Page 92 of The Vengeance You Crave

"Colt's birthday."

"Fuuuck," I grumble, wrapping my hand around the back of my neck and pulling.

"I'm not making up a bullshit excuse about you being ill. You either pull your head out of your ass and come or you tell him yourself."

Since freshman year, we've always gone out for each other's birthdays. It's a tradition I started. One I wish right now that I really fucking hadn't.

Back then, I was gunning for the starting quarterback position and would do anything to show my leadership and to prove that I deserved it.

Now I'm considering handing it all over.

"Fuck, yeah. I'm coming. Give me ten."

I might be fucking up everything about my life right now, but I refuse to force my bullshit on the rest of the team. They might all be gutted about how our season ended but they're already getting ready to start all over again in a few months. To prove our place and make our senior year our best season yet.

I wish I shared their optimism.

I sit in the back of Leon's BMW while he, Colt, and Evan argue about some shit I have no clue about. Ignoring them, I just stare out of the window. I might have agreed to come but no one said anything about having to enjoy myself. My growling stomach, however, is totally on board with the tacos someone mentioned earlier.

I think back to last year when we rocked up to the same restaurant—the only one Colt ever chooses should he get the option—and wish things could be just like that.

A smile twitches at my lips as I remember us all flirting with our server to try to get some tequila out of her. She must have been in her thirties. She had a wedding ring on, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone blush as fiercely as she did all the while giving us just as much shit back as we gave her.

It was a great night.

We never got the alcohol we wanted. We made up for it when we got back to the house after, mind you.

This year though, more than half of us are legal which takes the fun out of it somewhat.

I follow the guys as we make our way through the mall, earning us more than a few interested glances, points and whispers.

It's not until we're being directed to our table inside the restaurant that I bother to look up, and when I do, I lock eyes with her silver ones and I swear to God the world falls out from beneath me.

I stop, causing a couple of the guys to collide with my back and ensuring everyone else turns to look at me to see what's going on.

"Oh fuck," Leon breathes.

"I'll leave," I say, taking a step back, assuming the guys have moved.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Colt asks, totally oblivious to my life imploding.

I back up once more but he's not having any of it. His hand lands on my shoulder and he shoves me toward an empty seat directly opposite her.

I keep my eyes on her but her stare is fixed to her half-empty plate in front of her while Ella and Letty lean into her.

Letty glances up, finds me staring, and shakes her head.

Great, she's even got my friends wrapped around her little finger.

Letty nods toward the hallway where the bathrooms are and I push my chair out once more to stand.

"Where are you going?" Leon hisses.

Glancing over his shoulder, he follows my stare.

"Don't cause any fucking trouble."

"Me?" I ask innocently.