Chapter 12 Callan
CALLAN
Grabbing the jerk by the back of his shirt, I shove him aside to get to Astrid.
“Dude, what the fuck?” he says, gripping the counter as he staggers back.
“Are you okay?” Ignoring him, I scan Astrid from head to toe, enraged when I spot indents on her upper arms. Before the guy can straighten up, I punch him in the face. “That’s for putting your hands on her without permission.”
“Oh my god,” Astrid whispers, her gaze bouncing between him and me.
“What the fuck, Hunt?” he roars as he stumbles, barely keeping himself upright.
“Fuck off,” I snap, jabbing him in the chest. “And stay the hell away from Astrid.” I’m taking liberties here because I didn’t overhear the full conversation, but the cheerleaders told me he is her ex, and I’m guessing that’s for a reason.
“Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do?” He straightens to his full height, probing his face with his fingers as he glares at me with blatant hatred. The feeling is mutual, mate.
“Don’t worry, your pretty-boy face is still intact, though whether it remains so is up to you.
Get lost.” My hands ball into fists at my sides, and I’d really love a reason to pummel this guy into next week.
The thought of this prick ever having his hands on Astrid makes me want to rip him to shreds, which I know is not normal behavior, but I’ll analyze it later.
Right now, I want him the fuck away from her.
“Callan.” Astrid wraps her slim fingers around my arm. “I’m okay. Let it go.” She peers deep into my eyes. “Please.”
All the air feels like it’s been sucked out of my lungs as I stare at her gorgeous face.
Fuck, she is exquisite and a breath of fresh air.
From the second I arrived at Thor’s, I’ve been surrounded by girls with grabby hands, who are falling out of short dresses, makeup caked on their faces, and wearing so much perfume I’ve almost choked on it.
Every attempt to get away from them failed, and I was waiting for Astrid to arrive to make a break for it.
When I saw her with this clown, my anger was immediate, though it helped when I discovered he was an ex. I knew he was on the American football team, but not who he is or who he used to be to Astrid. That gossip did not reach my ears before tonight.
“Now I see,” the clown hisses, his words breaking the connection between Astrid and me.
We both turn to face him, and I act on instinct, sliding my arm around Astrid’s back and tucking her into my side, grateful when she melts against me and doesn’t put up a fight. It tells me all I need to know.
His nostrils flare as he glowers at us. “This has nothing to do with Nina and everything to do with you and him hooking up!” He waggles his finger between us before slamming his fists on the counter.
Shocked gasps echo behind us, reminding me the door is open, and we have an audience of gossipy girls witnessing everything.
Fuck. They were eavesdropping for ages before I came over to intervene, so I have no clue what they overheard.
“You wouldn’t put out for me!” he yells.
“And what, this guy shows up, and you instantly drop your panties for him?”
“Watch your fucking mouth. I—”
“I don’t owe you a single thing, Joe,” Astrid calmly replies, cutting across me. Her arms wrap around me, and she rests her head against my chest. “And what I do with my body is my own business. You and I are broken up, and I’m free to date whomever I like. We are over, and you need to accept it.”
“Trust me, I got it. You couldn’t pay me to touch you again. No one wants soiled goods.”
She flinches, and I’m done playing nice. He’s a fucking dick, and that’s utter horseshit. My arm thrusts out, ready to beat the shite out of this prick, but Astrid hauls me back before my fist makes contact. “He’s not worth it. Let’s just go.”
“Stay away from her,” I warn him again because I’m not buying the bullshit he’s peddling. I heard enough of the conversation to know he still wants her, and if he thinks she’s with me, it presents a challenge guys like him can’t help accepting.
Joe snorts. “You’re welcome to my sloppy seconds. Clueless virgins are not my thing anyway.”
Thor and a couple of the guys from the team arrive at that second, and their timing is perfect because I’m about to go nuclear on the dumb jock.
“Don’t start shit with the football team, dude,” Thor whispers as my mates literally drag me out of the room, haul me across the kitchen, through the living room, and upstairs.
The others disappear as Thor shoves me into his bedroom.
“I heard what he said. Hemsworth is a fucking prick, and I told the guys to throw him out, but do not get into it with him. Garner is already gunning for your ass. Don’t make an enemy of the entire football team. ”
“He can’t speak about her like that.” I grab fistfuls of my hair, still all wound up.
