Chapter 10
TEN
COLTON
“What about him?” I ask, pointing to the dark-haired guy tucked into a corner seat of the coffee shop, nursing something warm while completely absorbed in a book. “He looks exactly like your type.”
Kairi peers at him over the rim of her coffee cup. “He’s reading a self-help book,” she says, unimpressed.
“What’s wrong with self-help books?” I ask. “It just means he’s committed to self-improvement. That’s a good thing.”
“Maybe,” she shrugs.
We both continue staring like complete creeps, and when he glances up and catches us, Kairi gasps and we immediately jerk our eyes away.
“Well,” I mutter, pushing back my chair. “There goes that. I’m going to the restroom, then we can leave.”
“He’s still staring,” she squeaks, sneaking another glance. “Please hurry.”
I risk a look myself and he is, in fact, staring at Kairi. My eyes narrow before I can stop myself, and when I catch myself wanting to sit back down and stare at him until he leaves, I force my legs to move toward the restroom.
Ever since Kairi and I were intimate three days ago, I’ve felt ten times more protective of her. I was worried she wasn't going to be able to keep it meaningless, but turns out I’m the one who couldn’t.
I said too much, I did too much, and I wanted too much.
And now I’m out here trying to set her up with another guy so that I can shove these feelings somewhere deep, and pretend to be the supportive friend that I’m supposed to be.
The supportive friend I want to be.
Not the jealous asshole I feel myself becoming over some stranger with dark hair at a coffee shop.
Kairi and I need to talk. We need to reset the boundary we bulldozed straight through, because sleeping with Kairi cannot happen.
It just can’t.
After finishing up in the restroom, I head back out only to find the guy from earlier sitting in my seat and talking to Kairi. I immediately join the line to order again, giving myself something to do while I watch them.
They’re talking about his book, and Kairi is smiling, completely locked onto his every word as she twists her earring between her fingers.
When she leans forward to see whatever he’s pointing at on the page, he briefly touches her arm and I almost rush over there.
I flex my fingers as she laughs, her head tipping back before she reaches for her phone.
“Don’t do it,” I mutter under my breath, but she hands it over.
He types something and then his own phone rings obnoxiously loud a second later. He grins, says something, and a moment later Kairi’s phone goes off too.
When she giggles, instead of feeling my usual calm, I feel my stomach twist. I should be happy for her. Encouraging, even. This is exactly what she wants—a guy noticing her, pursuing her, putting in the effort. But instead, I feel sick with jealousy.
What the hell is wrong with me?
“What can I get for you–oh! You’re back.”
I turn to find the barista waiting for me to approach the counter, but I glance back once more just in time to see the guy stand, wave goodbye to Kairi with an easy grin, and head for the door.
“I’ll take a medium iced coffee and a medium strawberry matcha,” I mutter as I walk up to the counter and tap my card against the payment terminal.
A minute later, I carry the drinks back to the table.
“Ready to go?” I ask, handing Kairi the matcha.
“Yes!” She beams, taking it from me and standing.
My eyes land on a book laying on the table. “What’s that?”
“Oh!” She grabs it as we head for the door. “You know that guy from earlier? The one who caught us staring?”
“Yeah?”
“He came over after you left and introduced himself. His name is Hayden.” She giggles. “We started talking about the book he was reading and I found out he actually wrote it. He left it for me to read.”
“He just gave his book away to a complete stranger for free?”
“No, silly.” She steps out into the warm salty air. “I’m borrowing it. We exchanged numbers so that we can meet up when I’m done reading it.”
“Well, look at you.” I force a grin and wiggle my brows. “You don’t even need me to coach you. You’re a natural.”
Kairi abruptly stops and grabs my bicep.
“I do need you,” she says.
The words send a rush through me so sudden it nearly knocks the breath from my lungs. My eyes drop to her lips before I can stop myself.
Kairi needs me.
Maybe not in the way I want, but it’s enough just to know that I’m needed somewhere.
“Don’t worry,” I say with a laugh, ruffling her hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Her tense expression turns to relief and she lets go of my arm as we start walking again, but the spot she touched me still tingles.
“But,” I add, tapping the book in her hand, “you should finish this up quickly so we can get you two on a date soon.”
Kairi scoffs. “We don’t even know if he’s single.”
I glance at her sideways. “He gave you his book and his number, Kai. I highly doubt he’s taken.”
She bites her lip and looks away, deep in thought, and something about that bothers me.
“What?”
She shrugs. “He could be like Zale.”
My brow furrows. “Meaning?”
“He could have multiple girls he talks to,” she says quietly. “That conversation might’ve meant nothing to him.”
“Not every guy is like Zale, Kairi,” I say, softer now.
“I know.”
“And I’m sure your conversations with Zale mean more to him than he lets on,” I mutter, staring ahead as we beeline toward the beach.
“Excuse me?” she says loudly. “Did you just say something semi-nice about Zale?”
“Definitely not.” I snort. “I’m not blind, Kairi. If he didn’t care at least a little bit, he wouldn’t have waited up for you after our date—especially not with another girl upstairs.”
Kairi laughs, but it sounds thin. “Yeah,” she says, bringing the straw to her lips without drinking. “Maybe you’re right.”
Her expression turns distant as she sinks into the thoughts swirling around in her mind. She’s probably thinking about Zale, and jealousy flares inside of me—sudden and ugly.
This is bad.
I used to handle hearing her talk about him just fine. I used to be okay watching her flirt with whoever she wanted. But now, every ounce of her attention feels stolen if it’s not directed at me.
I clear my throat. “I want to talk about what happened.”
Kairi glances up. “What happened?”
“Three nights ago,” I clarify.
“Oh.” Colour rises in her cheeks and she looks down at her drink.
I nod. “I don’t think we should do it again.”
She stops walking, hurt flickering across her features. But just as quickly, her usual cool mask slides back into place.
“You didn’t have fun?” she asks quietly.
“I had a lot of fun,” I say firmly.
She looks up at me through her lashes, and my breath stutters at how drop dead gorgeous she is.
“And yet, you don’t want to do it again.”
I drag a hand through my hair. “I just think…if we’re friends, there are boundaries we probably shouldn’t cross.”
“Like anything sexual?”
I nod. “Exactly.”
She studies me for a long moment, and I begin to worry that she’s probably overthinking my reasons for saying what I did and I’ve inadvertently hurt her feelings.
“Okay,” she says with a shrug as she begins to walk again.
I blink at her nonchalance, hurrying after her. “Okay?”
“Okay,” she says again.
I scoff. “That didn’t take much thought.”
Kairi shrugs and finally looks at me. “I value our friendship, Colton. And you’re right—there are boundaries we shouldn’t cross.”
My stomach sinks. “So…no more sexual things?”
She stops and turns to me. “No more sexual things,” she says with a nod, lifting her pinky between us. “Pinky promise.”
I stare at her finger between us because deep down I don’t want to promise this. I don’t want to go backward. One night with Kairi was enough to ruin me because it was her.
But I know this is the right choice because I can’t be a good friend while secretly hoping every other option crashes and burns so she’ll run to me instead. So I swallow hard and lift my hand, hooking my pinky around hers as she watches me carefully.
“Pinky promise,” I say, the words landing in the pit of my stomach like stone.