Good Boy by Megan Lowe
Chapter 38
“Hey, babe,” Thomas says, kissing me when I sit down at our table in the cafeteria.
“Hey,” I mumble.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, wrapping an arm around me.
I wave him off. “It’s nothing, I’m good.” But I’m not. Cav’s and my conversation is swirling in my head. He wants to be with me. He wants to be with me. And I want to be with him. This is what I’ve wanted, why I started all this nonsense with Thomas, but Cav’s not ready. I know he’s not. It doesn’t mean that my heart isn’t telling me to fuck it all and take the chance.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I confirm.
He tilts his head. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I know you better than that; something’s eating you.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine, really.”
He folds his arms across his chest. “I don’t believe you.”
I crack a smile. “It’s fine, really.”
“If you’re sure….”
I give him a chaste kiss. “I’m sure, but thank you. I appreciate the offer.”
Someone scoffs as they walk past. I look up to find my brother.
“Jase, hey,” I say.
He stops but doesn’t look at me. He ignored me all weekend too, not answering my texts or talking to me when I got home yesterday afternoon. “Hey.”
“Are you going to look at me?” I ask.
He turns his head, eyes flat, jaw clenched. “Better?”
“Not really.”
“What do you want, Con? My friends are waiting for me.”
Thomas chuckles. “Cav isn’t your friend, dude. He’s using you to fuck with Connor.”
“Just like he used you for all his dirty work, right?” Jase hits back.
Thomas sits up straighter. “I came to my senses.”
Jase laughs. “Is that what it’s called?”
I ignore their bickering. “How’s your day going?” I ask.
“Why d’you care?”
I rear back. “Are you serious?”
“Are you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re still with this dick even though… people are telling you to wake the hell up.”
“Dude, what’s with the hostility?” Thomas asks. “I’m a good guy when you get to know me.”
“Are you?” Jase retorts. “You told my brother the real reason you’re with him?”
Thomas turns to me. “Okay, I have to confess the real reason I’m with you.”
“And what’s that?” I ask, my heart almost pounding out of my chest.
His hand slips down to my ass. “This incredible ass. I can’t get enough of it.”
He bursts into laughter. Chloe is frowning, and Jase shakes his head.
“Oh, come on, little Siddell,” Thomas says. “That was funny! I honestly don’t know what you and my former best friend have against me, but there is absolutely no sinister motive to my wanting to be with Connor.”
“Why are you doing this?” I ask Jase.
“You know why,” he tells me, eyes darting back to Cav.
“And I told you, it’s not going to happen.”
“What if it could?”
“It can’t, so drop it.”
“Come on, Connor, don’t give up now.”
I get to my feet. “I didn’t give up on anything. I have tried and tried and got nothing. Why should I be the only one who gives something up, huh? Isn’t it enough I practically gave up the past five years to help Mom and Dad? Why can’t I have one thing for myself? Haven’t I earned it? Don’t I deserve it?”
“Some things you have to fight for so when you have them, you appreciate them,” he says, throwing my words from this morning with Cav back at me.
I stagger against the table. “I have fought,” I choke out. “But it can’t be one-sided.”
“Maybe it’s not. Maybe you just can’t see the fighting on the other side.” With that, he walks off.
Thomas rubs my back as I sit back down. “You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I don’t know what your brother’s problem is, but don’t listen to him, okay? Cav just wants to get back at you because we’re close now. He’ll say and do anything to fuck up our happiness.”
I nod again. “You’re probably right.”
He flashes me his boxer-melting smile. “So we’re good?”
I lean forward and kiss him. “Yeah, we’re good.”