“I’m shocked he did. We double-dated with Joe and Astrid when they were together, and he seemed cool.”
“Thanks for the heads-up, by the way.” It comes out harsher than I meant.
Thor snorts. “Dude, if you’d asked, I would’ve told you, but you said it’s not like that with Astrid.”
“It’s not.”
He belts out a laugh. “That’s clearly not what her ex thinks.”
“I didn’t want to let Astrid down when she let him believe that, but we’re just friends.”
“Friends with benefits?” He quirks a brow.
“It’s like you don’t even know her.” I run a hand over my shirt, tugging it down and smoothing out the wrinkles.
He sobers up. “I do, which is why I’m saying this. Don’t fuck Astrid around, Callan. Either make her yours or make it clear she’s in the friend zone.”
“I don’t need to clarify it with Astrid. She knows we’re just friends.”
He leans against the wall. “You burst into the mudroom and started throwing punches like a jealous boyfriend. Dude, you need to get real with yourself and make your mind up.”
He’s not wrong. “Fuck.” I scrub a hand over my jawline. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” A heavy sigh leaks from my mouth. “I don’t do this, and I don’t need the drama.”
“Everyone is going to think you’re hooking up now.”
“I’m well aware.” I roll my shoulders to loosen the tension cording them into knots, as an idea forms in my mind. “It might work to our advantage, though,” I add, sinking into his desk chair.
“I’m not following.” Thor frowns, crossing his feet at the ankles.
“I need to get Ana and the rest of the cheerleaders off my back. If they think I’m with Astrid, they’ll back off.”
Thor chuckles. “Some might, but to others, it won’t be much of a deterrent.
It’d be an even bigger challenge and not one they’d shy away from.
These girls want to dig their claws into you.
It’s clear you’re going places, and they want a seat on that ride.
Ana has dollar signs shining in her eyes every time she looks at you. ”
“She’s already got a QB boyfriend.”
“Garner is decent, but I doubt he’ll make the big league. You, on the other hand…”
“Nothing is guaranteed with me.”
“You’re a surer bet.”
“All the more reason to let them think Astrid is my girlfriend.” I wonder if Astrid would agree to fake it.
She doesn’t need distractions this year either, so she might be up for it.
As long as I can cure myself of the pull I feel every time I’m in her company, this could be a perfect win-win for both of us.
“Dude, you don’t want blue balls the whole of senior year.”
Damn. He’s right. From what he’s just said, I doubt I’d have any trouble getting pussy when I need it, but if everyone thinks I’m dating Astrid, it would be considered cheating, and I couldn’t do that to her.
A knock on the door steals my response. “Thor,” Astrid calls out through the door. “Is Callan with you? I need to speak with him.”
Thor eyeballs me, and I nod.
“Hey,” he says when he opens the door to her. “You can keep him company while I check on things downstairs.”
“I’m sorry about that, Thor.”
“Don’t apologize for something that wasn’t your fault.
” Thor pulls her into a hug, and a vision of tearing his arms from their sockets swims before my eyes.
I don’t like him touching her, even if it’s platonic.
What the hell is going on with me? I scrub my hands down my face, unfamiliar with dealing with these kinds of feelings.
“Callan.” Astrid’s soft tone is laced with concern.
Lifting my head, I notice Thor is gone, and the door is closed. She walks toward me, biting on her lower lip. “On a scale of one to ten, how angry are you with me?” she asks, perching on the end of Thor’s bed.
“I’m not angry with you.” It’s no lie. “How could you have ever gone out with someone like him?”
She sighs, leaning back on her arms and staring at the ceiling for a few beats. “What you just saw is not who he really is. He was just upset and lashing out.”
“I’d say the guy I saw downstairs is exactly who he appeared to be.”
“He was a good boyfriend, and he never raised his voice to me like that before.”
I think she’s had a lucky escape, but I don’t verbalize that thought. I might not know her very well, but I have seen enough to understand she wants to see the good in people. It’s admirable, but it’s na?ve and makes her vulnerable to a world of hurt. “Why’d you break up with him then?”
“The relationship had run its course.”
“I don’t think he got the memo.” I spread my thighs and relax back into the chair, considering whether I should bring up fake dating or not.
“No, unfortunately not, but I think he got it now.”
“How long did you guys go out for?”
“Almost nine months.”
