Ratbags and Scallywags [bxb]

Chapter 12

After he walked away, I resumed my spot at the table, twirling the straw around in my milkshake as I pondered, contemplating everything that just transpired. I hated that look of embarrassment and regret as Aubrey walked away. Why did he have to make that face?

Why did stupid Ben have to make him?

I didn't want to watch him leave. I wanted to take his hand and go with him, but that'd have been a mistake for so many different reasons. Looking out the window, it occurred to me that they probably saw how close we were. The way I touched his hair, or how relaxed he became in response. Nobody acted weird when I came back in, so I could only hope my body blocked us from view. I didn't want anybody seeing him as vulnerable as I did.

Selfishly, I wanted to be the only one.

My eyes trailed over Goose's pretty girlfriend, Rana, who offered me a sympathetic smile. It was like she recognized what was going through my head. Resting her head on Goose's shoulder, she moved her fingertips along his arm in a gentle stroke. I still didn't understand how Goose landed her. Considering she was almost in Ikeisha's league in terms of looks, her personality seemed to exceed even that.

Swear to God I had an equal shot with Mr. Sex-God Hardy.

"Dude, you alright?" Liam asked, turning my attention over to him. Seated directly opposite me on the window side, the sunlight almost set his red hair on fire, making it glow. Even his orangey freckles appeared luminescent under the light. "What did you two talk about? You look tense."

Beside him, little Jude was sipping out of his milkshake straw, nodding his head in agreement. My attention dipped toward the window, noticing Ikeisha coming up the boardwalk from the beach. She stopped at the top, panting, with her hand gripping the rail as she looked around frantically.

She must be looking for Aubrey.

She turned to the window, greeting me with a smile the moment our eyes met. Wearing gold bikinis and matching sunglasses sitting on top of her head, she looked ready for a photo-shoot. Judging by Ben's engorged saucer eyes, he must've been thinking along the same lines as me.

Stopping in front of him, she set her hands on her hips all sassy-like. Ben gulped hard, then started trying to speak. "H-hell-"

"You!" she said, voice laced with immediate accusation. "You did something, didn't you? Why the hell did Aubrey cancel on us out of nowhere?"

Ben turned to me, face paling. I could see his panic, too scared to think or speak for once. If only that was his natural reaction to anything else besides Ikeisha Hansen, things wouldn't be like this to begin with.

The moron didn't do himself any favors, but nothing he did or said was out of maliciousness. Didn't Aubrey forgive me for that same stupidity? Maybe I could find a way to help her forgive Ben, too. He was caving under the pressure of her scrutiny, shriveling like a dried mushroom in his seat. Even if he was an idiot, and even if I wasn't going through with the bet, I still didn't want to see my best friend go through that sort of embarrassment.

I had to find a way to resolve this situation. To remove the blame from him, then pray to every god in existence that he'd somehow pick up his act so he could win her over on his own. 

"It was my fault," I quickly said, scratching my hair and mentally kicking myself for not having thought up an excuse first. She turned to me, raising her brows with surprise. Wait, no. Surprise was too strong of a word. Maybe surprised it wasn't Ben, but definitely not surprised that it could possibly be me.

"Your fault?" she asked, looking between us with uncertainty. Sighing, she conceded, but didn't offer him any sort of apology though. Instead, she shifted her weight and stared at me, waiting for an explanation.