Page 30 of The Replay

"I haven't decided yet," she replies. "You wanted to talk about the university visit?"

She closes the door and goes around me to lean on her desk, in a casual, makeshift sitting position that broadcasts her intentions. She expects this to be a quick conversation. To prove it, she doesn't invite me to take one of the chairs in front of her either.

I cross my arms and stand in the middle of the room. "My friends are meddling."

"You don't say?" She crosses her arms too.

"You edited out our bickering when you recorded me for the calendar shoot, right?"

"Of course I did."

But she frowns like she's not sure she didn't miss anything.

I shake my head. "If Evie heard anything—"

"She would have heard bickering, that's all. I made sure to cut everything else."

"She could get it in her head that bickering is unresolved sexual tension, or worse."

"Worse than that?"

"Yeah. Unresolved romantic tension."

"There's nothing unresolved between us." She waves her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Maybe some annoyance, like you said, though I can't say I fully understand why you're so angry."

"Not going there, honeycakes." I clench my jaw. "All I care about is making sure my friends don't interfere or get any ideas. I don't want to have to deal with that, when I have much better things to do this year."

She rolls her eyes at the name but doesn't otherwise acknowledge it. "Then tell them not to make a big deal out of it. I see how different you are with them. You're friendly and full of charisma. So warm. Hugs for everyone. Smiles ready to go."

Mmmh. She bristles at the idea of me being cold toward her.

"It's clear you have a close friendship with them," she adds. "I bet they'll believe you if you say there's nothing but some… unresolved animosity."

I scoff. Take a step forward. Raise an eyebrow at her.

"You think they'll believe me?" I tsk. "These are wonderful people. They're my family outside of my mom and mi abuela— the best people I have ever known."

It's a dig at her family. I'm not sure she hears it. But I know what I mean, and I have to accept I'm crossing a line.

I'm being an asshole.

She purses her lips. "So I'm right. They'll believe you."

"You see, they won't." I make my tone mild. "They're all so happy in love, they think everyone is falling in love around them, too. If they so much as suspect there's a hint of heat between you and me, they'll corner me in the locker room and try to convince me I should get you a ring and get down on one knee."

The corners of her lips go down in displeasure. "Then maybe we should let them see us fight. Maybe then they'd be convinced."

"Sure. Because all we do is say mean things. Never anything that they could read into."

"Then I'll tell them I won't sleep with you. Ever. I'll make them believe me, if they won't believe you."

"You'll have to ask them to help you find a rebound if you want to do that."

"I don't need a rebound."

"You said you want to sleep around."

I take a step closer. Heat builds in my blood. I'm wise enough to understand it's anger and not desire. But I'm trying to find the line between annoyance and being mean and, hell, it's a little harder than I thought when we get into it.