Chapter 18
SELENA
“Alvarez?” Grayson smirks, amusement in his tone. “What happens in your books?”
My stomach drops.
“What happens? Nothing, haha,” I force a laugh. “Nothing happens in my books.”
“Should I ask your friend?”
“No!” I cry, then swat the phone out of his hand. It lands by his feet. “Oops, sorry. Speedbump.”
Grayson reaches for it and I’m sure he’s going to call me out for being rude, but he doesn’t. Instead, he sits back and opens his window all the way. His eyebrows are bunched together like he’s in pain.
“Slow down,” he orders.
“Please?”
He grumbles something under his breath, but adds a curt, “Please.”
I slow down. Every car goes around us. One flips us off.
Grayson’s looking a little pale. More than usual.
“Should I pull over?” I ask.
“No, just...slow down.” He inhales as he shuts his eyes, leaning his head back against the head rest. “Please.”
I don’t know how to help him feel better other than drive very slowly, so that’s what I do. Nirvana plays in his car as we head back into Tower Lake.
It’s quiet for a while.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Grayson says at the same time I ask, “Have you always gotten car sick?”
He glares at me.
“What shit happens in your books?” he counters, ignoring my question, just as my phone pings with a notification.
I know the exact moment he reads the text. It probably says something mortifying, if his lopsided smirk is any indication.
Jess
u know which ones I mean!
“You don’t have to reply,” I insist. “She knows I’m okay. I’ll call her when we get to your place.”
If we hit a red light, maybe I can take my phone away from him without drawing too much attention or making it obvious. But it’s green light after green light, which means I have to keep driving.
He’s typing into my phone. “I’ll ask for clarification on the books,” he tells me and I swear I hear the smile in his voice.
“Rhodes, you don’t have to—dude, what are you typing?”
I need to pull over!
Selena
What books?
My phone pings. I’m almost afraid to ask. “What...what is she saying?”
Jess
the one I finished yesterday. Pucking the Team
Oh my god!!
Jess:
oh n Forced Entanglement. the mafia one u recommended
it’s ur fucking favorite que no? bitch y u being weird??
This isn’t happening!
It’s not that I’m embarrassed of the books I read, but it’s something to share with my teammates and primas, not Grayson Rhodes! Jess needs to stop texting!
Grateful that we’re in his car where it’s dark and he can’t see how red my face is, I try to laugh it off. But he’s looking at me like he knows.
He doesn’t though. What are the odds that he reads romance books? Smutty romance books?? Right? Right?!
Wait, both books Jess mentioned involve spicy lessons! Is that what she thinks this is?! Him and me and...and lessons?! Spicy ones?
My face is burning up. Mostly because the thought of Grayson Rhodes teaching me anything remotely sexual is the absolute worst idea ever!
Or...is it? I mean, if the rumors are true, he’s slept with half the female population of Tower Lake. That means he should be very knowledgeable about—Selena, stop it!
My phone pings again. Images of him shirtless dance across my mind. Images of him undressing me follow.
Another ping. My throat is dry.
“Ignore her. Please,” I rasp.
“It’s Lucas.” All humor is gone from his tone.
“Really?” I, on the other hand, sound very much relieved. “What’s he saying?”
“You...want me to check?”
It’s the first time I can remember surprising him.
“Sure.”
Lucas
are we still on for next friday?
Grayson snickers.
“What?” I ask.
“He’s seen the pictures of us.”
Pictures of us?
“There’s pictures of us? Can I see?”
“Not while you’re driving my car,” he growls in irritation.
For some reason, I want to hear that annoyed Grayson Rhodes’s gravely voice again. It might be a little intimidating, but the way he sounds—okay no, never mind. There’s no way I like his voice.
“Pull into this coffeehouse.”
“Please?”
“Please,” he mutters.
A sinking feeling settles in my stomach. “I don’t have my wallet on me, remember?”
“I recall,” he replies. “However, I have mine and I would like a coffee.”
“You should probably drink water,” I argue, but still, I turn into the coffee place. “Drive thru or—”
“I’ll go inside. Want anything?”
“No thanks.” I don’t mention that even if I did, I couldn’t afford to buy myself a drink if I’m to stick to my very strict budget plan. And I’m not about to let him buy me anything else tonight. A burger and fries was more than enough. Letty drank the shake because it had dairy.
Grayson glares at me with a detachment I would find insulting if I hadn’t seen that look for nearly three years. When I park his car, he gets out without another word.
