Page 8 of Hate to Love You
Zara chokes on a laugh, and the edges of Luke’s lips curve into an easy grin.
“Does the fact that you haven’t climbed across the table and strangled me mean we have your stamp of approval?” he asks.
Narrowing my eyes, I point a fry at him. “The jury is still out on that one, buddy.” As I take a sip of my Coke, I give him the hairy eyeball. When I’m finished, I threaten, “Just know that if you screw around on her, I’ll break both your kneecaps. Hockey will be nothing more than a distant, yet fond, memory.”
He gives Zara a sidelong look from the corner of his eye. She shrugs her shoulders as if to say what can you do?
“Consider yourself warned,” I add evilly.
He cocks his head as he picks up his burger. “You’re kind of a scary chick, Davies.”
“Good.” I nod approvingly. “That’s exactly what I was going for.”
Even though I’m giving Luke shit, I do like him. Out of all the hockey players Zara could have fallen for, he’s the nicest. Unlike most of his teammates, he doesn’t consider sleeping with the girls on campus to be a competitive sport.
That being said, he does have one fatal flaw that’s difficult to overlook.
Just as I shove another fry in my mouth, a hard body slams into me from the side. I grunt as the force of impact scoots my butt across the wood bench. I’m lucky that I don’t come away with splinters.
“Slide it on over, Clyde,” a deep voice says.
For one dazed moment, I stare in horror.
No. No. No. This can’t be happening.
He isn’t supposed to sit at my table while I’m trying to enjoy lunch with my friend. I’m not supposed to see him until next Monday. At ten o’clock. And not a moment sooner. It’s an unwritten agreement between us. Like a peace accord. And he’s flat-out disregarding it.
“Why in God’s name are you here?” Before he has a chance to respond, I hiss, “Are you stalking me? Is that what’s going on?”
“That depends, would you like me to stalk you?” One side of Brody’s mouth hitches in amusement. “I’ve got a bit of free time I was looking to fill. I could probably slot you in.”
Harnessing all of my energies, I glare and wait for him to burst into flames. I’m disappointed when nothing happens.
“Should I take your silence to mean that you’re in agreement with this plan?” he drawls, looking perfectly at ease.
My eyebrows lower and my shoulders tense. See? He’s only been here for thirty seconds, and already I’m starting to foam at the mouth. This day nosedived in finance class and is now proceeding to explode on impact.
“Why are you here?” I ask again.
Brody lifts his chin toward the only other guy at the table. “Came to hang with my boy.”
My eyes shift to Luke, and I shoot him a sour look.
I may reconsider leaping across the table and strangling him after all.
Luke’s grin intensifies as if he knows exactly what’s running through my head. “So…this is fun, all of us getting together.”
“Sure, it’s as much fun as plucking out my own eyelashes one by one,” I grumble.
Not bothering to ask permission, Brody reaches over and helps himself to a few fries from my plate.
“Um, hello, that’s my lunch.”
He grins and filches another.
I shake my head at his audacity and wave a hand in the direction of my tray. “Please, by all means, help yourself.”
“Thanks, I thought you’d never ask.”