Page 14 of Game Changer (Hidden Attractions #2)

Maya

“Okay, but I think I like the pink better.” Destiny examines each nail, one painted baby blue and the other bubble-bath pink.

When my new friends found out I’d graduated from cosmetology school, I became their designated personal tech.

Not that I care. It’s my favorite thing to do, giving makeovers, so I’m living for this little get-together we’re having in the common area of the dorm.

Thankfully, no one else is in here, so it’s just us with my bucket of nail polish. I wish I had the money to buy supplies to do acrylic sets, but I’ll live with just doing polish for now. It’s better than nothing.

“I like the blue.” Callie leans over to inspect the colors, then gives a nod of affirmation. “Yeah, definitely the blue. It goes better with your complexion.”

“You think?” Destiny tilts her head to the side with her hands splayed out in front of her. “Okay, blue it is.”

I’m sitting cross-legged on the uncomfortable couch while The Bachelor plays in the background on a shitty television that sometimes loses signal.

This common area doesn’t include much. A few couches and chairs and some random artwork that doesn’t go with the dingy blue walls whatsoever, but it has a TV. That’s all I care about.

I can’t miss my show.

I’m getting everything set up on the coffee table when Ethan and Leo enter the room. Their eyes quickly share the same reaction, and they make a move to bolt from the girlfest unfolding until I smile and say, “Care to join? We’re watching The Bachelor .”

It’s been a week since Ethan and I agreed to be friends again, but we haven’t seen much of each other since that night.

We’ve been busy with classes, and the times we have bumped into one another, it’s been in passing.

Example: him pretending to be my fake boyfriend for five minutes.

I don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to hang out with him, even if I do have to rope him into a girl’s night.

“We were going to play cards.” Ethan holds up a box.

“Well, don’t let us stop you. There are plenty of free tables over there.” I point to the ones directly behind us. “I promise we won’t be too loud. Unless you want us to be.”

Leo immediately strides to the table. “I’m in.”

Ethan rolls his eyes. “Seriously, Leo? One flirtatious comment and she has you giving in that easily?”

Leo shrugs. “I can’t help it. Pretty girls are my weakness.”

Ethan seems annoyed by the comment, but rather than say something, he sighs and joins Leo at the table. Leo is shuffling the cards when Ethan turns to me and says, “You aren’t working at Happy Endings tonight?”

“Nope. I only work Saturday and Sunday nights.”

He frowns. “You don’t ever get a weekend off? How are you going to balance school and work?”

I shoot him my best puppy-dog eyes. “Aw, do you care about me?”

He smiles softly and looks at the hand Leo dealt him. “That’s a stupid question, Maya.”

“Because it’s true?”

“Will you guys shut up ? Ryder is about to hand out the roses!” Callie turns the volume up, eyes glued on the devastatingly handsome man in a suit.

I take turns painting Destiny’s nails and stealing glances at the television, muttering my disapproval when he hands a rose to the woman causing the most drama in the house.

It’s not until Ryder is on the final rose that I hear Ethan scoff from behind us, “This is completely unrealistic.”

Callie seems offended. “Why do you think that?”

“Because you can’t know in a matter of weeks if you love someone. This show is based purely on attraction.”

Callie shakes her head. “So untrue.”

“Is it? Why don’t they have any plus-sized people on this show? Why are all the contestants drop-dead gorgeous? The show doesn’t pick anyone average looking to participate. Why do you think that is?”

“I . . .” Callie furrows her brows, attempting to think of a valid response.

“It depends on the bachelor or bachelorette,” Destiny adds. “I’ve watched some pretty self-centered people on this show, but there are also genuine ones who don’t base it on how someone looks.”

Callie sighs dreamily. “Call me superficial. I don’t care. I only know what’s been revealed on the show about him, but Ryder’s my dream man. He’s perfect.”

“Point proven,” Ethan says.

“Someone sounds a little salty,” Leo teases. “What? You don’t think you could be the bachelor, Ethan?”

He tips his head back and laughs. “No way in hell would I be chosen.”

I hate the way he views himself. I hate that he feels so insignificant when he’s so fucking hot.

He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I’m not kidding.

He has no reason to be insecure, but it’s evident in the way he’s expressing his hatred for this show.

He thinks he doesn’t compare to those guys when that’s simply not the case.

“Maya could be the bachelorette,” Destiny says, then goes back to blowing on her polish. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

I roll my eyes. “Come on. Have you seen yourself ?”

Callie switches places with Destiny and sorts through the nail polish. “She’s telling the truth. You’d be perfect for the role. Guys would literally drop to their knees to get a chance with you.”

Ethan grunts and shuffles the cards.

