Hotshot (The Bennett Brothers 1)

“Okay,” I whisper.

Cool air hits my back, and I sneak a glance over my shoulder to see him reaching for glasses. He catches my eye and gives me his signature grin, seemingly unaffected by our exchange.

I imagined the whole thing. Fucking mental case. He tells me I’m beautiful all the time. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Bizzy, your cable sucks,” Nicky storms in and repeats for the hundredth time.

“What’s wrong with her cable?” Shaw asks, saving me from speaking.

“She still has basic. How can we watch the season predictions without ESPN or NFL Network?” Nicky glares at me, and I bow my head, knowing this is going to escalate. It always does when we do dinner at my apartment.

“I didn’t upgrade!” I admit.

“Bizzy, I left money specifically for that on your counter. Stop being stubborn!”

“Nicky, I either go to your games, watch them with your parents and brothers, or work. I don’t need to upgrade. When I’m here, ESPN is not my choice of programs. I also don’t need your money.”

Shaw hangs his head in disappointment, not shocking since he’s been on the cable bandwagon for as long as the other two. Mathis comes in and stomps to me. He leans down, throwing me over his shoulder, and turns to Nicky.

“Now! You say you know where it is, so get it. She can’t fight me.”

Quickly, Nicky moves to my stack of mail and grabs the cable bill. He runs to the other room with Shaw following. I beat Mathis’s back in protest, but it’s no use. He grips the back of my knees and tickles.

“Mathis! I’m going to sic Claire on you at work! Let me down now!” I squirm.

“I’d welcome that. She’s not a threat. But missing the predictions about the upcoming season because you’re too cheap to get the prime cable package is unacceptable.”

“I’m not cheap! I have Netflix!” I argue.

“We love you, but no more! We require cable!” He puts me down but still holds me in place until Shaw and Nicky come in, smirking with satisfaction.

“All taken care of for at least the next twelve months.” Nicky shoves my bill in the trash. “You no longer have a cable bill.”

“Just so you know, I’m replacing you with Claire. She may have shit taste in men, but she’d never let a mongrel manhandle me!”

Nicky grins and shrugs.

I huff and finish dinner, trying to think of a way to get them back. The few times my eyes go to Shaw, he’s staring at me with an unreadable expression. It’s obvious he didn’t feel the same energy earlier.

Waves of disappointment wash over me, but I replay the reasons in my head that we’ll never be more than friends.

He’s your best friend’s brother…

He thinks of you as a sister…

He met you when you were bald and emaciated…

He’s protective in a friendship way…

I straighten my shoulders and start filling plates. Nicky gives me a wide grin of approval when he sees the amount of food.

“It’s Mathis’s turn to start,” I tell them when we’re seated.

“I have nothing to tell. All I do is work with the very occasional night out. This is the best meal I’ve had since our last MDN.”

“Did you know your life would be so boring when you decided to become a doctor?” Nicky teases him.

“Don’t be mean.” I throw a napkin at him. “Dr. Mathis is the coolest in the hospital. My kids adore him.”