“We were never together to be back together, we were just fucking around, you know that.”
“So why did you sleep with him again when I was gone?”
“It didn’t happen yesterday, all right?” Audrey said. “It’s just that he’s been sending me text messages that are screwing with my mind.”
Fallon shook her head. “Stay away from him,” she said. “He’s bad news. Look, I’ll prove it to you.” She moved to her dry eraser board and wrote out his name. “ ‘Levi’ is spelled like this,” she said. “If you move the letters around,” which she did while talking, “it spells ‘evil.’ He’s evil, Audrey, stay away from him. He’ll suck your soul right out of you.”
“You’re crazy,” Audrey said with a shake of her head.
“No I’m not. I’m serious.”
“Well, this has been a blast, but I gotta—”
Fallon reached out and grabbed the shoulder strap of Audrey’s purse, stopping her. “I just want you to be happy, Audrey. I don’t like when you are sad, and you know I hate when you cry. Damn it, I want you to be like me. I am blissfully happy, except when I think of you being hurt by this dick. You deserve better. Way better.”
Audrey looked down at Fallon’s hands on hers. “I know.”
“Then stay away from him. Why chase after someone who isn’t chasing you? He is just messing with your head. He doesn’t love you, and he doesn’t deserve to be loved by such an amazing woman. Stay away.”
“I am. It’s just these messages he sends—”
“No you’re not,” her sister said, interrupting. “I can see it all over your face. You’re a glutton for punishment. You love his crap because you think it’s attention. It’s not the right attention. Please, listen to me.”
“I am,” Audrey said. “I love you, Fallon.”
She headed for the door then, and as she walked out she heard her sister say, “I love you too.”
Walking down the arena hallway to the exit doors, she knew that Fallon was right about Levi. She always had known she had to let him go. She decided to send him a check for his Xbox and never see him again. If she didn’t, she would never be happy. She reached for the exit door just as it opened, and before she knew it she was on the ground, her butt aching more than her heart. She looked up into the eyes of her gorgeous neighbor, at a loss for words.
“Audrey! Are you okay? I’m so sorry,” Tate said, helping her up.
“Ow, my ass,” she complained as she rubbed her butt. “I think you broke it,” she said, pulling her purse up on her shoulder.
“Please be joking.”
Seeing his worried look, she said, “Yes, I’m only joking.”
Tate smiled, his eyes running down her body before looking back up into her eyes. “I am glad that I ran into you, Ms. Parker.”
He was flirting.
Damn it, he was flirting, and she liked it. It took her mind off her problems and made her focus on something good. Someone good.
She couldn’t help it, a grin took over her face and she flirted right back. “Is that right?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I wanted to ask if you would want to go out tonight. As friends, of course,” he hastily added.
Audrey looked away, knowing damn well he wasn’t thinking of them being friends at all. Fortunately for her, she had plans. “I have a date with my DVR tonight, a show whose episodes I recorded, and maybe some popcorn and a beer will keep me company.”
Tate chuckled. “Can I be included in the guest list?”
“As a friend, of course,” Audrey supplied.
Tate raised his hands, palms up, a grin still on his face. “Of course. Plus, I can bring ice cream to make up for almost flattening you.”
Looking up at him, she said, “That’s true, my poor behind would like some ice cream so that it can build some extra cushion for the next time you try to flatten my ass.”
Tate took a deep breath, his eyes getting darker as his voice dropped to a yummy, husky male tone. “I think your ass already has the perfect amount of cushion.”
“Do you, now?” she found herself asking while her finger twirled a strand of hair.