Nice Guys Don't Win (The Boys #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,52

he returns, “what kind of blasphemy is this. Losing to a guy with little pom-pom things glued on his shirt, calling himself a gumball machine, when I’m wearing this.” He motions to himself in his massive flowing black cloak and full makeup. “Avada Kedavra to all you idiots. You know nothing.” He shoves the gift card he won into my hand. “Here, you take it. I don’t want it.”

Two hours later, despite joking we’d let Jude deal with Teddy, Cole and I find ourselves helping him into the apartment. After losing, he got a little carried away with the drinks and I didn’t think it was smart to leave him in the care of his roommate.

Cole deposits Teddy’s heavy form onto the couch and I sit down on the coffee table, taking a look at the prosthetics adhered to his face.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Do you think I’m beautiful?” He puckers his lips.

“Not a chance.” I shove his face away, trying not to laugh.

“It’s better you don’t kiss me. Cole will get jealous and punch me in the face and I’m too beautiful to have my face messed up.”

“Beautiful, huh?” I pick at the edge of the prosthetic where it’s already peeling up on the side. “I’m not sure beautiful would be my choice word at the moment.”

“Rude,” he grumbles good naturedly.

Picking up the remote, I turn the TV on for background noise and holler for Cole to bring me my makeup remover from the bathroom when he’s done.

“Thanks for helping me,” Teddy says.

I pause, tilting my head to the side. “That’s what friends are for.”

He peers behind me at the TV screen. “The Chronicles of Narnia, huh?”

I glance over my shoulder since I hadn’t been paying attention to what was on. “Looks like it.”

“The one kid is named Edmund, right?”

“I think so. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched it.”

“Edmund,” he repeats with a humorless laugh and roll of his eyes, “what a stupid name. Sounds like something only a rich prick would name his son.”

I arch a brow. “Have you been personally victimized by an Edmund?”

He snorts, looking away. “Something like that.”

Cole comes out of the bathroom, holding a towel around his waist and passes me the makeup remover and some cotton pads. “I’m hopping in the shower. You got this?” He tosses a thumb at Teddy.

I laugh. “We’ll see, I guess.”

Cole walks down the hall and as soon as the door closes, Teddy smirks. “Will you two just fuck already and put us all out of our misery?”

My jaw drops. “Teddy!” I swat at him.

He laughs, dodging my hand. “It’s going to happen eventually. You might as well get it over with.”

I narrow my eyes. “I’m not helping you remove this junk from your face.”

“I take it back, Mom.”

“Mhmm.” I eye him doubtfully. I dampen a cotton pad with the makeup remover and rub it gently against his face where the prosthetic is peeling. I have no idea if this will actually work or not, but it’s worth a shot.

Teddy quiets as I work carefully to free him from all the various pieces glued to his face and then I remove the wig cap. He yawns, rubbing at his face and smearing the face paint on his actual skin.

“You’re going to need one hell of a shower,” I tell him. “Scrub a dub dub.”

He throws his head back and laughs as I pick up the various pieces that were once attached to him and toss them in the trash.

Cole reappears, now in his pajama pants. “Hey, you got it all off. Well … most of it.”

“I’ll get the makeup off in the shower. Z, you mind if I hop in?”

“Go ahead.” I wash my hands at the kitchen sink, ignoring the heat from Cole’s body behind mine.

He eases around me and opens the fridge, grabbing a water. “I’m beat. I’m headed to bed.”

Drying my hands, I turn around to face him. “Goodnight.”

He lowers his head, and my heart skips a beat with the stupid hope that maybe he’s going to kiss me. It’s such a dumb, foolish desire. He’s not going to kiss me, not after all the times I’ve pushed him away any time something gets close to happening between us.

“Night.”

I watch him walk away, the door to his room clicking closed behind him. I can’t help but think about what Teddy said, and he does have a point. There’s only so long we can keep avoiding our feelings. At some