Provoke_ A Seaside Pictures Novella (Seaside Pictures #3.7) - Rachel Van Dyken Page 0,25
and pulled out her chair.
“Holy shit.” Zane grinned from ear to ear. “Did you just grow manners?”
“Bro, yesterday I saw chin hair. He can finally get a beard too. Wild, right?” Ty joined in.
I glared at them both. “I have manners, and stop making it sound like you picked me up off the streets of Portland’s homeless section.”
Drew shrugged. “I mean, we did save your life. But yeah, sure, downplay it all you want.”
I gave him the finger.
Alec and Demetri eyed Piper up and down and then looked at me. I knew the questions were swirling between them.
“What?” I prodded.
Demetri was the first to flash a flirty grin. “So, how’s the kissing?”
Piper’s eyes went wide. “How’d you know?”
“Yes!” Demetri shot to his feet and held out his hand to Will, who was also my agent. He slapped a hundred-dollar bill into Demetri’s hand. “Pleasure doing business with you, William.”
“Bite me.” Will glared and then gave Piper a soft look. “Don’t worry, it’s the only thing we bet on.”
“Speak for yourself,” Drew said from his end of the table. “I saw sparks on day one.”
Zane just nodded. “He nearly combusted on the spot. It was cute. God, I hate how fast they grow.” He wiped fake tears from under his eyes while I tossed a fork in his direction. The bastard caught it with one hand and winked.
“Be nice.” I glared. “All of you.”
Trevor reached for his cider and tilted his head like he was trying to figure out how to ask a question. Finally, he just said, “How’s it been going?”
Code for: Are you going to be able to tour?
I took a deep breath and said, “Well this one over here”—I pointed to Piper—“just announced my name by the seals where a dozen of Seaside High’s finest were hanging out with cell phones. I didn’t shit myself or puke in the corner, so…I’m doing better. I guess.”
“Bro!” Trevor gave me a fist bump while Drew and Zane shared a look with Piper.
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “I mean, we’re only what? Six days in? Hopefully, it just gets better and better.”
“Ask him about the dick on his vision board,” Drew blurted.
I glared. “For the last time, it was a music note!”
“Yeah.” Zane snorted and made air quotes with his fingers. “A music note.”
Piper burst out laughing. “I think the glitter was my favorite part.”
“Hold up,” Alec held out his hand. “Did you really force him to make a vision board…with glitter?”
“Yup.” Piper looked so damn proud, even I was amused. “And he’s doing a really good job. You know, when he’s not using his powers for evil like gluing glitter dicks.”
“And here I thought he was all grown up.” Zane sighed and shook his head. “You’ll have to be patient with our young Braden. He’s clearly still pubescent.”
“Please don’t force him to pull something out to prove how not pubescent he is. We don’t need that shit on the news.” Will groaned. Ha, he knew me well, because I’d been tempted.
“Nah.” I shot a smile to Piper. “No pulling out parts in front of a lady.”
Demetri laughed. “Bro, that’s because you’d go to jail.”
“He’s not wrong,” Alex chimed in.
I stole some of their fries and then ordered a cider when the waiter came, only to be shocked as hell when Piper ordered a beer.
The entire table fell silent, but she simply gave us all an innocent look and said, “What? I’m not under the cider rule, so I’m gonna enjoy a nice IPA.”
“Why does that sound like dirty talk?” I wondered out loud. “Anyone else feel affected by the word beer?”
All hands rose.
Piper grinned. “I think I like you guys.”
“We’re super likable, just ask our wives,” Zane said smoothly, earning a smack in the back of his head by Drew. “What?”
“You literally slept on the couch last night because you wouldn’t get your wife ice cream.”
“It was four a.m.!” Zane argued. “The store wasn’t even open, and then she said if I was a good husband, I would make some. To which I replied, ‘From what? The goat next door?’ She straight-up pointed to the door and said, ‘Come back with the goat milk or you’re sleeping on the couch.’” He shrugged. “I attempted to explain to the neighbor, but the goat’s a pet, and then you have to like”—he made a pinching motion with his fingers—“do this weird tug and pull. It felt very uncomfortable watching those YouTube videos, so I came back and took the couch.”
“I miss Nat being pregnant,”