CHAPTER479
“She will. I won’t help you either, I know what she can be like.” He laughs as Christian’s face drops more, his hand going to his brow dramatically.
“Look, if you wanted same as me then you should have ordered the same as me. No one touches my food, not even him.” I thumb Arrick’s way, which is only met with a smug smile from him as I am clearly pointing out that he’s special to me.
Stop grinning asshole. We all know it.
“True story dude. I, on the other hand, have no choice but to let her eat my food, cos she’s equally scary about that, and my life is worth more than pancakes.” Arrick winks my way, giving Christian a mock look of sympathy.
“Some best friend you turned out to be, even Jenny gives me hers.” He sulks a little, still adopting his drama queen pose of unfairness and getting lower in his seat as he slumps.
“Ehh, I do not! A woman’s food is a sacred thing. Men have died for less.” Jenny leans forward eyeing him up with a deadpan expression, scarily serious too. Having to stretch past Nate to see him as he leans back and slides an arm casually around her back.
“I agree. Never touch a girl’s food, it’s pretty much like fucking her mom.” Nate shrugs, and all eyes dart to him.
“That’s not even a comparison.” I point out, my brows almost touching my nose with the way his brain works and shaking my head at him. I catch Arry in the corner of my eye stifling a laugh at his best mate’s humor and elbow him in the ribs.
“It kinda is.” Arrick agrees, and both men do that whole nodding at one another agreement facial expression and solidarity bullshit. A reminder of why this is his actual best friend, even if at times I sometimes do not get it at all.
Arrick stretches his arms up and out before bringing them down, encircling my shoulder with one and squeezing me tight. Fly move for a player and I sigh at his obviousness, yet leave his arm be. I’m starting to deflate, tired as hell and my appetite has nosedived as the intense fatigue takes over. I push my plate at Christian with a defeated pout.
“Here, you can have them, I’m not hungry anymore.” I sigh and rest my elbows on the table with a complete exhale of exhaustion, sad that I did turn down my favorite thing to eat. Christian is delighted and dives straight in, pushing his plate aside with relish like he just won the lottery.
“You okay?” Arrick’s concerned tone in my ear has me turning to his worried expression and I nod. He knows I rarely turn down food, especially not favorite foods.
“Hungover, feeling like hell and badly needing sleep. I think I’m going to go home and leave you all to it for a while.” I lift my shake and take one last mouthful before tapping his thigh gently to tell him to let me out of the booth, he slides out obediently, never taking his eyes from me and I catch the utter disappointment in his face.
“You want me to call you in a bit?” He sounds wary, looks at me with an attempt of a smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes. I guess he hates the fact I’m leaving, and I hate the fact he hates it. Part of me wants the space, but a huge part of me wants him alone with me, but I don’t want to stay here, I really need to lie down.
“You could always come too, you said you needed sleep.” I mutter softly, coyly and push past him to get out of the booth. I turn as I get free and notice he still has half a plate of food left too. “It’s okay, maybe you could come when you’re done eating.” I add hastily, nodding at his plate and realizing how stupid I must look right now. How sad and clingy.
“I’m done … I’m coming now.” He doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t attempt to get back in the booth either, eyes fixed on me and then he turns to the others. Mind made up and maybe needing to be alone with me too. I know he probably isn’t done eating but I guess I should accept the fact that he meant every word about being with me and he is trying so hard to convince me.
“Right guys … breakfast is on me and I guess we will both see you all later.” Arry raises brows at them with a smile, getting a round of grins in response from the best friends ever. He drops money on the table that covers the full breakfast and pushes Nate in the head who seems to have his eyes on Jenny’s cleavage.
“Make sure everyone gets back, try not to lose them.” He smirks and Nate only grins right back.
“Pretty sure I can manage that.”"
