Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
LEVI
“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Em hits me with a pillow, emphasizing every word.
Kami grabs one from her end of the couch and does the same thing. I look at Jake, who’s on the floor laughing.
“Are you not going to help me at all, dude?”
Jake shakes his head. “Why would I? What you did was stupid.”
They aren’t wrong. To a certain extent, anyway, but this is only going to result in a headache. Mustering all the patience I have in the fucking world, I manage to grab each pillow and stop them from hitting me.
“Point made.” I look at Em’s narrowed gaze and Kami’s disapproving one. I feel like a child. This is the way my mom and grandma would look at me. It’s fucking weird. “Please stop looking at me as though you’re about to send me to my room in my apartment.”
Em lifts her chin. “How could you tell her you were fine with her going on that date?”
“We gave you all the advice you asked for,” Kami follows.
“And she was obviously hoping for you to tell her that you did mind,” Jake finishes.
I might’ve been a little bit of an asshole, but I did mean it when I said to give Brad a chance.
Do I like the situation? No.
Do I like the little fucker? Hell no.
Do I feel an overwhelming sense of jealousy thinking about his hands being all over her? Yes, the fuck I do.
“She didn’t say no when he asked her, you guys.
And…” I take a deep breath. “I could see that he likes her.” I clench my jaw for a second.
“Not just wants to fuck her, but likes her. We haven’t done anything except some stuff in the bedroom, she deserves more.
Especially after what happened last week with Andrew.
” The words hurt like a bitch to say. I wanted to give her more, but maybe the whole Brad situation was a sign to remain friends and nothing else.
Kami flicks my head.
“Hey!”
“Bullshit.” She sits up straight. “You might be the nicest one in the group, Levi, but you aren’t stupid. I have never seen you feel sorry for yourself, so do not start now.”
Scary Kamila has made an appearance.
“He can’t take back his word,” Jake says from the floor.
“You told us she’s coming home soon to get ready for the date and that she seemed happy this morning.
” He raises his hands and motions to the couch.
“So, Kami, Em, I’m sorry but he needs to let it go for tonight.
” My friends look at Jake with wide eyes.
“You know I’m not much for giving unsolicited advice, but this is a special case since you are being reckless and we all love Stevie.
” The asshole looks at me with a stern face.
He’s not wrong, and I’m glad they’re being protective of her, too.
“Stevie should know how you feel. You can’t decide on who would make her happiest. It’s her life, her choice.
” Jake leans forward. “Tell her how you feel, but don’t be an asshole about it, and do it at the right time, not while she’s getting all dolled up for the first date she’s had in years.
Play the game right, be smart, and like Kamila said, stop feeling sorry for yourself.
” He smacks my knee. “We don’t feel sorry for ourselves in this friend group.
If that were the case, I’d be severely self-centered and depressed. ” He smiles.
Well, fuck me.
“Self-centered sounds about right,” Em mumbles.
Kamila sighs and interrupts Jake, who was about to comment on what Em said. “I agree.” She glances at Jake. “It’s so annoying that you’re almost always right.”
He winks at her. “Hey, it helped you last year.”
She laughs and rolls her eyes.
Jake is right. In the end, I’ll probably end up being the dick either way because I was too late, I lied, and I was more reckless than I’ve ever been. She has something that takes away her control every day, and I do not want to be part of something else that takes her choice away.
Everyone around me is talking when Em elbows me on the side.
Turning, I find her big blue eyes semi-covered by the hair that’s falling out of her messy bun.
She smiles sweetly, the one she rarely shows to anyone outside this circle, for who knows what fucking reason, and grabs my hand.
Em doesn’t say anything. She just dips her chin and holds on tight before leaning her head on my shoulder.
After a couple more minutes, Em and Jake start a conversation, and Kami grabs my other hand. “Take notes from what happened between me and Cam. Don’t wait too long. Life’s too damn short.”
An hour later, the guys are gone, leaving me in the bedroom, playing my guitar, and waiting for Stevie to leave for her date.
I didn’t think about how long she would take, and I have to piss.
The scent of the lavender bouquet on my desk catches my attention, and I look at the clock.
It’s already six forty. It’s been over an hour.
Am I that much of a coward that I can’t even go to the bathroom in case I might run into her?
Taking a deep breath and putting my guitar down, I step outside and find my roommate’s door closed with the light still peering from underneath it. I rush and shut the door to the bathroom.
It’s official: I’m a pussy.
Even knowing that I’m going to tell Stevie about the way I feel soon, I don’t want to see what she’s going to wear for Brad.
Emma was right to hit me with that pillow, I was stupid.
I should’ve interrupted their moment in front of the theater, fuck the consequences.
Running a hand through my hair, I look at myself in the mirror.
“Idiot,” I whisper before leaving, and stop again when I see Stevie’s door open.
She’s sitting on the edge of her bed putting on a pair of short, high-heeled boots. It takes me a moment and about four blinks to believe what I’m seeing.
She’s wearing a fucking skirt.
That probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to some people, but Stevie hasn’t ever worn a skirt in the two months that we’ve been living together.
She told me she rarely wears them unless it is a special occasion.
Apparently, Brad is a special occasion. I clench my jaw and tilt my head to try to get a good look at the entire outfit from here.
It might be denim. Maybe a little tight vest and white shirt underneath and… what the fuck am I doing?
She finishes zipping her second boot and looks up. Our eyes meet, and neither of us says a word. Stevie stands and walks toward the door. I automatically think she’s going to slam it shut. Instead, she turns the light off and picks up her purse from her desk.
“Hey.” She gives me a half smile.
“Hi.” I try to grin back, but I’m sure I look fucking constipated.
My roommate steps farther into the light, and I’m now able to see all of her.
I suck in a short, barely audible breath.
Her face has more makeup than it ever has, but it only enhances everything that’s already beautiful about her.
It reminds me of the night after the mall when we went for a drive and then made out…
Shaking my head, I look at her from head to toe. A tight vest with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath, black stockings, and a tight short denim skirt. Fuck. That was Kamila’s doing.
Her clothes mark every curve that I saw and felt last week, and it takes all my self-control to demand that she not go on this date.
“What do you think?” she asks in a soft voice. “Not bad for a first date, huh?” The second part comes out a little more confident, and I force a smile.
“You look beautiful, Bambi. As always,” I say honestly. Her grin from before disappears, and we remain rooted to our spots, staring at each other till the downstairs doorbell rings.
Stevie jumps slightly and points to the door awkwardly. “I should go. See you later?”
My fists clench. “See you later.”
She gives me one last look after grabbing her coat before shutting the door and locking it.
I bang my forehead against the wall, go to the fridge, and grab a beer.
It’s going to be a long fucking night.