Page 37 of The Playboy’s Playbook

Chapter Thirty-Two

LAILA

I t’s the day of the reunion picnic and I’m dreading it.

I didn’t really care to see my classmates after graduation to be fair –I didn’t care too much about them in school because they all teased me about being a teacher’s pet and called me Little Miss SGA like I didn’t know.

I had my friend group and that was enough for me.

Well, until Matthew came into my life. Once I let him in my life, he was enough for me.

Part of my nervousness about today is because I know that I’ll see him again, even though he didn’t get a chance to answer me when I asked him if he was going. After I left Luke’s house, I could barely sleep or focus for the rest of the week.

All I thought about was Matthew.

I wondered if he had a girlfriend and that’s why he was hesitant to have me over. I wondered if he still had an inkling of feelings for me.

I just…I just wonder about him.

I’m pulled from my thoughts when my doorbell sounds and Nola barks from her playpen. I look at the clock and see that she’s almost thirty minutes early. I move to open the door and as soon as I turn the lock, Erica pushes past me without saying a word.

“Hello to you, too,” I say as I close the door.

“You can’t wear that,” Erica says as she marches over to Nola and lets her out of her playpen. Erica picks up Nola and places small kisses over her tiny head as Nola squirms around in Erica’s arms.

“First, I’m trying to teach Nola control and discipline, but you and my mom always rile her up. Keep on and she’ll start living with you. Secondly, what’s wrong with my outfit?”

It’s hot and humid in southern Alabama. I’m not overly dressed for a picnic – I’m in jean shorts and the reunion shirt we purchased, paired with white sneakers.

I washed my hair last night and decided to put it in a bun.

My makeup is light because again, this Alabama heat is no joke during this time of year.

“You need to put on those biker shorts that make your ass look good so when you see Matthew, he wishes he could kiss it. Plus, you need gold jewelry. Gold jewelry is your superior accessory,” Erica says like it’s a no-brainer.

“I’m not going to this reunion to impress Matthew, E. I’m going because we paid for our plate and t-shirt and I want my money’s worth. Put Nola in her kennel and let’s go.”

I walk back to my room to get my purse, but I stop by my vanity and grab a couple of gold bracelets and rings. Once Nola’s secured in her kennel and has plenty of food and water, Erica and I get into my car and begin the drive to the sports complex where the picnic is being held.

It’s clear that almost the entire class showed up to this picnic. We exit the car and walk to one of the pavilions where a bulk of our classmates are gathered. We scope the area and find a table in the far backside of the shaded area, so we claim it as ours.

Soon, a few of our other friends arrive and join us.

We catch up with everyone, sharing hugs and laughs.

It’s nice and feels good to be socializing with everyone.

In the few years since we’ve been out of school, everyone’s accomplished so much.

Some are married with kids and others are just getting a start on their careers.

I excuse myself from the table and go to the coolers to grab another soda. Just when I reach in to grab the last cold bottle of Sprite, another hand reaches in to grab it. I snap my head up and see the one guy I never, ever wanted to see again.

“Hey, Laila. You’ve gotten even more gorgeous and I didn’t think that was possible,” Jason Webb says, a smug smile on his face.

Jason has a punchable face, if I were one to get into violent situations. He looks somewhat better than he did last year, but he’s still a sleaze.

I roll my eyes and turn on my heels, abandoning the Sprite. I’m actually pissed about leaving the soda because I needed the fizziness of the drink to help me get through the rest of this afternoon.

“Fuck off, Jason. Why are you even here? You didn’t graduate with this class.”

“Oh, Laila’s got some bark to her now. I like it.” Jason follows closely behind me as I walk to the other end of the pavilion in search of another drink. “I heard you and Foster were together and then you weren’t. So, if y’all aren’t together, why don’t you go out with me instead?”

Once the words leaves his lips, I turn around so sharp, I almost give myself whiplash. “You’re joking with me, right?”

