I get out and make my way around to get Ryan as Zoey tackles Coby from within the truck. As I prop Ryan on my hip, Bull comes and puts his arm over my shoulder while looking back at Zoey. “Watch Jet’s face when he sees her.”
My brows dip down, but the smirk on Bull’s lips has me focusing a little harder on Jet as the boys make their way over. There’s a pissed-off scowl on his face, and I wonder what the hell put it there. Maybe he’s had a shitty afternoon, or something has put him in a bad mood. Either way, the thought is gone from my mind a second later as Zoey appears around the back of Bull’s truck with Coby waddling in front of her.
The second Jet notices her, his eyes bug out of his head before a devilish grin slowly cuts across his face. I shake my head, trying to smother a laugh when I see him shamelessly adjusting himself down the front of his sweatpants. I haven’t seen these two around each other before, so I bet this is going to be interesting. It’s almost like payback for the way she forced Bull onto me. Though I can’t fault her for that, it actually turned out pretty well.
Zoey is pretending she hasn’t noticed him here as her eyes are focused very heavily on Coby. But I know her too well, and from the tense hold of her shoulders, she’s more than aware of him and trying her hardest to avoid him as long as she possibly can.
I’ve never known her to not face situations like this head-on, so I don’t know why she’s being weird about this. I file that in the back of my head to bring it up with her later on when we get some one-on-one time to chat. Maybe there’s something there after all, and she’s trying to keep it hidden. If this was some other guy she’d taken home, she would be chill about running into him, but Jet? I don’t know …
Just as that thought crosses my mind, I hear the sound of my sweet little girl cutting into the awkward silence.
“Hiya,” she yells loud and proud, waving like a complete buffoon as she hurries towards the intimidating men coming our way. They all stop to greet her, but before a word can be uttered, Ryan’s already babbling away. “Memba me? You saved my head.”
That seems to be all it takes to break the silence as the guys become putty in her hands. Well, two of the guys. Jet’s eyes are still locked on my best friend. His devilish smile is gone, but the intensity in his stare is enough to bring any woman to her knees.
“I remember you. It’s Ryan, right?” Jet questions, scratching the side of his head and pretending as though it was a challenge remembering her name.
“Yes!” Ryan beams, her hands hitting the middle of her chest. “I’m Ryan,” she confirms, seemingly over the moon this giant before her remembers who she is.
Chief, I think his name is, breaks out in a big smile as he looks down at my little girl. “How could I not remember a pretty little lady such as yourself?” he says, holding his large hand out to her.
Ryan, not understanding what he had intended to do, swings her arm right back and launches it forward for a high five. Luckily Chief is fast, and he’s able to adjust in time to catch her high five in his hand. If he hadn’t, I’m positive the momentum from her high five would have had her toppling over.
“Woah there, little lady. You’ve got some muscle on you,” he tells her, shaking his hand out. “Show me those guns.” She looks over to Bull, unsure of herself, but he quickly demonstrates what to do, and she instantly mimics his moves. Ryan shows off her muscles just as Chief had asked, and everyone cracks up laughing at her adorable ways.
A little embarrassed to have everyone laughing at her, she quickly hurries to Bull, wrapping herself around his legs, trying to hide her face.
Bull quickly picks her up in a big hug, giving her a quick kiss to her temple as she wraps her little legs around his waist, putting her head in the crook of his neck. Bull rubs her back to reassure her, and it has me melting into a complete mess of emotions.