With an eye roll, I follow Olivia out of the room.
“My eyes are on my face, Andersen,” I mutter as I brush by Garrett, noting the way his gaze is glued to my chest. Inwardly, I smile as his cheeks heat like a volcano before he drops his stare to his fancy shoes. He’s so damn awkward; teasing him is too easy.
Ninety percent of Olivia’s shirts are bordering on crop top length due to the several inches I have on her, so the Vipers tee I settle on elicits a glare from my brother loaded with a fuckton of disapproval when I meet him downstairs.
“Wanna borrow a sweater too?” he asks. “You can wear one of mine.”
“No thanks.”
“You might be cold.”
“It’s warm in the arena.”
“I can see your belly button.”
“I can see that your eyes work.”
“Fucking sisters,” Carter grumbles, adding something about wandering eyes and dead teammates as he yanks open the door to the garage. I think he was doomed to be this overprotective, that it came with the territory of trying to fill my dad’s shoes, making sure I never get hurt.
He doesn’t have much to worry about anyway. I never let anyone close enough.
Carter glances back at me as the boys start to filter out, and his gaze softens as Garrett approaches. “Garrett told me he helped you look for Princess Bubblegum.” He pecks my cheek. “We’ll keep looking.”
He steps into the garage, leaving Garrett standing there like a deer in headlights.
“Is that right?” I murmur, chin lifting. “What else did Garrett say?’
“Nothing,” Garrett promises hastily, hands up between us like he needs protection. “Nothing, Jennie, I swear. I wouldn’t—I would never tell him—”
“Tell him what?”
His jaw dangles, fingers plowing through his hair. “Nothing? ’Cause there’s nothing to tell. So I wouldn’t tell him…anything.”
I smile. Garrett stares, mouth opening and closing over and over, like he can’t find the words he’s looking for. That’s okay, because I’m trying to pretend I don’t notice the way he fills out his slim-fitting burgundy suit, how the jacket stretches across his broad shoulders. His thick, mile-long legs lead down to a pair of cognac leather shoes, and my gaze lingers too long on that messy hair, the way it really ramps up the fuck me factor. I have an urge to bury my fingers in it, hold on tight while I take his pretty face for a ride.
I gesture at his midnight blue tie, loose and too far to the left. “Your tie is a mess.”
“What?” His eyes dip. “Oh. Yeah. Okay. Thanks.” He fiddles with the knot, and my brows jump at the way he somehow manages to make it so much worse. “Good?”
I shake my head, taking the silk in my hand, tugging him toward me. He comes tumbling forward, big hands swallowing up my waist to catch himself.
“Sorry!” He drops his hold, staring at his hands. “So sorry.”
I unknot his tie, fix each length, crossing and looping the material.
“Thank you,” he murmurs. “How did you learn how to do that?”
Memories flood of me snuggled in my parents’ bed, watching my dad knot his tie, slip on his suit jacket, fix his sleeves. “Watched my dad get ready for work every morning.”
Garrett’s eyes flicker before his gaze falls, locking with mine. “I’m sorry we didn’t find Princess Bubblegum.”
“There was a locket too.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, and I drop my gaze to the space between us.
“What?”
The tips of my fingers flutter over my collarbone where the gold used to rest. “A locket. A heart, with a picture of my dad and I. Princess Bubblegum was wearing it.” I swallow the memory, flapping a hand through the air. Garrett dodges it before it can slap him across the face, much like my dildo. “It’s no big deal.” It’s a huge deal. “I’ll be fine.” I’m not okay.
“Maybe it’s still at your mom’s,” he offers gently.
It’s not; I’ve looked.
Correction: I’ve torn the house apart several times, definitely not while sobbing. Mom promised she’d keep an eye out, but I just know she’s gone for good. Lost somewhere between the house and the condo. Recognition that I may never again see something so special to me unfurls a raw ache deep in my stomach. I quell the urge to place my hands over the pain.
A throat clears, drawing our eyes to where Cara and Olivia wait, staring. It’s at this point I realize I’ve finished the knot long ago and am now just standing here with Garrett’s tie in one hand, his face mere inches from mine.
Dropping the tie, I step back.
“Uh, I guess I’ll…” Garrett thumbs toward the garage, where Carter is screaming for him to hurry up. “See you guys at the game.” His tender gaze moves over me once more. “I’m sorry about your necklace.” Warm fingers graze mine, a squeeze so gentle I can’t be sure it’s real, and then he’s gone.
“That was interesting,” Cara muses as he disappears.
Olivia licks an Oreo. “Super interesting.”
I stroll to the fridge, hiding my face. “What was interesting?”
Cara grins. “Oh look, Liv. Jennie’s playing clueless.”
“Imagine all the possibilities.”
“Dangerous possibilities.”
“Carter would be livid.
“We should videotape his reaction.”
I shut the fridge and strut down the hall.
“Where you going?” Cara calls.
“Bathroom.”
I hear the smile in her voice right before I lock myself away.
“If you think the bathroom is going to save you from me right now, sweet, na?ve Jennie, you’re more delusional than I thought.”
CHAPTER 6
DONG RIDES & CONCUSSIONS
JENNIE
“We’re really not gonna talk about it?” Cara shoves another handful of Skittles and M&M’s into her mouth. I’ve never been more disgusted in my entire life.
“Can you not?”
“What?” Another blasphemous handful. “Not talk about Garrett potentially taking you for a golden dong ride?”
My nose wrinkles. “Did you really just say dong?”
“I really just said dong. Bet Garrett’s packing some serious heat. In fact, I guarantee it. I’ve got the four-one-one on all the dongs down there.” She gestures to where the team is warming up, firing pucks off at Adam, passing back and forth with each other, or if you’re Carter, grinning at Olivia while chomping on pink bubble gum. “Em’s massive, obviously. So big I can’t walk straight for days when I’ve pissed him off on purpose just so he’ll hate-fuck me.” She gestures at Carter. “Mediocre at best.”
Olivia snorts. “Please.”
“Adam’s our gentle giant, but he’s secretly packing a weapon of mass destruction. He’s definitely gonna put his future wifey in a wheelchair.”
“Cara!” Olivia dunks a popcorn kernel in a container of nacho cheese sauce, tosses it back, and hums happily. Pregnancy cravings, I guess.
“And Garrett…I mean, just look at him.” Cara waves her hand in his direction, and Garrett catches the motion, looking away, then back quickly. Even from here, I see his cheeks flame when he realizes he’s the topic of conversation. “Such a cutie. He was the shyest thing when I first met him.”