Clipped by Love (Bellevue Bullies 2)

Shooting mine, I lay my glass down and say, “Nice jacket.”

She looks down and then back up at me, a small smile on her lips. “Thanks.”

“It’s old?”

She nods. “It was my mom’s.”

Biting the inside of my cheek, I nod. It’s well known that her mom is a very touchy subject—how could it not be? But still I feel really bad for what I said so long ago. Reaching for another shot, for liquid courage, I guess, I shoot it and she grins. “You’re taking all my shots.”

I shoot another and grin back at her. “I’m helping you out.”

“Thank God,” she says, laughing before shooting one. “I should have just said no.”

“They wouldn’t let you, and it’s good, you are being a team player. Good job.”

She glares playfully. “I’ve been a team player.” I look at her skeptically, and she shrugs. “I’m trying, okay?”

I laugh at that and nod. “Yeah, you are.”

“I didn’t want to come.”

“Never would have guessed that.”

Her eyes narrow a bit before she rolls them.

“Why is that?” I ask then, and she shakes her head.

“I don’t want to make friends just for them to not give two shits about me later.”

“Sounds like you have experience with that?” I note, and she nods.

“When I was in Arkansas, I made a lot of friends from my team, or who I thought were friends. And as soon as I left, they didn’t care. They were happy I was leaving.”

“They were jealous,” I say, holding a glass up to her. “They couldn’t handle your awesomeness.”

She smiles, clinking her glass to mine. “That’s what I said.”

“And you’re right,” I say before shooting the shot. The liquid burns down my throat, and soon, things are a little hazy. “Sheesh, maybe we should start dumping these,” I say when I look down to see we still have a lot left.

When I look up at her, she’s already looking at me, surprised. “Sorry, I’m still shocked you said I was right.”

I scoff. “Don’t worry. I won’t admit that often.”

She grins as she nods, shooting three more in a row. “I’m gonna be flat on my face in the morning.”

I nod just as Jace and Markus pop over. “You have ten minutes left. How many do you have? Nine? Jeez,” Jace says, and then they both reach for two, shooting them.

Making a face, Markus says, “You can do the last five.”

“Thanks, boys,” she says with a grin.

“It’s cool, but you owe me a dance,” Markus says, but when he looks at me, he makes a face before looking back at Baylor. “Never mind, I don’t want to dance with you. Like ever.”

Then he’s gone.

“Whoa, whiplash!” she laughs, and Jace rolls his eyes.

“Because Jayden just—”