on my bad feelings towards her, ones I thought I’d been hiding better. I hated to admit he’d been right about something, and I’d been wrong. Dead wrong.
Despite her misguided interest in Denver, Makayla was someone who deserved respect. More than respect. She deserved kindness.
I gave her a real hug, glaring at Denver while he watched. “Hey, you should come over for movie night on Thursday,” I choked out.
“Really?” she gushed.
“Yeah, it’s girls only, though. No Denvers allowed.”
Makayla laughed. “Oh, poor Denver. He’ll have to fend for himself.” She followed him out looking so happy it made me feel even worse.
