False Start - Jessica Ruddick Page 0,53

meet my gaze. “I am. I just didn’t think you’d be going out this soon.”

I turned back toward the mirror to apply the final touches. “No time like the present.”

I glanced at him in the mirror. He still wasn’t looking at me, and I could tell by the way he was grinding his teeth that despite what he claimed, he was not okay with this. I didn’t expect him to change overnight, but if he could keep his behavior in check, that would be good enough. For now.

“When’s he coming?” Carson asked gruffly.

I checked the time on my phone. “Shit. Any minute.”

“I’ll wait downstairs.” He turned on his heel and left. I heard his footsteps thundering down the stairs. Shit, shit, double shit. I did not want poor Blake to be greeted by Carson, especially because I couldn’t trust the big football player not to go into Hulk mode.

I rushed into the guest bedroom and stuck my feet into my shoes. I was going casual—jeans, a purple long-sleeve shirt, and Toms. We were just going for coffee, so dressing up wasn’t really required, but I’d packed my bag in such a rush and hadn’t expected to be going on a date, so my options were slim. Oh well. Again, if Blake was put off by how casual I was, then that was a reason to write him off.

Am I looking for a reason to write him off? Because I seemed to be coming up with a lot of them. Blake was a nice guy, and I was definitely attracted to him, so I didn’t understand why I was already dreaming up scenarios in which I cast him aside. Although, if I were honest, the reason was downstairs, probably watching out the front window for my poor, unsuspecting date.

Damn Carson. If I wanted to move on, I was going to have to cut him out of my life. I was beginning to see that there was no way around it. If it really did come down to that, though, the problem would naturally take care of itself. The odds of us winding up in the same place after graduation were slim.

I grabbed my purse and went downstairs just in time to hear the knock on the door.

Carson opened the front door, saying nothing. I couldn’t see his expression from my angle, but I doubted it was friendly. My own personal guard dog.

“Uh, hi.” Blake swallowed and twisted his neck to look at the house number. “Do I have the right house? I’m looking for Becca.”

I pushed Carson aside. “Hi, Blake. Remember I said I was staying with a friend?” I jerked my thumb at Carson. “This is my friend, Carson.”

“Oh, okay.” Looking Carson up and down, Blake frowned. “Wait. Carson? Are you Carson Fleck?”

Carson shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah.” Better than him cracking his knuckles. It was such a caveman habit.

“I’m a big fan,” Blake said excitedly. “We got robbed in the Miami game. Another two minutes, and we would have won.”

“Maybe,” Carson said begrudgingly. His glare softened a bit, though. Plus, I didn’t know Blake well, but I could already tell he was the type of person who was difficult not to like. Carson was actually like that, too, at least when he wasn’t pulling his Hulk routine.

“Are you ready to go?” I asked. I hadn’t realized Blake was such a football fan, but considering the way he was staring at Carson with stars in his eyes, I was in danger of him wanting to take Carson out for coffee instead of me. Now wouldn’t that just be some shit.

Blake looked at me. “Sure. Of course.” It sounded like he would rather stay and shoot the breeze with Carson for a while longer.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house. He nearly stumbled as he looked backward at Carson. Total man crush. Carson didn’t close the door behind us like a normal person would. Scowling, he crossed his arms and watched us walk all the way down the parking lot to the guest spaces.

“You didn’t tell me you were friends with Carson Fleck,” Blake said. “Do you know Wyatt Archer too?”

“Yeah,” I admitted. “But not like I know Carson. He’s my brother’s best friend from home, so I’ve known him forever.”

“What about FM4? Do you know him?” Blake was in total fanboy mode.

“I’ve met him, but I wouldn’t call us friends.”

“That’s so cool. I played football on my high school JV team, but I didn’t