5. Meredith
CHAPTER 5
Meredith
“ T his is reaching a new level of delusion,” Hailey muttered as we stood outside the bathroom in line. The girls from the table, with the cheater, had just gone inside, but it was so packed we couldn’t cram into the space with them. “You’ve always laughed this off.”
“I know, and maybe I’m wrong about Tuevo, but I guess I want him to trust me.”
“And what? Whisk you to the courthouse tomorrow for a marriage license?”
“No. We can wait six months.”
Hailey and I laughed, and I was joking. Also, I kinda wasn’t. The moment Caleb had introduced me to his new roommate and teammate, my crush had immediately formed. Now it all made sense. I dated. I’d even had a few boyfriends, knowing they wouldn’t go anywhere. I was twenty-one years old. I hadn’t wanted anything serious. Besides, there was fun in dating to date and get to know people. Until the moment I saw Tuevo in person, I’d doubted I’d really be able to tell if someone was meant for me or not. And it wasn’t like I was batting a thousand. But I was right more than I was wrong.
Tuevo, though? Every time Caleb talked about him, I had to fight a blush. Every time he peeked his head into our FaceTime calls, I pressed my thighs together. Perhaps my initial reaction to seeing him earlier shouldn’t have surprised me, but I hadn’t expected for it to hit me so hard I’d swayed on my feet.
The door to the bathroom opened and we squeezed in after two girls walked out. I immediately pulled out my phone, pressed the record button on audio, and pretended to use my phone screen as a mirror to reapply my lipstick.
Hailey whispered, “I don’t even have to pee.” And then quickly quieted as her phone buzzed in her hand.
I hid my eye roll. It wasn’t the first or tenth time she’d gotten a text from Darrick the Dick since we’d gotten to the bar.
I pretended I didn’t see the text from him telling her to get home because he missed her so much and focused on the brunette sliding out of the stall. Her friend was at the sink, fixing her makeup and hair.
“Brett is really nice.”
“I know,” the brunette said.
“It’s a shame he’s so boring.”
“Why else do you think I needed you and Cami with me?”
The blonde laughed and rubbed her lips together. “You going to end it with him soon or just keep sleeping with Trent?”
Bingo . I slid my eyes toward Hailey, who was fighting a grin.
“Trent’s dick works magic, but Brett likes me more and he makes more money.” She shrugged and waved her hand under the paper towel dispenser. “I’ll keep both around for as long as I can.”
“And Brett doesn’t suspect a thing?”
“He’s too boring to even think of something that imaginative.”
The girls laughed and the third came out of the stall. “What’d I miss?”
I turned off the recording. Point proven.
A few minutes later, we were back at the table, Tuevo shaking his head. “I wouldn’t have guessed.”
“That I’d be right?”
His stunning blue eyes hit me beneath his thick brows. “Maybe I need to start listening to you more.”
A shiver of delight sent shock waves through me, and I leaned in closer. “Maybe you should.”
It was a dare. A challenge.
Something told me Tuevo would take me up on it, whether he wanted to or not.
“You’re something else, Meredith.”
“My good friends call me Mere.”
“I thought you said we couldn’t be friends.”
“We can start there.”
He raised his beer to his perfect full lips. “I think I like the sound of that.”