I watch him walk away until I realize what I’m doing. Shaking my head, I grab my phone. Texts come in, one right after the other. Both Jess and Letty want to know what’s going on.
Selena
nothing happened
Jess
doesn’t look like nothing *smily face with horns emoji*
Letty
THEY’RE FAKE DATING!!!!!!!
Selena
no we’re not
Jess
no chingues guey!
Selena
he’s drunk
I took his keys away. that’s it
Letty
WHATS THE THEME???
FOR GAMMA PARTY!!!
Jess
ur going to a gamma party?!??
Letty
YES!!
Selena
maybe
Letty
Nah FUCK THAT!!! We’re going!!
It’s next week, RIGHT??
When I look up, Grayson’s stepping out of the coffeehouse. His eyes meet mine. It feels like butterflies are swirling in my stomach but I’m pretty sure it’s just gas. That burger was huge.
I watch a girl from inside follow him out. She holds his arm, says something, and giggles. When she presses her breasts against his elbow, I return to my phone.
Selena
you guys are forgetting he’s drunk
probably doesn’t even know what he’s doing
When he opens the passenger side door, he hands me an iced coffee. I wait until he’s inside to give it back.
“That’s for you,” he tells me. He takes a sip of whatever’s inside the disposable coffee cup he’s holding. I assume it’s a black coffee, hot.
“What is it?” I eye the clear plastic cup.
“Your drink.”
“You really shouldn’t have—”
He cuts me off. “That coffee is to assure you stay awake while you drive me home.”
I snort. “You live ten minutes away.”
I inspect the drink I’m holding. The order printed on the side informs me it’s a iced vanilla latte. With oat milk! My favorite!
“How did you know how I like my coffee?”
He’s on his phone. “I don’t,” he yawns.
“But this is—”
“I asked for the most popular drink,” he shrugs, interrupting again. “With no dairy,” he mumbles.
The label reads: iced vanilla latte + oat milk.
“That’s what they gave me,” he continues. “You can thank them later if it’s something you like. Or toss it out the window if you don’t.”
I’m about to argue, but he’s right. I take a sip of my drink instead. The delicious combination of cold coffee and sweet vanilla fills my mouth. Mmm...this is so good.
“You about ready, sweetheart? Or do you need a minute alone with your coffee?”
“Don’t call me that,” I grumble. “Why are you so annoying?” I ask, but it’s more out of habit than because he’s bothering me.
He’s...I don’t know what to make of him. Before I can decide, he surprises me again.
“By the way, I saved my number on your phone. In case you change your mind about Friday.”
While I’m processing his words, he looks out the window.
It’s strange how there’s been moments we talk almost like friends do and.
..it didn’t feel weird, which is weird. Yes, he’s grumpy and reserved, yet he’s had sex with half the school and they all want seconds.
So he can’t be that bad. He doesn’t seem to like being around people and yet he’s patient with everyone who approaches him about baseball.
He forgets to say please, but he’s thoughtful enough to buy pastries for his housemates and a coffee for me. With no dairy.
“Thank you for the coffee, Rhodes,” I say and he grunts. “And the burger. And letting me drop off Letty.”
He doesn’t reply, but he does lean over the center console until his face is right next to mine. The tousled waves falling over his eyes look so soft and I regret not sinking my hands into his hair earlier when I had the chance. Only to see if it’s as soft as it looks, of course.
“Alvarez,” he says, his voice low between us. He’s suddenly so close, I can feel the heat rolling off his chest and shoulders. His breath brushes past the side of my face. If I were to shift my head a tiny bit to the right, our lips would touch. “It’s late.”
“Yeah?” I swallow, mouth dry.
That intense blue gaze drops to my lips. My heart is thumping around in my chest. Is he...is he going to kiss me?
A strange anticipation flutters throughout every inch of my chest. Then, I hear a click. It’s the driver side door. He opens it for me to get out.
“I’ll drive,” he smirks, clearing his throat as he sits back in the passenger seat.
“Not a chance,” I laugh, shutting the door as I push aside everything he was making me feel. “Seatbelt,” I order and wait for him to use his. Then, I place my iced coffee in the cup holder and start up his car.
At no point during the short drive do I spend any time thinking about how close he was or how good he smells or why in the world I thought he was about to kiss me. I chalk it up to him being drunk and tonight being the strangest night ever.