Page 8

Two days.

Kade swatted at the back of his neck. The fine hairs there had been standing up randomly today. He cast a glance behind him, and Cash was staring at him.

“What?” Kade barked out.

“I’m literally just waiting on you to be done with the door you’re working on.”

Oh. Right. Kade frowned down at the half-done cabinet door he was assembling. He’d probably been working on this damn thing for half an hour.

“Want me to do it for you?” Cash asked from right over Kade’s shoulder.

Kade shoved him away. “Give me space.”

“You are the worst at your job,” Cash grumbled and stomped away.

“It’s been two days.”

“Since your last period, you emotional fuck—ack!” Cash gasped out and swung on Kade. Why? Because Kade’s hand was around his throat. Fuck. He hadn’t even meant to charge Cash. Kade released his throat, ducked neatly out of the way, and held up his hands. “Sorry.”

Cash rubbed his neck. His eyes were blazing gold, and he looked pissed.

“What’s going on over there?” Tommy, their boss, asked.

“Nothing, just playing around,” Kade said quick. He did not need another write-up.

“Well stop fiddle-fuckin’ around and get back to work!”

“Who wants to fuck a fiddle?” Cash asked. “I never understood that saying.”

“I’m sorry, man,” Kade apologized. “I’m just on edge.”

“You think?” he muttered, walking away.

Kade checked that Tommy was looking away and then jogged after Cash. “Hey—”

“I will fight you,” Cash said, rounding on him.

“I know, I know,” Kade said, throwing up his hands in surrender again. “I lost it, but I didn’t mean to. I’m just freaking out a little.”

“Why? You are living a charmed life.”

Kade thought about it, and as much as he hated admitting it, Cash was right. He had it pretty good these days. He followed Cash to his station and hid behind a machine so Tommy couldn’t see him. “Can I ask you a question?”

“No, not all STDs are fatal.”

“Oh my gah, never mind,” he gritted out.

“Wait,” Cash drawled out. “What. Ask me your question.”

Kade took a quick glance around and then leveled Cash with a look. “When you met Harley, what was it like for you.”

“Perma-boner.”

“I’m serious, man.”

“So am I. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, I couldn’t stop wishing I was with her, I couldn’t freaking sleep, I wanted to check in with her all the time.”

Yep. “I think I have that disease.”

“It ain’t a disease, man,” Cash said, sanding the surface of a cabinet door. “You’re just falling for her.”

“Well, how do I…you know…”

“Fuck her?”

“No! Cut it out of me.”

“How do you cut what out of you?”

“Liking her. You know, as more than a friend.”

Cash just stared at him like he’d sprouted an extra head.

“You know what? Never mind. This is a waste of my time.”

“I think you should just go over there, and take your shirt off, and show her your six pack. Seducing women is not as hard as you’re making it out to be.”

“I’m not trying to seduce her. I’m trying to give her space, to…you know…heal.”

“When the fuck did you get your therapist license? Go heal her…with your wiener.”

“I can’t do this,” Kade grumbled, walking away. He rubbed his hands roughly down his face and then pulled his protective glasses back over his eyes. Cash was a splinter on a good day.

“I bought us matching fanny packs yesterday,” Cash called after him.

“I can’t do this today,” Kade called without turning around.

He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and checked it for the four-billionth time in two days. She still hadn’t texted. The last time they’d talked on that loop was the picture he’d sent of him making a goofy face, and her clutching onto his shirt, and looking away from the camera. He’d looked at this picture a dozen times.

He’d gone to her house twice and barely been able to resist barging in and making up an excuse to hang out with her. The bike was in the front of the house in various positions both times he’d gone there, so he knew she was motoring around town.

She would text him when she was ready. Or not. Maybe she would go the whole two months quiet, and then leave and he would just be left here with this weird hole in his middle that didn’t make any damn sense at all.

This was how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to take time and space and process everything. That’s what he’d wanted from her. But he left her in the middle of a flirting session, thinking she would message him that night, and she hadn’t, and now he was second-guessing everything.

Fuck it.

He typed out, Pizza tonight? Send.

He stared at the phone screen like she was going to reply instantly. Get real. The typing dots appeared, and he nearly dropped the phone.

Nah, I’m already eating pizza.

The sting of rejection cut deep. I understand. Hope you are well. He hesitated and then hit send.