Fuck, that’s practically eternity. I couldn’t imagine being with any girl that long. “You went out that long and never fucked?” I blurt, wishing I had the excuse of alcohol for why I just asked something so personal and so rude.
“Oh gawd.” She buries her face in her hands.
“I shouldn’t have said that, and I’m not judging. I swear.” It only makes me respect her more and regret my stupid outburst. She doesn’t look up, and I feel like a right shithead. “I’m sorry, Astrid. Forget I said that.”
When she lifts her head, her cheeks are bright red. “How much of our conversation did you hear?”
“Only the tail end, but you should know those cheerleaders were eavesdropping the entire time, and that door is paper-thin.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. They hated that I was dating Joe. It’s like all the players are theirs to claim, and how dare an outsider invade their territory.”
“Will they make life difficult for you now?”
She shrugs. “They can try, but I don’t care if they mock me for being a virgin. I’m guessing most of the senior class has already done it, but I don’t regret waiting for the right guy, and my instincts have served me well. I’d currently be regretting giving it to Joe if I’d gone there.”
“I don’t think they believe you’re a virgin any longer.” My tongue darts out, wetting my lips, and I notice her gaze tracking the motion.
“Um, what are we going to do about that?” she asks, shoving her hands between her thighs.
I imagine replacing them with mine before I snap myself out of it. This is the perfect opportunity, and I’m just going to go for it. “I have an idea if you’re game.”
She tips her head to one side. “I’m listening.”
“What if we let everyone believe we’re dating?”
Her brow puckers before her eyes widen. “Are you suggesting we fake date?”
I nod.
She frowns again. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you don’t want any distractions senior year, and neither do I. Right?”
“Right,” she rasps before clearing her throat.
“If we pretend we’re dating, it sends a clear message we’re not available, meaning Hemsworth will leave you alone and the cheerleaders will leave me alone.” I hope. “Then we can both focus on our goals without worrying about outside distractions.”
“Us being exclusive will not deter some of the girls at school,” she says, confirming what Thor already said.
“I’m aware, but I can handle them. In time, they’ll get the message.”
She looks off into space for a few beats before swinging her gaze back to me. “How would it work if we were to do this?”
“We’d have to set some boundaries, I guess, but, eh, I could drive you to and from school the days I don’t have training or a match, sit with you at lunch a couple of times a week, and we could go to the diner or catch a movie sometimes.
I mean, we’re friends, right? We’re going to see each other on Saturday mornings and over the weekend at the resort, and I’m guessing there are plenty of Nevan-Hunt joint family dinners in our future.
It won’t be that difficult to pull this off. ”
She knots her hands in her lap. “To make it believable, we’d have to appear to be close, like boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“We can hold hands, and I can put my arm around you. We can kiss sometimes if we need to.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, like my heart isn’t racing like crazy at the thought of putting my lips on hers.
“Would we tell our friends the truth?”
I consider it for a few seconds. “Just our best friends. It’s better to limit the people who know so there is no risk of the truth getting out.”
“And what if one of us wants to end it?”
“Then we end it. If we’re not both on board, we call it quits.”
“What would we tell our parents?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say we don’t tell them, but that’s not what comes out of my mouth.
“We tell them we’re dating too.” Ma would be fucking delighted, and it would suggest I’m settling in here, which might get Da off my back.
Besides, everyone knows everything about everybody in this town.
If we didn’t tell our parents, someone else surely would.
“I don’t know, Callan. I don’t like lying to my parents or my friends.”
I should have guessed this was coming. Astrid is too good to deceive anyone. It was probably a stupid idea. “You’re right. It’s not a good idea. Forget about it,” I say, climbing to my feet.
“I’m not saying that.” She jumps up. “Just…let me think about it for a bit.”
“You need to decide before school on Monday.”
“Yeah, okay.”
My heart is pounding in my chest. “We should probably stick close together downstairs. We don’t have to do anything obvious, but we need to set the stage in case we decide to do it.”
She audibly gulps, and a blush stains her cheeks as she holds out her hand. “Yeah, we should keep our options open.”
My hand closes around hers, and warmth seeps into my skin while delicious tremors snake up my arm.
This isn’t probably a stupid idea. It’s the worst idea I’ve ever had because I know deep down the risk of the lines blurring is high.
But it’s out there now, and I’ve put the ball in her corner.
What the fuck have I gotten us into?