Page 24

“Actually, it’s not.” Ainsley stands up a little straighter, pulling the hem of her shirt as she rolls her shoulders back. “Me and Cole are dating, actually, so it is his business.”

Drake’s eyes dart back to mine. “Dating?” he sputters, like it’s the most unbelievable thing he’s ever heard. “You two?” He has the audacity to point between us both.

“That’s right,” I bristle, deciding to swing an arm around her shoulders after all, pulling her to my side. She looks up at me and smiles, a little bewildered, but she’s doing well to keep up the pretense and her composure.

“Ains? You’re dating already?” He’s insistent and still can’t seem to believe it.

“It’s been two months!” She fires back at him, pointing her finger, her body jostling at the movement next to my side. “And if I remember correctly, it was you who had had your penis in another woman’s vagina for how long before I found out?”

He pales just a little, the words he was about to shout back halt on his lips. He lowers his voice. “I told you I was sorry about that.”

“She doesn’t care,” I butt in. “So why don’t you kindly fuck off and leave her alone before things get ugly.”

Drake’s eyes are murderous, but I don’t back down. I can take him without breaking a sweat. I’d rather not have the hundred kids currently in the gymnasium or their teachers and parents witness it, but that’s out of my control.

“You gonna make me?”

I lean toward him. “Have you been drinking?”

“This is a party, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, for little kids.” I shake my head in disgust. “Time to leave, bud. You can do it voluntarily or I can remove you myself, take your pick.” I pull Ainsley closer to my side. She blinks up at me and my heart almost bursts out of my chest. There’s so much trust in her face.

“I moved on, and you should do the same,” Ainsley says. “Stop calling me and saying you’re sorry. If you were truly sorry, you wouldn’t have done anything to be sorry for in the first place. I’m happy, and if you were any decent kind of human being, you’d be happy for me, too.”

He snorts. “Oh, yeah, I’m so happy my girlfriend is already screwing some new guy who, by the way, will only parade you around town and then break your heart in the worst possible way. Think about it, Ains. He’s just sliding in because you’re fresh meat on the block and easy for the taking.”

I don’t hesitate. I release my arm from Ainsley and jerk forwards, swinging before he even gets the last words out. He’sforced back by the impact and a couple of the cups wobble and tip as I refrain from leaping over the table to finish him off. I round the table as Ainsley calls my name and tells me to stop. I yank him by the back of the hoodie and make him face Ainsley. “Now say you’re sorry.”

He holds his hands over his nose, which is now bleeding. “And how you didn’t mean it, and you’ll never bother her again.” I continue.

“I… I… You broke my nose!”

I look up at Ainsley. Her eyes are wide and she’s backing away. “You’re an asshole!” She glares at Drake, and thank God she’s not mad at me. I admit I did just act on impulse, punching the guy out of nowhere.

“What’s going on here?” Mr. Peterson jogs up, along with Coach Hallaway.

“He’s drunk, and he just insulted my girlfriend,” I tell them. “He shouldn’t be around kids, and certainly not around women when he’s so unstable.”

They tug on Drake’s arms. “We’ll get him outside. I’ll call the Sheriff. Making a public nuisance of yourself is against the law,” Mr. Peterson's tone is firm, his mouth drawing into a hard line.

Coach looks up at me with disapproval written all over his hard face. “Need I remind you there are children present, Cole?”

“Yeah, which is why I had to shut him up.” I shrug. “We can’t have him getting mad at the kids next and taking his frustrations out on them, can we?”

“He started this!” Drake whines like a little girl, and I laugh.

“Right? Tell that to the Sheriff.” I smirk as they drag him away.

I turn back to see Ainsley still staring after them. I palm the back of my head. My knuckles are throbbing just a little bit, fucker had a hard face.

“Ainsley? Are you okay?” I start.

She’s like a wildcat with her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock and I’m not sure what she plans on doing next. But when she looks up at me and steps into my space, she surprises me by throwing her arms around my neck, holding her body close to mine in a tight hug. We stand there for a few moments, our bodies pressed close. There’s no way I expected that, or the hum of appreciation that shoots through my body, and definitely not what happens next…

CHAPTER 8

AINSLEY