“Trust me, he’ll be back. Say hi next time,” I said wryly.
Angela squeaked at that, but cowered even farther in her corner.
“Do you guys seriously not talk? Ever?”
“We don’t really have anything to say,” Kayden spoke up, and I fell back in amazement. She had a thick, almost silky voice; one of those sexy voices that guys go crazy for.
“What do you mean?” I asked, dumbfounded. How can you not have anything to say?
“We’r
e not like you. We’re…nobodies,” she explained, like it made perfect sense.
Oh no. No fucking way.
“You’re not nobody,” I said fiercely. “Someone told you that you were a nobody, but you’re not. You choose to let them be right or wrong. You’re the only one that can decide if you’re a nobody or not.”
Someone had told me I was a nobody once, and there was no fucking way they were right.
“Taryn,” Molly said quietly, from her far corner of the booth. It was only then that I realized how upset I’d gotten.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, hurriedly, as I slipped out the booth and headed to the bathroom. That word just brought so many memories back to me. I needed to force down all these feelings so I didn’t have a break down, at the diner of all places. Breathing heavily, I got a few paper towels and wet my face.
When I got back to the table, feeling like an idiot, I was surprised that Carter was sitting in my place. With Molly, Angela, and Kayden all grinning—blushing—but grinning back at him.
Carter’s stock just sky-rocketed with me.
I moved to stand by the table and Carter looked up with a grin. “Hey. Where’d you go?”
“Bathroom.” I fixed him with a stare, but we both knew it lacked any heat. He was in good with me now.
He stood and moved to the side. “Why don’t you guys come sit with us? We got room. Mitch and the guys just took off.”
“Oh, um—” I wanted to say no. I really wanted to say no, but I saw the look in Molly’s eyes and I knew she may never have this chance again. It was sad to say, but this might make their entire year. “Sure,” I said reluctantly.
Carter grinned, his eyes all-knowing, as he took in my torment. The shithead.
When we walked around the corner, they were in the back corner. Bryce, Grant, and three other guys sat on one side. Tray and two others were on the other side, with three empty chairs at their table. As we neared, the guys looked up and saw us coming. I saw a flash of surprise in Tray’s eyes when he saw me.
One of the guys stood up and grabbed two more chairs from a nearby table.
“Hey, Taryn,” Bryce and Grant greeted me easily, standing and taking the empty chairs so I could sit by Tray with the rest beside me.
Really. They didn’t have to.
I sat down stiffly and smiled to the group. “Guys, this is Molly, Angela, and Kayden. Girls, this is Grant, Bryce, Tray, and—”
Carter took over, “Scotts, Grates, Kinley, Colt, and Derrick.” They all grinned in response, but were all a bit taken aback.
“You girls hungry?” Grant offered. “Help yourself.” They had at least eight appetizers in the middle of the table, plus individual plates in front of each of them. I really hate how guys can eat. It’s a universal curse on women.
I sighed. Angela looked like she was going to pass out. Kayden was biting her lips, both of them, looking everywhere except for at any of the guys, and Molly looked like a lobster, blushing from head to toe.
“They’re,” I faltered, “shy.”
The guys laughed.
“So, why are you with them?” Bryce teased. “Because no one would describe you as shy.”