Chapter 5
brANDON
Ibook it to my car and slide behind the wheel, yelling at Chris to hurry his ass up. “Come on, man. Tate called more than an hour ago.”
I glance at the dashboard as I start my car.
Shit. More like an hour and a half ago.
“Hey, I’m missing out on alone time with Lettie for this, so cool your tits,” Chris says as he climbs inside and settles into the passenger seat at the same time I slam on the gas, reversing out of the parking lot.
“I hate that she’s been sitting on the side of the road by herself just waiting for us.” I clench my jaw as I envision her stranded in the middle of nowhere, alone.
What if some asshole stops?
What if a semi plows into her car?
What if she gets tired of waiting and decides to walk back to campus alone?
Fuck.
I give the car a little more gas.
“How the hell were we supposed to know Coach would keep us an hour late?” Chris grumbles. “Besides, have you checked your messages? Maybe she called another friend for a ride.”
I shake my head. When I’m not the one monopolizing Tatum’s time, she hangs out with her roommate, Brittney, but I know for a fact Brit isn’t around tonight. “Her roommate left for a long weekend with her boyfriend, so there’s no one else she’d call.”
“How far out is she?”
“About ten miles,” I say as I check my GPS.
We drive for a few minutes in silence, my mind racing along with my heart.
The last time I saw Tatum was a couple nights ago in her dorm room.
I’d been so close to kissing her when her phone rang, and for a single, blissful moment, I thought maybe she wanted me to.
And then reality came crashing in. She has a boyfriend, and I’m her best friend?the same friend who promised to be supportive and allow her relationship to run its course.
Had I kissed her and fucked with her relationship, she never would’ve forgiven me.
Tate values loyalty above all things; it’s one of the things I love about her.
“Look at the bright side,” Chris says, breaking into my thoughts as we pass the convenience store she mentioned. “Coming to Tatum’s rescue is bound to earn you some serious brownie points.”
I scoff and glance his way. “I don’t need brownie points.”
“Mm-hmm,” he murmurs before his eyes light up, and he points. “Is that her?”
I shift my gaze to the side of the road, and sure enough, I spot Tate’s bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle at the same time she exits the driver’s side and rounds the front of it.
Slowing my car, I pull in a distance from her, then shut off the ignition before climbing out. Chris joins me as I yell for her, waving when she lifts her head out from behind the bug’s open hood.
“Sorry it took so long,” I start, hurrying toward her with Chris in tow. “Coach ran practice late and we . . .” I trail off as my gaze settles on another body bending over the engine, behind the hood. A body that appears distinctly male.
“No worries,” Tate says, her tone upbeat and particularly chipper for a girl who’s been stranded for the past hour and a half.
“I knew you were in practice and got antsy, so I called Ethan. He and some friends were actually thirty minutes out, so they dropped him off for me. Crazy, huh? He got here more than a half hour ago.”
“Yeah, crazy,” I mumble through the pinching in my chest.
“Still think you don’t need brownie points?” Chris mutters out of the side of his mouth as he jabs me in the ribs.
I shoot him a dirty look before I grip Tatum’s elbow and pull her out of earshot.
“You didn’t need to call him, Tate. You knew I’d be here as soon as I could.
” I drop her arm, shoving a hand through my hair, frustrated he got to play Prince Charming and come to her rescue when that’s my role. My job.
Tatum shrugs like it’s no big deal, like her relying on a man that isn’t me for any fucking thing in her life doesn’t put a giant Tatum-sized hole inside my chest. “It’s no biggie. I called, and he happened to be close by, so he dropped what he was doing and came to help.”
“You could have let me know before I left campus,” I say, a little harsher than I intended. “I’ve been worried sick about you waiting out here alone.”
“I did. I texted you. Didn’t you get my messages?”
I frown, sliding my phone from my pocket only to realize it’s still on Airplane Mode from practice. The second I flick it off, it starts buzzing in my hand.
Shit.
Frustrated, I shove it back in the pocket of my joggers at the same time a metallic twang echoes into the cooling evening air.
The hood of the VW closes, and Tatum turns, giving me my first good glimpse of a smug-faced Ethan dressed in khakis and a light pink polo shirt, looking like he’s fresh off a fucking golf course.
Wiping his hands on a rag, he tips his chin toward me as I stare him down. “Brandon,” he says, his voice flat.
“Nice of you to come, man, but we can take it from here,” I tell him.