He closed his eyes tightly and rested his hands on his hips, wishing he hadn’t even texted her.

His phone vibrated, and he checked it in a rush. She’d sent a picture, and what he saw in it froze him completely.

Jess had taken a selfie. She had her hair pulled halfway up, and she had make-up on that made her soft brown eyes look so pretty. Her smile was megawatt, and beside her, Raynah was grinning.

What the hell?

“Bathroom break,” he called over to Tommy.

“Oh, so we’re pretending you haven’t been on a break all friggin’ day now?” Tommy yelled as Kade strode for the restroom.

He was going to have to do better the second half of the day. You’re with Raynah? he typed out. Send.

Yeah, at that pizza place. We met for lunch. She’s giving me all the details of why the heck you probably ghosted me. Her theory is you are just a stupid boy being a stupid boy.

Me? Ghost you? I’ve been waiting for a text for two days . Send.

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO TEXT ME. Also, I am bringing half a pizza home with me in case you happen to stop by since you are so hungry for it. I added extra tomatoes though because I’m sixty-nine percent mad at you.

He caught his reflection in the mirror, and he was wearing the dumbest grin right now. She’d been waiting for him to text? And he’d been waiting for her? Ha. How can I make it up to you? Send. Cash suggested showing you my six pack and seducing you . Send.

Interesting. I’m asking Raynah about you, and you’re asking Cash for advice on me?

Don’t get too excited. His answer was healing you with my “wiener” which, by the way, hearing that word from a grown man’s mouth just sounded messed up. Send.

She sent five laughing face emojis. Oh crap, she knew how to use emojis. He was going to have to learn how to do this. He opened up the emojis tab, looked through it, and then on a whim, sent her an octopus emoji and hoped for the best.

She sent a beaver emoji back to him, and then he sent an eggplant, and---ahhh! The door opened and Cash shoved his head in. “How’s it going?”

“Dude, go away.”

“Is it your girlfriend?” he whisper-screamed, pointing to his phone.

“You know her name. You helped rescue her.”

“Oh yeah. Is that Jess?”

“She’s hanging out with Raynah. What does that mean?”

“That she’s probably going to get eaten by a crocodile? Because Raynah is a crocodile?”

“I can’t talk to you. I’m emoji-ing right now.” Kade sent Jess a crocodile emoji, and two donuts.

“Dude, you’re doing that all wrong,” Cash pointed out.

“I don’t need your help.”

“Clearly you do.” Cash snatched the phone and began reading out loud as he typed. “I…miss…your…titties—”

“Cash!” Kade barked, grabbing the phone back before Cash could hit the send button. “Fuck off.”

“Here, give me your phone and I’ll take a picture of you with your shirt off.”

“What? No.”

“She’ll like it. Trust me.”

“Cash, please leave me alone.”

“Fine. Are you coming out with us tonight?”

“Coming out where?” he asked distractedly as he waited for the next set of emojis from Jess.

“Guys night!” Cash griped. “Come on, man, I’ve been telling you about it for two days. And I know King mentioned it to you too. And Wreck!”

“Oh. Oh yeah. Sure. Where is it again?”

“The address is literally in the group text.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll probably stop by.”

“Don’t stand me up,” Cash said as he walked out.

Kade narrowed his eyes at the door as it swung closed. He yanked it open and poked his head outside, then called after Cash, “You better not bring those matching fanny packs. I’m not wearing one.”

“It has our initials embroidered on them,” was Cash’s response.

Kade gritted his teeth and ducked back into the bathroom to check his phone. Jess had sent a picture of a half a pizza smothered in sliced tomatoes, and then an innocent angel emoji. Gross, but he would still eat it just for the excuse to drop by.

“Kade!” Tommy yelled from outside the door.

Crap. Got to get back to work. I’ll stop by after I get out to finish off that pizza. Send. On a whim, Kade leaned over in front of the mirror, and held up his phone to take a picture of himself with his shirt lifted and his six-pack flexed, but then shook his head hard, let his shirt fall back down and said, “Nope.” He was not taking flirting advice from Cash.

He and Jess were just friends.

Friends with no strings attached. No contract. No Promise.

Friends who asked for advice on each other, and waited on each other’s texts, and bought each other pizza.

Friendzone buddies—nothing more, nothing less.