but I don’t want to. Deep down, I know if anything happens between Charlie and me, it won’t end well. But I’m a fucking glutton for punishment.
“Sorry, darling. I can’t do any housework.” I point at my arm in the sling.
“But you sure can make a mess.” Jane shakes her head. “Typical.”
“I know, right?” Charlie piles on.
I snort. “That’s rich coming from you. Have you already forgotten that time I came home and it looked like a Halloween truck had exploded in my living room?”
She rolls her eyes. “Please, I was in the middle of moving. You can’t use that as an example.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whose turn is it now?” Blake asks, glowering at the board.
“Oopsie. It’s mine,” Fred pipes up. He reaches for the dice, then leans closer to Jane. “Blow on them for good luck?”
I sit straighter in my chair, ready to put the green-haired idiot back in his place, but Andreas beats me to the punch. “What the hell, dude? She’s in high school. Stop putting the moves on her.”
Jane’s eyes turn as round as saucers. Her cheeks flush.
“Why? So you can take his place?” Blake retorts.
“Excuse me?” Andreas stands up, body coiled tight with tension.
I do the same, ready to get in between him and Charlie’s friend.
“I should go. It’s getting late,” Jane announces, looking embarrassed as hell.
I turn to her. “Good idea. I’ll walk you out.”
“Hold on. I’m coming too.” Andreas follows us. Of course he would.
I’m almost certain he only decided to stick around because of Jane.
“Finally,” Blake mumbles.
“Blake, stop being such an ass,” Charlie replies.
It’s an effort to bite my tongue, but I do so because I’m not in the mood to start another argument. My shoulder is suddenly throbbing. I need to stop obsessing about Charlie and worry about my recovery.
“There’s cherry pie in the fridge,” Jane tells me outside.
“Thanks. I’m sorry the evening turned out sour.” I glare at Andreas.
He scoffs. “What’s with the look? I didn’t do anything wrong. That punk with green hair, on the other hand, is a fucking perv. Jane is barely eighteen.”
“Fred is not a perv.” She crosses her arms. “I don’t need another big brother protecting me, Andy. Troy is plenty.”
Andreas opens and shuts his mouth without making a sound, like a fish out of water.
Ha! It seems I don’t need to worry about Jane after all. Thank fuck.
I pull her into a side hug. “Thanks for coming. We’ll do something fun this weekend.”
“We have Dad’s barbeque on Saturday. Now that you can’t play, you’re coming.”
“Ah hell. I forgot about that. Do we need to go?”
“Yes. I already said we would. I’m not going alone.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun,” Andreas pipes up. “I wish I were off. Maybe I could get the twins to come.”
Jane wrinkles her nose. “Ew.”
The consternated look on his face makes me chuckle.
He rolls his eyes at me. “Ha-ha. Laugh all you want. At least I’m getting booty. Meanwhile, you’re pining for a girl who hates your guts.”
His comment kills my amusement in a flash. “Get the hell out of here before I punch you in the throat, jackass.”
He flips me off, then strides to his car.
“What’s up with him?” Jane asks. “He used to be nicer.”
“No, he’s always been an ass. He just hid it from you.”
“Hmm.” She keeps her gaze trained on him until he gets in his Bronco. Then, as if she just finished processing Andreas’s comment, she glances at me. “You have a thing for Charlie?”
Thanks a lot, Andy.
“No. That’s all in Andy’s dirty imagination.”
Jane narrows her eyes. “I’m not sure if he’s making stuff up. You guys were pretty flirtatious tonight.”
I step away from her. “Not you too, Jane.”
“What’s the big deal if you like her?”
“For starters, we live together. Have you ever heard the saying, Don’t shit where you eat?”
She rolls her eyes, followed by a sigh. “Okay, fine. I’m not going to bug you about it. But if you want to explore the possibility, I’d say the path is clear.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m saying Charlie is into you too.”
I keep my expression neutral, but I can’t ignore how Jane’s comment sends a thrill down my spine.
18
CHARLIE
With Troy unable to play football, we’re constantly home at the same time. However, I go out of my way to not spend too much time in his company. It’s not only that I’m afraid to explore whatever is going on between us, but I also legit have a ton of work to do.