Jason chuckles and stalks toward me. I step backward until my back hits the post. “No, I’m not joking. You’re gorgeous and if you’re single, I’d like to change that.”

Before I can respond, Jason is knocked down to the ground and a very pissed off Matthew is standing above him. Isaac isn’t too far behind and grabs him by his arms, pulling him away before Jason can react.

“You son of a bitch!” Matthew shouts. Jason bounces back to his feet and shoves Matthew, which causes Isaac’s grip to loosen.

“The fuck, Foster!” Jason shouts back, throwing a heavy punch at Matthew, but he misses.

Matthew counters and throws an even heavier punch, connecting with Jason’s nose.

Blood begins to gush out of Jason’s newly broken nose, but that doesn’t stop him from tackling Matthew to the grass outside the pavilion.

A group has gathered around to see the commotion. Several of the guys jump in and try to break up the fight. Erica reaches my side, holding my arm as I stand stunned at the brawl in front of me.

Matthew continues to throw punches at Jason and when the two are finally separated, Matthew’s shirt is torn and his hair is a mess of grass and dirt.

Jason looks worse for wear. He has a dazed look on his face, blood pouring from his nose and lip. He looks like he was attacked by an animal instead of a human.

“Matty, calm the fuck down!” Isaac yells at Matthew, pushing him away from a confused Jason. While others tend to Jason, Matthew continues to resist Isaac and a few other classmates tugging him back.

“Fuck you, Webb!” Matthew begins pushing harder against Isaac, making more of our classmates hold him back. Once they get him pushed against one of the pavilion’s posts, he cuts his eyes to me and his rough features soften.

I cast my eyes down to his bloody knuckles and he follows my gaze. He wipes his hands on his jeans and moves to go around the guys holding him back, but I remove myself from Erica’s grip and sprint toward the parking lot.

“Laila! Wait!” Matthew shouts, the sound of his heavy footsteps on the ground behind me.

I swerve through the cars parked haphazardly in the makeshift parking lot and finally spot my black car under the shade tree.

I increase my speed, but I’m no match for Matthew’s long legs because he catches up to me in no time.

He wraps his hand around my elbow, but I yank myself free. “Do not touch me when you quite literally have another man’s blood on your hands!”

“I’m sorry, I just…I saw him with you and I lost it,” Matthew stumbles over his words as he continues to wipe his hands on his jeans.

“So it’s a problem when another man approaches me?” I grit, disgust in my voice.

“That is not why I did that!” Matthew shouts at me, causing me to flinch at his tone. He notices my reaction and he closes his eyes before speaking much calmer. “I didn’t do that because it’s a problem for you to talk to another guy.”

I can’t help the dry laugh that comes from my lips. “Then what was the reason, Matthew? You probably just gave him a concussion on top of a busted lip and broken nose?”

“Because he hurt you.” His voice is so low, I don’t hear him.

“What?” I ask, needing him to speak up.

“Because he hurt you! Last year at the bar when he put his hands on you and spoke to you like you were just another girl that he was going to fuck and forget!” Matthew says louder this time, frustration ringing in his tone.

“I don’t care about that anymore. You shouldn’t either. He could call the fucking police on you and have you arrested for assault! Again ! That’s what you should care about!”

“If it means me going back to jail, so fucking be it. I’d do it again and again for you,” Matthew says walking toward me.

I let him get close to me, but he doesn’t reach out to touch me. I don’t know why, but I bring my hands to his hair and pluck some grass out of his blond locks.

“You’re absolutely insane if you think I would let you go back to jail for getting into a fight over an incident that happened a year ago.”

Matthew closes his eyes and leans closer to me, our lips ghosting each other. “I’m only insane for you, baby.”

I tense up and his eyes shoot open, realizing what he said. I don’t correct him or push him away. I do the one thing I probably shouldn’t do.

I kiss Matthew Foster like my life depends on it.