“If you could have a dream guy, what would he look like?” Callie asks.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ethan pause his shuffling, then flick his eyes to mine before returning to his task. Leo sits back with an amused grin, arms crossed over his stomach, as he watches the scene unfold.

I could lie and make things less awkward for everyone, but I’ve never been one to do the right thing.

I promised I wouldn’t lead Ethan on, but hearing him think so poorly of himself?

Having him think he couldn’t be a contestant?

It bothers the hell out of me. And just like I told him to take his shirt off five months ago, I’ll continue to do what I need if only for him to see himself the way I see him. Consequences be damned.

“Well.” I grab the red polish from Callie and shake it.

“I’m a sucker for blond hair, and I like a man with a stockier build.

More to cuddle with, you know? But more than anything, my dream guy would be someone I feel safe sharing my secrets with.

He’d be the kind of guy I could talk to for all hours of the night and never get tired of.

He’d be . . .” I smile fondly at the memories.

“ . . . the kind of guy who’d give me the last bite of ice cream because he knows it’s my favorite flavor. ”

Ethan doesn’t take his eyes off me. For a heartbeat, we’re the only people in this room, and if I could, I’d climb onto his lap and kiss him in front of everyone with no fucks given.

I’d prove to him that he’s so worthy of all the love in the world, and I’d tell him I’m sorry for ever putting more doubt in his mind when I walked away from us.

I’d fix it all if I could, and I wish that could be enough, but it isn’t.

It never will be.

“That’s very specific,” Leo says. “See, if I was the bachelor, I’d—”

“Ugh!” Destiny whines and points at the television. “It lost connection again ! Right before the sneak peek for next week!”

This is the only downside to not having a television in my dorm room, but I can’t afford to buy one, and my roommate still hasn’t shown up yet.

I’m starting to think I’ll be living solo for the remainder of the semester, which annoys me.

I miss Maddie like crazy, and although Destiny and Callie are good substitutes, they aren’t her .

I was hoping to share a bond with my roommate like the one I share with Maddie, but the older I get, the more I realize that what Maddie and I have is a once in a lifetime friendship.

It’s irreplaceable.

Leo rises from the chair and inspects the back of the television. “Did you try tightening the coaxial connector?”

Ethan laughs when all three of us stare at his roommate like we’re deer in headlights.

“The what ?” Destiny asks.

“The coaxial connector,” he repeats slowly.

“It transmits analog signals, and—” He stops midsentence and shakes his head.

“Never mind. Sorry. AV nerd coming out.” Then he reaches behind the television, replugs one of the cords, and suddenly our favorite television show is back on just in time for the sneak peeks.

Destiny squeals. “Ah, thank you! You’re our hero.”

Leo leans against the wall and arches a brow. “What does the hero get in return?”

“All right.” Ethan groans and rises from his chair with the cards in hand. “That’s our cue to leave. Sorry, guys. He’s new to the dating game and says things like that without realizing how much he sounds like a total douche.”

Leo jokingly gasps. “Excuse me. I can’t help the fact I had a major glow-up last Tuesday.

The braces came off.” I laugh at how quirky he is in his button-down shirt with flamingos on it.

He’s handsome in a geeky meets sexy kind of way, so I can see why the girls are flocking to him now.

Especially when he flashes perfectly straight, white teeth.

“We have a lot to work on,” Ethan grumbles.

He towers over me behind the couch, analyzing the work I did on Callie’s nails.

I’m just finishing the topcoat when he bends down to whisper, “Those look beautiful, Maya.” My eyes flutter shut from the feel of his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. “You’re really good at this.”

Fuck.

Me.

I don’t have any willpower when it comes to him. Ethan Davis makes me want to continue along my path of reckless decisions, and I’m seconds away from saying fuck the inevitable heartbreak when Leo suddenly interrupts. “And you’re telling me I’m the douchebag?”

Ethan rounds the couch. “Shut up, Leo. Let’s go.”

“I’m serious,” he says when they disappear around the corner. “Did you hear yourself back there? We both have things to work on if we . . .” Their voices fade, leaving the three of us alone again.

“Holy shit.” Callie fans herself dramatically. “I’m sweating for you.”

“Same,” Destiny agrees. “The tension was off the fucking charts.”

It’s suddenly sweltering in here, and all I want to do is find Ethan and drag him into my room so we can make up for lost time.

But deep down I know that being friends is for the best. We have chemistry, there’s no denying that, but it’s not enough.

It’s a constant reminder that this could never work between us.

“Hey, guys?” Destiny breaks the silence, gnawing on her bottom lip before she says something that has us all breaking into hysterics. “This could be the nail polish remover giving me a contact high, but I think I want to bang the AV nerd.”