The Friend Zone (Game On 2)

“We’re just friends,” I whisper, as if saying it enough will somehow protect me from messing things up.

Absently, Dad nods. “Whatever you want to tell yourself, kid.”

His flippancy has me grinding my teeth. I hate him just now for manipulating me. For putting Gray in the middle. And Dad sees it in my expression. He blanches, apparently shocked. “Ivy… It might not look like it, but I am always on your side. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

* * *

Gray

My nerves are a twitchy mess. I keep thinking of the look in Mac’s eyes when, like an idiot, I sprawled on top of her. What would have happened if I had kissed her? She’d been…receptive. Hadn’t she? I’d wanted to. I’d never wanted to do something so badly in my life.

God, her lips had been too close to mine, too pretty, too pink, looking so soft and inviting and just fuck. The temptation to simply touch them with my own, to lick a path across that cute little heart-shaped mouth of hers, had been so strong that I still ache deep in my bones.

But then I blink and I see Sean Mackenzie glaring at me as if he’d been contemplating good places to hide my body, and I feel cold. I get where he’s coming from. Worse, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing in regards to Ivy anymore. She means so much to me it freaks me out, and I’m suddenly on some tightrope where the wrong step will send me plummeting.

On that happy note, I turn my truck around and drive away from my house.

I head to Palmers, hoping that someone will be there to shoot the shit and get my mind off having to eventually talk to Mackenzie. That discussion should be fun. I shudder just thinking of it.

I find Dex in the booth at the back of the bar. It’s a good spot, dark enough that the chances of being left alone on a busy night are pretty good, but positioned at the right angle to watch the TV hanging over the defunct jukebox. Dex is sprawled along one side of the booth, his back against the wall, his legs hanging over the edge. He’s watching TV, and the place is quiet enough to hear Morgan Freeman’s deep voice roll on about the universe.

I slide into the opposite side of the booth. “Whatcha watching?”

Dex keeps his eyes on the TV, blue and purple light coming off of it reflecting over his skin. “Entering a Black Hole.”

“Dude, you want to learn about anal, watch some porn like the rest of us.”

As hoped, his mouth twists and his nose wrinkles. “Hot sick has just surged up my throat.”

“‘Hot sick?’” I laugh. “That’s a new one.”

Rubbing his chest as if he really might be sick, he keeps his gaze on the program. “Don’t you have someone else to pester with really bad sex jokes?”

“Nah.” I reach for his beer, taking a swig before he can grab it back. “It’s your turn on the rotation.”

A waitress ambles over, stopping beside me. “Hey there, gorgeous. You need anything?”

“Yep. Give me a Shiner Bock and put it on his tab.” I grin at Dex who sends me a sidelong glare but nods and goes back to his show.

The waitress stands there, not moving, and I glance at her. She leans in until she’s brushing against my shoulder. “Anything else?”

“Nope. Wait!”

She hasn’t gone anywhere, so she grins. “Talk to me, handsome.”

“Add a basket of wings. No, two. And some cheesy tots.” I glance at Dex. “You hungry?”

Dex’s mouth twitches. “I could eat.”

“Two barn burgers with everything, as well. Food’s on my tab, thanks.” Okay, I just ate pizza at Mac’s, but it’s eat, workout, or fuck away this tension. As I’m at a bar, I go with the only feasible option.

I sit back and watch the show that’s turned Dex into a social zombie. Well, more of a social zombie. Truth is, astrophysics isn’t my sweet spot, not like quantum mechanics, but I still find it fascinating. Silence falls as we listen to scientists explain the mysteries of space on a simplified level.

At my side, the waitress is all but hovering. I’m about to ask her why she isn’t moving when she finally stirs and then walks away.

Dex takes the moment to look over. And he smirks.

“What?” I ask.

“You totally ignored her.”

“Who?” I glance back at the TV. “Man… They’re explaining a theory that’s three years out of date.”

“Yeah, that’s because this was filmed in 2011,” Dex drawls, still staring. “The waitress. You ignored her.”

“No, I didn’t. I placed my order.”

Slowly he shakes his head. “She had her breasts thrust right under your nose. Not to mention that she was clearly expecting you to respond.”

“Seems kind of stupid to just stand there,” I mutter with a shrug. “So I didn’t notice. What’s the big deal?”

“She’s hot, available, and waiting?”

“You fuck her, then.” Is it too much to ask to watch TV in peace?

Dex’s feet hit the floor with a thud as he turns in his seat and leans his elbows on the table. “I’ve been your teammate and friend for four years, Gray-Gray, and I’ve never seen you turn down an opportunity like that.”

“Maybe she’s not my type.”

“If you’d even looked at her, I might buy that, dude.”

“Are we having a girl chat here? We gonna braid each other’s hair next?” I reach forward and try to ruffle Dex’s hair, but he swats me away.

“Here we go,” says a chipper female voice. “One Shiner.”