Damn, I’m good.
Ellie muttered some words, and Gunner got into the front seat. We exchanged looks and I wanted to smile, but I was still pissed off at Ryan.
As we pulled out, I heard Ellie talking to Ari and telling her she was dead wrong about something. Ari must have picked up on the instant connection between Ellie and Gunner like I had and voiced it to Ellie.
“Ari’s dead wrong about what, Ellie?” I asked.
With a sigh, Ellie replied, “Nothing. She’s delusional, that’s all. She is seeing things that are clearly not there.”
My eyes met Ari’s in the rearview mirror. She looked fucking beautiful . . . like always. I wished I could make her cheeks blush like Gunner just did with Ellie. I’d give anything to be able to have her look at me like Ellie had with Gunner a few moments ago.
But she doesn’t. And I’m no Gunner. He could charm the pants off a nun.
“Well, whatever crazy shit Ari is going on about, I don’t care. I want to know right now what in the hell happened between you and Ryan.”
“Dickwad,” Ari mumbled as Gunner stared at me. I knew he was wondering why I was acting like a jerk toward Ari. I didn’t know why in the fuck I did it myself. It was the only thing I could do to keep myself from doing or saying something I knew I would regret. If I kept Ari mad at me, there was no chance I’d act on my real feelings. The last thing I would want to do was make a move on her and ruin our friendship or, worse yet, her and Ellie’s friendship. Ari had always been there for Ellie, sometimes even more than I had.
Ellie let out a long, deep sigh and started her story.
As I drove, I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, plotting how I was going to hurt that little bastard Ryan.
Chapter Twenty-Two – Gunner
I leaned against the wall and studied Ellie. Her beautiful blue eyes were my favorite thing about her. No. No, it was her smile. Her eyes were filled with pain right now, and a few times she looked like she was about to cry. It gutted me as much as it did Jeff and Ari.
Her eyes lifted to meet mine again, and I smiled, bringing out another smile from her. It hadn’t escaped me she was trying to look everywhere but at me. I wasn’t helping by standing directly across from her. A move I did on purpose so I could study her a little better.
The doctor had come in and said Ellie’s wrist was sprained. She needed to rest and ice it. Once they came back with the prescription for the pain meds, I was positive Jeff’s overprotective side would kick in. He’d feel the need to nurse Ellie for the rest of the day.
Ellie started to squirm around on the table, looking rather uncomfortable. When she looked back up at me, her cheeks flushed, and I couldn’t help myself: I chuckled. She was so damn adorable. Her tongue slid across her lower lip, and my whole body shuddered. I hoped like hell she hadn’t noticed the effect she had on me.
“So what are the plans for Saturday night?” Ari asked while staring at Jeff. Not just staring but studying him with a deep appreciation for what his next words were fixin’ to be. Interesting. Did she like him? It was hard not to notice how her eyes seemed hopeful waiting for his response.
“I know what my plans are; not sure about yours, Squirt.”
“Can you please not call me that? I’m eighteen years old and not a child, you asshole!” Ari snapped back at Jeff in an angry voice.
Jeff glared at her, but there was something in his eyes he was desperately trying to hide.
He liked her. He fucking liked her. Then it came to me all at once.
Ari was the girl. The one he was torn up about.
“Well, you sure as hell act like a child, Squirt,” Jeff stated. He was purposely egging her on.
It was time to put this to rest.
“I thought we were having a party at the house to celebrate Ellie’s graduation,” I said with a shit-eating grin on my face. I bounced my eyes from Jeff to Ari, then back to Jeff.
Ari jumped up. “Wait! You’re having a party at your house? For us? Oh my God. This is so awesome!” When she jumped again, she nearly knocked the sharps container off the counter.
“Oh shit!” she whispered while straightening it back out on the counter. Ellie was grinning at her best friend.
“Um, no, Squirt, I’m having a party at my house for Ellie. Not you.”
Ellie’s face exploded with a full-on smile that nearly knocked me to the ground. Jesus, how could her smile make me feel this way? Her smile! This was crazy.
“Are you for real? I mean, I finally get to meet all your friends and go to a college party?” Ellie asked, her voice filled with excitement.