“Yeah, right. You’re the worst.” I push him off with a laugh.
“I do not talk that much, Rocky.” He tilts his head.
“You talk before, during, and after.”
The door opens and closes and Colson comes into view as we’re talking.
“What’s going on?” He frowns.
“Who is the worst person to watch a movie with?” I ask.
“Maverick. Hands down.” Colson laughs, walking toward the fridge. “He doesn’t shut the fuck up.”
“Thank you,” I say proudly.
“Fuck you both,” Maverick says with a chuckle. “I’ll try to work on that.”
“I mean, imagine you end up with a girl who enjoys the movies,” I say. “That would be the deal-breaker for her.”
“Oh, that would be the deal-breaker?” Maverick asks. “Since you’re so knowledgeable on the matter, why don’t you school me on things women like?”
“Like that’s going to help you get a girl,” Colson says, still looking in the fridge. I swear he does this every day, as if something is just going to pop out of there fully cooked for him.
“I get plenty of girls.” Mav frowns.
“Yeah, groupies.” I snort.
He does, too. We had to make a rule so they’d stop bringing random girls over multiple nights a week. They’re now limited to Friday and Saturdays only, and still, it’s uncomfortable and awkward for me the morning after since I’m usually in the kitchen making breakfast and have to witness the walk of shame while the guys don’t even bother to close the door behind them.
“So help me get a serious one.”
“You’re serious?” I blink at him.
“One hundred percent.”
“Okay,” I say slowly.
We shake on it before I realize what time it is and start rushing to the door. As I’m driving back to campus, I start thinking about the deal I just made and wonder what the hell is wrong with me. I don’t know the first thing about what women want because I don’t even know what I want, but I decide I’ll start there. It’ll be a lesson for us both.
Chapter Three
“Coach, can you call time?” Peyton asks.
I look at my watch. “Twenty seconds.”
There’s a collective groan. While we’re waiting for Coach Dereck, who’s running late, I have the girls doing their normal drills, including wall squats. The worst, I know, but they’re necessary to build the endurance we need out there on the field. They’re high school juniors and seniors, so they absolutely know this. The gym door opens and Dereck walks in.
“Time,” I say.
The girls exhale as they stand upright.
“Go get water,” I add.
“Is it me or does he look better than usual?” Morgan asks as they walk away giggling.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Dereck says when he reaches me.
“No biggie. I made them start their usual drills.” I glance toward the window. “It looks like it’s going to rain today, so we moved the equipment inside.”
“The basketball team is supposed to have practice in here today.” He looks at the girls, who are now running from one side of the court to the other.
“Oh crap. I didn’t know.” I shut my eyes and open them to look at him. “What should we do?”
“Nothing. I’ll speak to Coach Dunn and see if we can turn this into a double practice. They do similar drills anyway.”
As if on cue, the basketball team begins spilling through the door. The girls stop what they’re doing and start talking to their friends on the team as Dereck and I head over to Coach Dunn. He’s an older man that reminds me a lot of my own father, with the way he goes on and on about the weather and the grass and whatever other topic anyone places in front of him. The weather is today’s topic. As I stand there quietly, my phone buzzes in my back pocket. I walk away from them and head back to where the girls are, taking my phone out of my pocket and looking at the text I have from Maverick.
Mav: Tony’s tonight. 8 p.m.
I sigh heavily. Tony’s is a restaurant slash bar that Maverick’s sister-in-law’s family owns.
Me: Aren’t you sick?
Mav: I feel better
Me: That fast?
Mav: I’ve been sleeping all day
Me: . . .
Mav: I’ll have soup
Instead of responding to him, I text Leyla and Ashley to see if they want to join us at Tony’s.
Ashley: I thought Mav was sick?
Me: Apparently not.
Leyla: I’m down
Ashley: I’m out. I’m going out with Matt tonight.
Me: Ohhh. Hope it goes well
Leyla: Hit it. Hit it.
Ashley: LOL I plan to
I shake my head and laugh quietly as I put my phone away. People like Ashley are goals. She met Matt a few weeks ago at a dive bar we went to, announced he was cute, went up to him, exchanged numbers, and now they’re on their third date. I feel like that should be a lesson to all of us. If you want something, go for it. Some people are like that. Unfortunately, I’m not those people. I’m too shy. Sure, I speak my mind and am blunt, but that’s only if I know you and am comfortable around you. Otherwise, I’m as quiet as a mouse. Ashley says that the only reason I’m single is that I have a perpetual RBF, which automatically intimidates guys, and that even when I am interested, I don’t seem to be.
For the majority of my life, I didn’t care. In high school, while all of my friends were boy crazy, I wasn’t. Even my own mother chalked it up to me being a late bloomer. Whatever the case was, it meant that I was officially the oldest virgin I knew and that was intimidating for sure since most people around me seemed to hook up with people without a care. The only other virgin I know is Melissa. She’s beautiful, cool, confident, and has vowed to wait for marriage. Some of the girls on the team think she’s crazy. I think it’s commendable, but it can’t be easy for her since she actually has a serious boyfriend. If my libido feels this way and I’m single, I can’t even imagine what she must be going through.
With that in mind, I turn back to the girls I’m supposed to be helping coach and find Morgan poking one of the guys in the basketball team’s arm. It seems that even she’s mastered the art of flirting. I seriously have no hope.
Chapter Four
“I don’t understand. You’re freaking gorgeous, you’re funny, and your body is just, I mean, I could write songs about your body.”
I shoot Leyla a look. “You can’t write songs to save your life, so I don’t have much faith you’ll do my body justice.”
“See? And you know you’ve got it.” She shakes her head. “Why are you so damn insecure when it comes to guys?”
“I’m not insecure.” I frown, looking at my reflection in the mirror. “My makeup looks masterful.”
“It does.” Leyla nods in appreciation behind me.
“What does?” Maverick asks, walking into my room.
“Dude, you don’t knock? What if we were naked?” Leyla turns to him.
“I’d ask if I could stay here and watch.” He shrugs a shoulder.