“Actually, I’ve got it handled. She should be good to go.” He pats the hood of the car and grins. “I guess the phrase better late than never doesn’t apply here.”
“Oh, shit,” Chris coughs out behind his fist while I grind my teeth, molars throbbing with the force of holding back my bite.
Tatum glances between us, her expression wary as if we’re asking her to pick sides, and when she takes a step toward me, my heart soars. My grin broadens as I stare at Ethan, my heart doing victory laps inside my chest as my glittering blue eyes say Take that fucker.
“Hey, I really appreciate you coming,” Tatum murmurs, her voice soft as she tips her head up to me, “but Ethan was actually going to stay the night in my dorm since Brit’s gone for the weekend, so you’re free to go. I know you’re probably tired after practice.”
The heart that was previously soaring plummets. It sinks so far into the abyss of my chest, deep-sea divers will never recover it.
I swallow, staring down into her nearly violet eyes as I think of the way she and I laid together on her bed only nights ago?laughing and joking and teasing. And I try not to think about what she and Ethan might do in that same bed. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
She laughs like it’s a dumb question. “Being alone with my boyfriend? I think it’s a great idea.”
My chest hurts. It fucking hurts.
I nod as Ethan steps forward, curling an arm around her waist like he owns every inch of her. The urge to remove his limb from its socket and shove it down his throat is so wild and violent, I have to curl my hands into fists at my side.
You’re supportive, remember? Tatum will figure out he’s not the one on her own.
Muscles loosen, then instantly tense again when Ethan murmurs into the side of her hair, “Ready to go, baby?”
Baby?
Oh hell no.
My nostrils flare as I glance between them, realizing this will be the hardest thing I ever do. Getting a scholarship at a D1 college to play football? Easy. Winning the National Championship? A cakewalk. Watching Tatum fall for some asshole that isn’t me? Fucking torture.
“Actually, why don’t I come with you?” I suggest, tone light despite the heavy thud of my heart.
Tatum eyes me with a frown. “But . . . your car’s here,” she says, nodding toward the vehicle behind me.
“Chris will drive it.” I glance back at him, desperate for him to help a brother out. “Right Chris?”
“Sure thing,” he says, grinning like a pig in shit.
Tate blinks. “But why would you want to do that?”
“Because he can follow behind in case there’s another problem, and I can spend some quality time with you guys, maybe get to know Edward since we haven’t had a chance to properly chat.”
“It’s Ethan,” Ethan says.
“Right. How could I forget?” I meet his eyes with a tight smile.
Just because I have to tolerate him doesn’t mean I can’t fuck with him a little.
“What do you say, Tate?” I nudge her in the arm, and I can tell she’s not entirely convinced, so I really try to sell it.
“It’ll be fun. Just the three of us. The two most important men in your life getting to know one another. ”
Ethan narrows his eyes, clearly on to me while Tate beams. “You really wanna do that? Get to know Ethan?”
I nod, using my best poker face. “Absolutely. What’s important to you is important to me. Maybe we can even be friends.” I shrug, playing coy. Like I actually want to be friends with him, rather than rip him limb from limb.
I should feel guilty at the way she smiles up at me, so trusting and openly thrilled at the prospect of my making an effort with Ethan.
But I don’t. This is for the greater good.
And if I’m supposed to wait it out until Tatum realizes I’m the one for her instead of this Ken doll wannabe, then I need to get to know the guy, even if it kills me.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, and all that.
“Unless, of course, you have a problem with that, Ethan,” I say, a smirk curving the corners of my lips.
I stare over at him, catching the flicker of irritation that passes over his face before he schools it back into neutral. “Why would I?” He tightens his arm around Tatum and my eye twitches. “You’re the one who’ll be the third wheel.”
Not for long, asshole.
“Great,” I say, my tone bright, even as I imagine all the ways I can mutilate him with my car keys.
“This is amazing! I can’t wait for you guys to talk,” Tate says, clapping her hands together, unable to contain her happiness. “I know you’re going to have so much in common. Just you wait and see.”
Doubtful.
I turn to Chris and toss him my keys, which he catches easily with a wink before he mouths, Have fun, and saunters off.
Dick.
“Why don’t I drive,” I suggest as I turn back around. “That way you can just relax.” Next to me, in the passenger seat. “I’m sure you’re exhausted after being stranded for over an hour.”
“You’re sure?” Tate asks.
“Positive. I know how much you love being the passenger princess,” I say in a slightly snotty tone that conveys Ethan doesn’t know her at all.
