Chapter 40 Pretty Boy - Spencer #2
Before I could wipe the confused look off of my face, Jayson was already calling across the bar to grab Colton’s attention.
“Colton!”
“You rang, pretty boy?” He sauntered over with a grin that matched Jayson’s.
I hung my head in my hands, shaking it while Jayson tried to “save the day” or whatever bullshit he was up to.
“Yeah, what are the chances you have one of Avery’s pretty little friend’s phone numbers?”
“Depends. What’s in it for me?”
I chuckled under my breath at Colton’s response.
Jayson pulled out his wallet. “Something tells me you’ll like my wallet just as much as you like Daddy’s.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I couldn’t let this go on any longer. What were we, fucking twelve?
“No. No need for anyone’s wallets. Just—”
“Trust me, man. This will work.” Jayson blocked me out with his elbow.
Slamming a Benjamin on the bartop, my best friend eyed the one-hundred-dollar bill, then lifted his gaze back up to Colton.
“That it?” Colton crossed his arms, letting him know his help would be worth more than that.
When Jayson stacked another bill on top of the one already there, all I could do was shake my head at the antics.
“That’s more like it.” He took the money off the bar and slid it into his pocket. “Blonde or redhead?” he asked.
“Blonde, of course.”
Typical hockey player.
“If she asks where you got her number, don’t tell her it was from me.” Colton raised his eyebrows with seriousness written all over his face.
Sometimes, my friend could truly be an idiot.
Colton walked over to the computer where he found a piece of paper and a pen. After writing down Peyton’s phone number, he handed it to Jayson as if it were precious cargo.
“I’m not even going to ask, but whatever it is, good luck.”
Colton walked away and Jayson had a cheesy grin on his face like he had the answers to all my problems.
I couldn’t contain myself anymore. I burst out in laughter, unable to turn it off.
“Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?”
“You…” I tried to get the words out, but the laughter was too strong.
Jayson leaned back in his chair, sipped on his drink, and waited for me to come to my senses. When the uncontrollable laughter finally subsided, I said, while still trying to catch my breath, “You just paid two hundred dollars for a phone number that you could have gotten from me. For free.”
He set down his glass and glared at me. At a loss for words.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you had their numbers?” He jolted forward in his seat when he finally let it sink in.
“You seemed adamant. I didn’t want to interrupt the process,” I said, making finger quotes.
“Whatever. Let’s just get this ball rolling now, shall we?”
Jayson pulled out his phone and opened a new text thread. He tilted his phone toward me so I could see as he was texting.
Jayson: Hi, Peyton? This is Jayson. I’m texting on behalf of Spencer.
“Is that how you always text? Because if it is, I have no idea how you’re able to pull as much pussy as you do.”
“Jesus Christ. I didn’t want to freak the girl out. Plus, this isn’t for me. It’s for you. I don’t even know what this girl looks like.”
His phone pinged with a text back.
Peyton: OMG. Is he okay?
“Why does she make it sound like you’re dying? Of course, you’re okay. Just a little heartbroken and sappy is all.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Because you dip shit, you said, “I’m texting on behalf of Spencer,” like I had been in a major car accident or something and unable to use my fucking phone.”
I needed another drink for this.
“You’re right. That was kind of morbid. Maybe I should turn on the charm a little.”
His fingers got to typing as a smile spread across his face.
Jayson: Physically, he’s good. Mentally though… that’s another story. I’ve never seen a grown man so torn up and in his feelings before. I’ve had to change my shirt three times today because every time I hug the guy he won’t let go. Then my sleeves end up drenched in his snot.
Before I could smack his phone from his hands, he pressed send.
“Fabrication much? Jesus, man. I’m having far too many regrets right now for telling you any of this.”
“Just trust me. This will work.”
We both watched the screen intently as the little typing bubble popped up. Then it disappeared just to show up again.
Yeah, I’d have no idea what the fuck to say to that either.
Growing impatient, Jayson shot another text.
Jayson: How’s Avery?
Now that’s what we should have started with. That was the real thing I wanted to know. How was my girl doing? Was she okay?
Peyton: I’m sorry to hear he’s so torn up. Avery is strong. She keeps trying to act okay, but I know she’s not. I think she’s just confused. Doesn’t know what to do. Maybe she will have more clarity after tonight.
Jayson and I both looked at each other confused. Likely, thinking the same thing.
Jayson: What is tonight?
He asked the question that was on both of our minds.
Peyton: Please don’t tell Spencer this…
Obviously, I was going to know, and something about that text had me worried. My heart pounded in my chest, echoing so loudly I couldn’t hear Colton ask us if we wanted another drink. When Jayson answered for us, all I could do was stare blankly at the screen and wait for her to continue typing.
Peyton: She’s meeting up with Jax tonight. He wanted to talk.
Even though I knew he wanted to talk, my heart sank knowing that they were actually meeting up before I even had the chance to talk with her. To hold her and remind her that everything was going to be okay. To tell her I loved her in person and not through a silly little screen.
“Fuck,” I huffed.
“Okay, maybe this was a bad idea.”
Jayson texted her back, but I didn’t bother looking at the screen.
Despite the fact that my heart was breaking, I was happy to know she was trying to work through her feelings. I knew at some point that would involve a conversation with Jackson again. Hopefully, now that time had settled, they could have a better talk than the last one.
I tried to look at it positively, but I just wanted to talk to her. My head was on a carousel, spinning one hundred miles per hour, thinking about how I could move fucking mountains just to know how she was feeling.
Jayson and I sat in silence knowing there wasn’t anything left to be said. All I could do was wait. And hopefully, maybe Avery and I would both have some answers tonight.