Page 81 of Tell Me I'm Enough

Tyler nods, and then Tank reaches his hand out across the table. Tyler takes it and shakes it, introducing himself.

Mason perks up. “Tyler…it’s good to finally meet you. Simone is always talking about you.”

Mason reaches his hand out, and Tyler shakes it, almost too hard by the looks of it, but Mason doesn’t seem to notice or mind.

“All good things, I hope,” Tyler says jokingly.

“Definitely, definitely,” Mason replies, already starting to dig into his food.

Tyler looks back over at him. “I’ve heard a lot about you, too.”

It’s a little passive, but not enough to be super obvious.

Mason gives me a look and then turns his attention back to Tyler. “All good things, I hope,” he jokes back.

Tanner also stands up and reaches a hand over the table, greeting Tyler.

We all fall into an easy rhythm while we eat, talking about school, sports, and all the events coming up.

“Simone is always the life of all the parties here,” one of the girls—Alexis—tells Tyler. “You must be just as crazy to keep up with her energy.”

Tyler laughs. “Actually, no. I’ve always been a lot calmer than Simone. She’s the party girl everyone wants around, and I’m usually the one pulling her off of tables.”

I smack his arm lightly, embarrassed.

“I’ve been having to do that too,” Mason says, smirking at me. “I guess someone had to take the baton while you’re away.”

Tyler gives me a questioning look. “Howhardare you partying around here?”

I smile, waving him off. “That’s happened like…once.”

“We all watch out for her, man, don’t worry,” Tank says. “We’re pretty close to the whole Gamma house and are normally paired up together, so the guys always have an eye on them, keeping ‘em safe.”

Tyler nods at him. “Good to know.”

I scoff at all of them. “Icantake care of myself, you know?”

Mason chuckles from the seat directly in front of me. “Everyone knows, Ms. Independent. But the guys will still always have your back.”

I put a hand on Tyler’s thigh, squeezing it, making sure he’s not bothered. He places a hand over mine, squeezing back, but when I look over at him and give him a reassuring smile, he doesn’t return it.

Tyler has never been the jealous type before. I’ve never given him a reason to be. I’ve always been extremely loyal, and he knows that.

When everyone is done eating, Mason and I get stuck on dish duty together while everyone else is either cleaning or setting up for the rest of the night.

I bump Mason’s shoulder, smiling. “I don’t think we even need to wash your plate; you basically licked it clean.”

He looks over at me, offended, hands fully covered in soap bubbles, and bumps me with his hip. “Excuse me for being a growing boy. Where else are these gains gonna come from?”

I can’t hold in my laugh. “What gains?” I reach over and squeeze his bicep. “Maybe you should get a second plate.”

“Oh, that’s fucked up, Simone. I work really hard for this body to be able to throw around 250lb men and catch balls.”

My hand flies to my mouth as I snort.

He realizes his mistake quickly. “You know what I meant, get your head out of the gutter.”

He takes his hand and blows the bubbles into my face.