stupidity.
I slid down the wall until my butt hit the carpet. I rested my forearms on my knees, tempted to hang my head between my knees too.
From down the hallway, Anton yelled out, “Way to go, Romeo.”
I held up my middle finger.
Hayden crawled out of his room and sat across from me. “Dude. You suck at this. You need some serious advice on how to deal with women.”
Before I could tell him to fuck off, because Christ, he was nineteen , and I hated that he was right, Anton said, “No, he needs a damn reality check. Boone. Buddy. Why are you doin’ dumb shit to screw this up with Sierra?”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.”
“Really? So it was an accident that you lied to her about finding a place to live for your friend ? An accident you lied to her about how long you’ll be in Phoenix?” Hayden said skeptically.
My head fell against the wall. “When you put it that way…”
“There is no other way. You lied.”
“Twice,” Anton inserted helpfully. “What were you thinking?”
“Within five seconds of walking into her office the first day, I fucking knew that even if it took me two goddamned years to convince Sierra we’re meant to be together, it’d be worth any lie in the short term for a chance at the long term with her.”
Silence.
I glanced up.
Hayden pretended to knuckle away a tear.
Asshole.
“Why didn’t you tell her that just now?” Kyler said.
“What was I supposed to do? Tackle her, sit on her and make her listen to me?” I snorted. “Right. Like you guys would’ve let that happen.” I pointed at Hayden. “Dickhead there already warned me tonight that I’d better watch my step around the precious. And it’s not like I don’t already have another contract out with you psycho McKay motherfuckers for maintaining good behavior with her.”
“Explain that, West.”
I relayed my deal with Gavin, which in hindsight meant I provided them with a legit reason to make fun of me for the rest of my fucking life and to beat the fuck out of me.
After they finished laughing, Kyler crossed his arms over his chest. “Now that this is in perspective for us… When she stomped off? That’s when you should’ve taken her in hand and put it in perspective for her .”
“ Taken her in hand ?” I repeated.
Kyler shrugged. “Taken her someplace private, explained what you needed to and dealt with her attitude.”
“You’ve had experience with that?”
“A time or two.” He smirked. “A woman like Sierra? She’ll see how far she can push you. She expects you to push back.”
“That’s why you need to keep her guessing where that push back line is,” Hayden added.
“If that doesn’t work, buy her something,” Anton suggested. “Just not a puppy.”
“Or jewelry. That’s like saying ‘please wrap this necklace around my dick and assume you now own it,’” Hayden said with a shudder.
I looked from Hayden to Anton to Kyler. “You guys don’t have a fucking clue about women, do you?”
Hayden cheerily said, “Nope.”
Anton said, “Does anyone, really?”
“Awesome. Thanks for nothing.”
“ Ah ah ah . But we are gonna give you something,” Hayden said.
“What?”
“Another chance with Sierra, cynical fucker,” Anton said.
“Come over Sunday night after you get off work for food and football,” Ky said. “Be ready to explain everything to her. Sierra gets mad fast, but she’s not unreasonable.”
“Except for some reason we cannot understand, she seems to like you,” Anton said.
“Fuck off, McKay.”
“That’s the thanks we get for playing the love doctors between you two?” Hayden made obnoxious kissing noises.
I ignored him and stood. “Seriously, guys, I appreciate it. This thing between me and Sierra…it’s important. See you Sunday.”
M y favorite thing about fall wasn’t the break from the brutal summer temperatures.
It was that fall meant football season.
I loved football—a love my dad passed down to me. Since he
I slid down the wall until my butt hit the carpet. I rested my forearms on my knees, tempted to hang my head between my knees too.
From down the hallway, Anton yelled out, “Way to go, Romeo.”
I held up my middle finger.
Hayden crawled out of his room and sat across from me. “Dude. You suck at this. You need some serious advice on how to deal with women.”
Before I could tell him to fuck off, because Christ, he was nineteen , and I hated that he was right, Anton said, “No, he needs a damn reality check. Boone. Buddy. Why are you doin’ dumb shit to screw this up with Sierra?”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.”
“Really? So it was an accident that you lied to her about finding a place to live for your friend ? An accident you lied to her about how long you’ll be in Phoenix?” Hayden said skeptically.
My head fell against the wall. “When you put it that way…”
“There is no other way. You lied.”
“Twice,” Anton inserted helpfully. “What were you thinking?”
“Within five seconds of walking into her office the first day, I fucking knew that even if it took me two goddamned years to convince Sierra we’re meant to be together, it’d be worth any lie in the short term for a chance at the long term with her.”
Silence.
I glanced up.
Hayden pretended to knuckle away a tear.
Asshole.
“Why didn’t you tell her that just now?” Kyler said.
“What was I supposed to do? Tackle her, sit on her and make her listen to me?” I snorted. “Right. Like you guys would’ve let that happen.” I pointed at Hayden. “Dickhead there already warned me tonight that I’d better watch my step around the precious. And it’s not like I don’t already have another contract out with you psycho McKay motherfuckers for maintaining good behavior with her.”
“Explain that, West.”
I relayed my deal with Gavin, which in hindsight meant I provided them with a legit reason to make fun of me for the rest of my fucking life and to beat the fuck out of me.
After they finished laughing, Kyler crossed his arms over his chest. “Now that this is in perspective for us… When she stomped off? That’s when you should’ve taken her in hand and put it in perspective for her .”
“ Taken her in hand ?” I repeated.
Kyler shrugged. “Taken her someplace private, explained what you needed to and dealt with her attitude.”
“You’ve had experience with that?”
“A time or two.” He smirked. “A woman like Sierra? She’ll see how far she can push you. She expects you to push back.”
“That’s why you need to keep her guessing where that push back line is,” Hayden added.
“If that doesn’t work, buy her something,” Anton suggested. “Just not a puppy.”
“Or jewelry. That’s like saying ‘please wrap this necklace around my dick and assume you now own it,’” Hayden said with a shudder.
I looked from Hayden to Anton to Kyler. “You guys don’t have a fucking clue about women, do you?”
Hayden cheerily said, “Nope.”
Anton said, “Does anyone, really?”
“Awesome. Thanks for nothing.”
“ Ah ah ah . But we are gonna give you something,” Hayden said.
“What?”
“Another chance with Sierra, cynical fucker,” Anton said.
“Come over Sunday night after you get off work for food and football,” Ky said. “Be ready to explain everything to her. Sierra gets mad fast, but she’s not unreasonable.”
“Except for some reason we cannot understand, she seems to like you,” Anton said.
“Fuck off, McKay.”
“That’s the thanks we get for playing the love doctors between you two?” Hayden made obnoxious kissing noises.
I ignored him and stood. “Seriously, guys, I appreciate it. This thing between me and Sierra…it’s important. See you Sunday.”
M y favorite thing about fall wasn’t the break from the brutal summer temperatures.
It was that fall meant football season.
I loved football—a love my dad passed down to me. Since he
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