Page 117 of Double Dare
“How am I even supposed to bring that up? If she didn’t…shit, she’s going to be so offended and probably break up with me if I accuse her of it.”
I want to ask him if he’s sure he really likes her, but I won’t. Gar’s been looking for a relationship for a long time, and one way or another, he’ll decide if Amber is right for him. He’s not even fully sure of his sexuality, which is all fine and good, but I don’t want him settling just because she’s available.
“I’ll ask her. She hates me anyway,” I joke. Well…
“She doesn’t hate you,” Gar says, looking at my tilted head. “Okay, she fucking hates you. Fuck! How am I supposed to date someone who hates my best friend?”
Good question. I wouldn’t.
“She just needs to get to know you better so she can trust us.”
It shouldn’t be that way, but okay. “She realizes I’m not single, right? And she knows you’re friends with my boyfriends? And she knows we’ve been friends and never once got sexual?”
He nods, looking a bit ashamed. “Dating shouldn’t be this hard.”
“Nope,” I agree. “Life shouldn’t be this hard.” Life’s been good, but it’s been a little shitty, too. First the stuff with Fordy, and now this Instagram thing. I just…I feel like I’ve got bad juju or something, or my karma is off.
“If it was her…”
“Don’t. You don’t have to make any promises, Gar.”
“I know, but if it was, I just…I wouldn’t be able to forgive her for that. I hope it wasn’t her.” There’s a bit of doubt in his voice, which tells me he at least thinks it’s a possibility.
“Ugh, I’m done talking about this. Let’s do something else.” No point in dwelling on it until we know more. I want to know who did it so I can feel secure, but I’m not going to let it mess with my life anymore. Gar is a part of my life, and no matter how this thing turns out, I hope he stays that way. Until then, we’re still friends. “Anything else.”
“Like what?” he asks, smiling at me like he’s up for anything. “You’re concussed and I’m beat up. What’re we gonna do?”
“Wanna go to Lowell Point with me to check out a wildlife center?” Perfect timing for it and all.
Gar looks inside through the window. “We’re gonna have to sneak past your bodyguards.”
“Gar, they trust you. It’s Amber,” I try to reassure him.
“I know.” He looks inside again. “Alright, let’s run away for the day!”
I have to pee, but there’s no way I can go inside without getting interrogated, so we make a mad dash for his Jeep and peel out of there like Bonnie and Clyde!
Chapter 44
When Laken walks in the front door after her escape with Gar, I stay on the couch and greet her without letting her know what sort of mood I’m in.
“Hey, Bossy. Good day?”
She hangs her coat on the hook and walks into the living room, giving me a smirk full of attitude. “Kade.”
The house is empty. Jed’s working late, Mom and Dad are out, and everyone else is off doing their own thing. It’s not often I get this place to myself, but I’m going to take advantage of the time now that Laken is here.
“It was liberating,” she says, trying to throw me off.
“Liberating,” I repeat, mulling that over. She already knows this is some sort of game, and I love that she straightens her spine, ready for it without even knowing what it is.
Laken goes to sit on the opposite couch, making sure she’s either out of reach or in the power position to make me go to her. “What’s your play here, Kade? Are you going to pretend to get me in trouble? Are you going to put the blame on me like your orders weren’t barbaric and overbearing?” She crosses one leg over the other, clasping her hands on her lap. “Because we both know it won’t work.”
“No?”
“No. You can try to hold out however long you want, but we both know you’re driven by your dick and you’ll be over here in a matter of minutes.”
I love her. “I have more restraint than that. Especially when you deserve the punishment.”