I open the door to the driver’s side and slide in, waiting for Tatum to join me in the front as she rounds the car, but when she climbs in the back with Ethan instead, I nearly fly through the roof.
I grind my teeth as I take a deep breath. I can practically feel Ethan’s smug smile penetrating the back of my skull, so I slide my seat all the way back in one quick, sharp movement, forcing a hiss out of him as he eats his knees.
“Oops. Sorry,” I say, craning my head to glance back at him. “This car is tiny.”
Just the mere sight of him folded like a pretzel makes me smile again.
I turn the key in the ignition, slightly disgruntled when it starts right up, and do a three-point turn to head back to campus.
“So, Ethan,” I say, my voice strained at the prospect of small talk as I merge onto the main road. “What’s your major at Michigan State?”
“Business administration with a focus on finance,” he replies, his arm still wrapped around Tatum’s shoulders in the back seat.
B-O-R-I-N-G.
I hum like it’s the most interesting thing I’ve ever heard. “And what do you plan on doing with that?”
“Oh, my father is an investment banker. He plans on bringing me on board to run his mergers and acquisitions department.”
Of course he does. I barely suppress the urge to roll my eyes when Tate places a hand on Ethan’s arm and says, “Ethan’s so smart. He’s always talking business and half of it goes over my head.”
I stop at a red light, watching as Ethan chuckles and leans down, planting a soft kiss on her nose.
“That’s because you’re an English major, sweetheart.
You're better with fiction than figures.” His tone is light, but there’s an edge to it I don’t like as he pats her hand like he’s explaining something to a child.
“Not everyone has the head for real-world economics.”
I grip the wheel harder as I focus back on the road, fighting the urge to defend her and failing miserably.
“Did you know Tate graduated top of our class?” I meet Tate’s eyes in the rearview mirror, ignoring her look of warning.
“She’s the smartest person I know. She read over two hundred books last year.
Crazy impressive if you ask me. She even started a social media account where she shares reviews and videos of the books she reads. Pretty cool stuff.”
“Well, yeah, but they’re mostly romance books, right? I mean, do those even count as books?”
My hands flex over the wheel as I tell myself to breathe. I narrow my eyes, focusing on the road. I might tease Tate about some of the books she reads, but it’s because she’s so damn cute. I secretly adore how much she’s into all that love shit. “What would you call them?”
“From what I’ve seen of some of these so-called bookish videos?”
I nod, unsure I want to hear his answer while Tate stiffens beside him.
“Fluff. Fantasy. Hell, some of it might as well be glorified porn for chicks.”
“Ethan . . .” Tate’s gaze flicks from him to me in the rearview mirror, then away again.
“Honey, you know I think your hobby is cute,” he murmurs, turning to her. “And I love that you have something you’re so passionate about, but let’s be real. It’s not like you’re reading the next literary masterpiece.”
“It’s not just a hobby,” I say, unable to keep my mouth shut when it comes to my girl. “She plans on opening a bookshop after graduation.”
“Bookstores are a terrible investment.” Ethan shakes his head. “Especially with the digital market taking over.”
I open my mouth, about to tell him to fuck off and go to hell when Tate says, “Actually, special editions are huge in the romance world right now. People are paying a lot of money just to get their hands on print runs of their favorite novels with foiled covers and sprayed edges. My shop will have mostly special editions and autographed copies. Plus, everything will be romance themed. I really think it’ll work. Just the other day the owner of?”
“Sure, hon,” Ethan says, interrupting her. “Whatever you want. You know I’ll support it. I think it’s great you have hobbies.”
This is the guy she might move for? No. There’s no freaking way Tate’s moving for this asshole. She has to see what a jerk he is, right?
Tate grins like he just hung the fucking moon, and now I want to strangle them both because what the hell is she doing with a guy like him? Didn’t she hear how patronizing he was just now? Is she hard of hearing?
Fuck.
Ethan reaches out and places a hand on her tanned thigh, sliding it a little too close to the hem of her already short as fuck cut-off jean shorts and I want to annihilate him like it’s World War III, and I’m ready to drop a bomb on his ass.
I shift my gaze, and we lock eyes, her pleading with me for understanding, to let it go while I plead with her to choose better—to value herself more than this. Because one thing is clear after spending only ten minutes with the guy.
Even if she doesn’t choose me, she can do a hell of a lot better than Ethan fucking White.