“Yeah?” He didn’t look convinced.

“Trust me.” Caden eyed me. “Once she grows on you, you can’t get rid of her.”

I perked up. “Like mold.”

And again, no reaction from Caden and Avery, but Marcus’ eyebrows arched.

Bowling had been fun. It had soon become more fun to watch Marcus’ reactions to me than the actual bowling itself. Avery was reserved at first, but she relaxed once she realized Caden didn’t care about her. He wasn’t mean, he just focused on talking to me or his brother. Then Marcus began teasing her, and the flirting commenced. After that they flirted all night long.

The only bad part had been earlier in the evening when I’d returned from the bathroom.

I’d come back to find Caden’s seat empty. Marcus was up on the lane to bowl, and Avery had scooted into Caden’s seat.

She’d poked my arm. “How was the bathroom?”

I poked her back. “An adventure to check off my bucket list. I sailed the golden seas and cleansed myself in the Greek sinks. I’m quite proud.”

A line marred her forehead. “You keep getting a little bit weirder the longer school goes on, you know?”

I shrugged. “It’s like crack cocaine.”

“Wha—never mind.” She shook her head and gestured over her shoulder. “Who’s the girl?”

This had been the bad part.

Caden had been in the bar of the bowling alley, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest. A girl stood in front of him. She was close, so close I’d felt a growl building in the back of my throat. She was stunning—long blond hair that fell almost to her ass, and it was a cute, tight little ass.

I knew how guys thought. Plus, a table of guys across from them had been checking it out. She wore a short white skirt. If she’d bent over, I was sure her underwear would show, and that was if she was even wearing underwear. She turned to give us a side view of a cropped white shirt that was skin-tight and dipped low. She had long, dark eyelashes and a mole just above her lip, seemingly placed there to give her a Cindy Crawford look. Her lips were a pale pink, and Caden had been watching them intently.

“Dickhead.”

I could feel Avery’s pity as I spoke. I didn’t want to look any more. I slumped in my chair.

I was doomed.

Avery’s voice had dropped low. “His arms are crossed over his chest. That means he’s closed to her.”

I looked again, and as if he’d heard her—even though they were clear across the bowling alley and I knew he couldn’t have—his arms dropped to his sides.

I groaned. “He’s open to her now.”

They’d continued to talk, with smiles, batting eyes, and pouting little lips—that was the girl, not Caden—and then she’d reached out and touched his chest. He didn’t bat her hand away, or shift to the side so it would drop. He continued watching her, but his smile seemed more welcoming. She inched closer so her hand and half her arm lay against his chest, then her hand trailed down, all the way to his stomach.

Avery had sucked in her breath.

In the back of my mind, I knew Marcus had probably finished his turn. We needed to turn around, pretend we weren’t spying on his brother, but I couldn’t bring myself to look away. It was like watching a car accident. People were going to die. Hearts were going to be shattered. And it was my heart getting stomped on.

Caden had wanted to sleep with her. I could tell. Being around him for the last few weeks, I’d started to know when he was interested. There wasn’t really a look in his eye, but I felt it in my gut every time, and I’d felt it as I watched him with that girl.

He would’ve said he wanted to plow her. Judging by how she kept flicking her hair back and touching her face, her other hand still lingering on his stomach, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d taken her to the bathroom.

I didn’t know what would be worse, if he took her now, or if he took me home and called her for an actual date later.

My throat had burned when I got my answer.

The bartender brought over Caden’s drink. The girl had leaned forward, brushing her breasts against his chest as she reached behind him for a pen. Grabbing it and holding Caden’s arm, she wrote something on him.

“She’s giving him her number,” Avery had hissed.

“Duh.” Marcus had sat in one of the side chairs. “She’s hot. I’d get her number too.”

Avery had twisted around. “Really?”

“If you didn’t exist,” he’d quickly added.

“Better.” Her tone had been cool, but I’d heard the smile. “Quick thinking, Banks.”

Marcus had chuckled, and the fondness in it had me gritting my teeth. I’d torn my gaze away. Finally. Pain smoldered in my stomach.

“Hey.” Caden had come walking back. “Who’s up?”

“You.”

I loved my friend at that moment, so much. Avery’s voice had just the right amount of scathing mixed with niceness. I knew Caden had noticed, but he couldn’t say anything. I glanced over and saw that she’d covered it up with a fake smile.

“Okay.” He’d set his drink in front of me and touched my shoulder. “I got that for you, if you want it.”

Fuck him, I’d thought. Fuck his niceness. Fuck his thoughtfulness, and fuck how he didn’t notice when I didn’t respond. I could see her phone number scrawled over his arm like a cute tattoo.