Page 16 of Don’t Say You’re Sorry (Hawthorne University #2)

EASTON

Easton

I fucking hate you.

PRESENT

A fter practice, Carter and I all but stumble over each other as we head to the locker room to join our teammates.

Coach thought we weren’t close enough to our deathbeds yet, so he made us keep running suicides even after the others had been told to hit the showers.

It’s only when Carter and I fell to our hands and knees that he clicked his tongue and dismissed us with a wave.

Lost in my thoughts, I take a longer shower than I normally do, tipping my head back as the hot water soothes my aching muscles.

I’m thinking about Adam again, wondering if he called the number Frankie wrote on his hand this morning.

My teeth clench at the thought, but I hope he did all the same.

It’ll be fun to play with him. To see who breaks first…

My head lowers as my hand travels down to my dick, but then I hear the shower next to me shut off, and I snap out of it, shutting mine off too.

Wrapping a towel around my waist, I walk out to find only Nate and Carter standing at their lockers. The others must have left already. I was so up in my head I didn’t realize how quiet it was in here until now.

Carter’s buck naked, his towel dropped to his feet, and Nate’s fully clothed, typing something on his phone. He’s probably fixing to get home to Xavi, but he’s stalling for some reason. Carter’s not saying a word, which, again, is odd. He usually doesn’t shut the fuck up.

While we get dressed side by side, I ask him quietly, “What’s your problem?”

He snaps his head to mine, a rare glare on his face. When he continues with the silent treatment, I raise my brows at him, not letting him off the hook.

“Say it.”

His glare only deepens. “Why do you seem so…”

“What?”

“ Happy ? Every time I look at you today, it’s like you’ve got hearts in your eyes or some shit. Did you forget what that guy did to you?”

Nate’s eyes lift from his phone, his gaze bouncing between us. He’s not even bothering to pretend he’s not listening to our hushed conversation.

“No,” I say. “I didn’t.”

“You know he’s gonna leave you again, right?” Carter mumbles as he pulls up his jeans. “You start sneaking around with him again, he’s gonna shit himself and run away. Just like he did last time.”

“I know what I’m doing, Carter.”

“Do you?”

I sigh. “Look, I’m just having a little fun with him while it lasts, okay? The sooner I get him into my bed, the sooner he leaves. For good this time.”

He frowns. “Who the fuck are you kidding? I know you, E. You don’t want to scare him away. You want him back.”

“Mind your business.”

“You are my business.” He steps closer, pulling on my chin to get me to look at him. “Have you forgotten how much of a mess you were the day I picked you up from Lauren’s?—”

“Carter.”

“What?”

“Leave it alone.”

Throwing his hands up, he grabs his bag, turns around, and storms out of the locker room.

After a moment, Nate steps up beside me, our eyes on the door. “What’s wrong with him?” he asks.

“I don’t know.”

Closing my locker, I grab my shit and jog out the door, catching up to Carter in the parking lot.

“Hey,” I call. “Why are you mad at me?”

“I’m not.”

Grabbing his shoulder, I turn him to face me fully. “Then what is it?”

His jaw tics. Tongue in cheek, he glances around, finding Nate coming up beside us. Nate gives him a questioning look, and Carter rolls his eyes. “I’m fine, Nate. Go home to your future ex-husband.”

Nate thumps him in the back of the head as he passes him. Carter grunts and rubs the spot.

“Carter,” I say.

He sighs heavily. “Come on.” He tips his chin at me.

I follow him to his car. “Where?”

“If we’re gonna have this conversation, you’re gonna have to buy me a drink.”

I raise a brow. “You just wanna keep me away from Adam a little longer, don’t you? Make him suffer.”

He smirks over his shoulder, and I shake my head with a laugh.

There’s the asshole I know and love.

“You’re fucking with me.” Dropping back in my seat, I gape at Carter with a mixture of shock, disbelief, and…did I mention shock? What the fuck?

He shakes his head, his forearms resting on the bar as he spins his glass with his fingertips. “Nope.”

I blink at him. “What is wrong with you?”

He laughs at that, lifting the glass to his mouth to finish the rest of his beer. Shrugging, he says, “I’ve done worse.”

Jesus. I hope that’s not true.

“Does Nate know about this?”

“No.” Turning his head, he searches my eyes. “You’re the only person I’ve ever told. You can’t say anything.”

I scoff. He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I’m not getting involved in this shit.

“Can we go now?”

He feigns hurt, his brows pulling in. “Aren’t you gonna offer to listen to me pour my heart out? Give me a shoulder to cry on?”

“Absolutely fucking not.” Setting my empty glass down on the bar, I stand and walk toward the exit.

“Dude, what about the check?” he calls after me.

“You pay it, asshole.”

Laughing, he follows me out of the bar. I start walking, planning on stopping to grab some Chinese food from my and Adam’s favorite restaurant on the way home. I’ve been going there at least once a week for years.

Carter catches up and falls in line beside me without question, abandoning his car in the parking lot for the night. My mom was killed by a drunk driver, so he knows I’ll never get in a car with someone who’s had a drink, and he respects it.

Wrapping his arm around my neck, he pulls me in and presses his mouth to my ear. “We should walk into the house like this,” he says, his knuckles brushing my collarbone. “ Really make him suffer.”

I smile and turn my face, our noses brushing. “You touch me like this in front of Adam, I’ll break this pretty face,” I warn, tapping his cheek with my palm. “He’s mine to fuck with, not yours. You understand?”

He smirks, bumping his forehead against mine. “You think I’m pretty?”

I grab his throat and push him away, making him stumble before he falls in line beside me.

“I think you’re fucking something,” I mutter.