Page 62 of The Trouble with You (Rixon Raiders 1)

“I think there are eggs, bacon, stuff to make pancakes.” He beckoned her over to the refrigerator and the two of them set to work. It was weird. We’d never done this before. We always went out to eat, and I couldn’t remember a time we’d ever included girls in our morning-after ritual.

“I’ll be outside. I need some air,” Jase disappeared out of the back door leaving the four of us. I reached over the counter, prodding Hailee’s arm.

“Are you alive?” I whispered, and she peeked up at me. “Barely.”

“Coffee?”

Giving a little shake of her head, she mouthed, “Water.”

“Water it is.” I grabbed her a bottle of water, careful not to get in the way of Felicity and Asher as they laid out all the ingredients; her barking orders at him, enjoying it far too much if the sparkle in her eye was anything to go by.

“Here.” Sliding the bottle toward Hailee, I also threw her a box of Advil.

“Thanks.” Hailee uncapped the bottle and popped two pills, washing them down in one. “I think I need to remember my limits.”

“It’s okay to let loose every now and again.”

“If I recall, you were sober.” Her eyes held an unspoken meaning and I felt sucker-punched.

Brushing her off, I said, “I had a couple of beers. Coach doesn’t like us—”

“Stop, please stop.” She held up her hand, burying her face again. “It hurts.” Her words were mumbled.

“You sure you know what you’re doing?” I asked Asher. He had a flour handprint on his face and another on his t-shirt.

“You’re supposed to whisk the batter, not wear it,” Felicity said looking over from the pan. The smoky scent of bacon wafted over to me and my stomach grumbled.

“I’ll be back. Try not to kill each other.” I shot Asher an amused grin and he flipped me off over Felicity’s shoulder as she tried to show him how to whisk correctly.

Outside, Jase was sitting in one of the patio chairs. “She’s annoying as fuck.”

“Who, Hailee?”

“No, Felicity,” he grunted.

“I don’t know, she’s not that bad.”

Jase levelled me with a hard look. “Why are they even here?”

“Because you told Asher to invite them to the party…”

“Whatever. I just don’t want her thinking this means something.”

“Why would Felicity think—”

“Hailee, jackass. Keep up.”

“You’re in a delightful mood this morning.”

“I’m just sick of this shit with Thatcher. Him finding out about Hailee was the worst thing that could have happened. Now I have to pretend to actually give a shit about her.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think she’s going to get the wrong idea any time soon.”

Hailee wasn’t like most girls. She didn’t see signs that weren’t there. If anything, the years of back and forth with Jason had hardened her. Now she was wary of others; always questioning people’s motives. In fact, they were far more alike than either of them realized. Except where Jason’s cool exterior had rubbed off on her, she’d failed to make so much as a dent in his tough shell.

“Rivals Week.” His voice was flat. “I usually live for this shit, but something’s different this year.”

He didn’t need to tell me. I’d felt it ever since we walked into school on the first day of th