Page 9 of Survival
“You’re waiting for him, then?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool. I’ll wait with you.”
Great…I performed a mental eye roll. Mateo was okay, honestly a solid friend, but I wasn’t really in the mood for his verbal mishaps right now. “So, what have you been doing? Are you planning on meeting up with the rest of the guys?”
“We just finished up a volleyball game. Noah and Kyle ditched me for a couple of spring breakers. Not that I blame them. Those chicks werefiiine.”
“Don’t let Emma hear you say that.”
“What? I’m not allowed to look?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Looking’s fine. It’s what went through your head that I don’t think she’d like.”
“I’d like to do to her what’s going through my head,” he said with a smirk. Then he frowned. “But I can’t as long as her racist dad has anything to say about it.”
My features scrunched at the comment. I didnotunderstand how people could be so ignorant and cruel about things as insignificant as skin color. Annie and Jet had mostly had it easy. Our families didn’t care, welcoming and embracing their relationship. But as soon as our friends tried to start dating last December, Emma’s dad went off the deepend, threatening to ground her until she left for college if she even went on a date with the “wetback”. His words, not mine.
The asshole.
I shook my head, heated a bit myself over it, and tried to move away from the tender subject. “I doubt Emma would be up for what’s going through your head, anyway.”
“Maybe not now, but if I had the time to work some of my mad charms on her, she might be willing to change her mind.”
I reached over and gave Mateo a sarcastic, sympathetic pat on the arm. “Just keep telling yourself that.”
He glared at me, making me fight a grin.
“Keep telling himself what?” Tucker asked as he took his seat beside me, stretching one of his arms to rest behind my back.
“That some of hismad charmswill help him get some from Ems.”
Tucker tried to choke back a laugh but had to cover it with a cough.
“Hey, you never know. Is it so hard to think that she could want some of this?” Mateo motioned down his actually decent body with one of his hands. All of his training, in an attempt to get a basketball scholarship this season, had left him with some well-toned muscles not previously as defined.
“No comment?” I hid a smirk as Tucker held back his laugh. I knew Mateo didn’t look bad. He just wasn’t my type, and I only had eyes for one guy, even if he was.
Mateo gave us a mock glare. “You guys suck.”
Tucker gave him a pointed look. “No, we’re realistic. You’re not getting any from Emma unless you plan on putting a ring on her finger and saying I do.”
“Ugh! You shut your mouth right now!”
“Just saying.” Tucker shrugged before getting up. I gave him a curious look. “I forgot I needed to make a call. Be right back.” He leaned in for a quick kiss, leaving me there to listen to Mateo drone on as he walked away.
TUCKER
Heading just far enough away to ensure Izzy couldn’t overhear me—because Iknewshe’d try to say I was making a big deal out of nothing—I stopped several yards away to call Jet, smiling politely but without interest ata group of spring breaker girls that kept giggling and whispering in my direction. I turned my back to them when they didn’t stop and made the call.
It took several rings for Jet to pick up, but he was quick to agree, and knowing he and Annie might want some down time together first, I told him to just meet us there when they could. At least one of us should be getting some.
Not that I was bitter. Far from it. I understood. I just missed Izzy. Ourconnection.
What you have is good, Pierce, so knock it the fuck off.
I shook my thoughts free before heading back over to my friends, fully intending to give Izzy another kiss to help discourage any misunderstandings with the girls nearby, when I heard what Mateo was saying.