“Uh, no. Movie. Food. Just him and me.”
Roman snatched his hand back as though I’d stung it, took a noticeable step backwards and cleared his throat. “Right, well. About time, too. Fucker should have manned up weeks ago.” He ran a hand through his hair as his other hand dug around in his blazer pocket in that familiar motion that was him looking for his cigarette packet.
He pulled one out and lit it. For some reason, I looked around to check if any teachers were around to see. But, they were rarely on the oval and they even more rarely tried to tell Roman off for smoking anymore. I’d started to think that, as long as he showed up and didn’t cause a ruckus, they were happy to leave him be. So I didn’t know why I did then, because I’d never worried about it before.
“I… Uh…” I cleared my throat, not sure why it was suddenly so awkward. “So, I um have no idea what it means, of course. And Hads is being no help, naturally. But, well… Yay. A date!” I don’t know how sincere I sounded to him. To me, I sounded like I was heading for an execution or something.
Which wasn’t fair and I didn’t know why I was reacting like that.
I liked Mason, a lot. He was nice and kind and hot, he was funny and smart and good at sport. There was no reason not to be totally ecstatic that he’d finally asked me out. It meant no more waiting, it meant no more wondering. I wanted to go out with him…
Didn’t I?
“Piper,” Roman snapped and I looked at him. “I get that the fantasy of your date with Carter is totally dreamy, but I asked if you needed a ride home.”
My skin crawled at his tone, but I wasn’t offended by it. It wasn’t the first time he’d snapped at me and it wouldn’t be the last; I wasn’t going to judge or blame him for whatever had put him in a bad mood.
“I wasn’t daydreaming about my date, thank you,” I snapped back, surprising myself. “I just don’t know where this leaves me. I don’t do this whole dating thing well, all right?”
Roman blew out a stream of smoke, frowning. “How can you be bad at it? You get asked out, you go on a date, you hook up. It’s really not that hard, Barlow.”
I frowned right back at him. “It is, actually. Are we dating now? Girlfriend-boyfriend? Are we one of those couples that just go on some dates? What do I do?”
“Well, we’re nothing,” Roman answered smoothly and I felt kicked in the gut. “Seriously, Barlow, you worry about everything.”
“We’re nothing?” I repeated, that empty feeling creeping in.
Roman shrugged. “We’re nothing more than what we are.”
“What?”
“I’m not seeing the problem here. We’re nothing and Carter’s your John Cusack.”
I blinked. “But, how do I know?”
“That he’s your John Cusack? Haven’t you been telling me for weeks?”
“No. What we’re doing! Is it just a date? It is dating? How am I supposed to know? Everyone else seems to know, but I don’t know!” My brain was moving too fast but too slowly at the same time and I had trouble working out what I was saying and what he was saying.
His eyes softened, but his tone and his mouth were still hard. “Well, do you know what we are?”
“You just told me we were nothing.”
He rolled his eyes. “When I’m not being a dick, do you know what we are?”
I nodded. “Of course I do.”
“How?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just do.”
“Exactly. You have no trouble knowing what we are. Look at it this way, you look at Carter and you apply the same logic. Right?”
I blinked. “How? I’m trying. But, I don’t see it.”
He flicked his cigarette butt away, his eyes cold now. “Well seems to me, Barlow, that’s not my problem. You let me know if you work it out, huh?” he asked shortly.
I bristled. “You can be in a shit all you want, but you don’t need to take it out on me.”
He shrugged. “I’m not taking anything out on you, Barlow. Now, you need a ride this afternoon or not?”
I frowned at him. “You know what, Lombardi? Don’t worry about it.”
“Your precious Carter going to drive you home?” he asked, looking genuinely surprised.
“No.”
“What? You walking?” he scoffed.
“Anything is preferable right now to being stuck with you being a dick,” I snapped.
His face broke into surprise for a moment, then shut down blank. “Fine. Have a nice life.”
“Thanks, I will.”
I turned on my heel and headed for the library, not having the energy to talk to anyone after that weird encounter.
I was supposed to feel happy, wasn’t I? Excited that the guy I liked had asked me out, that we were going on a proper date? Hadley was certainly excited. I’d thought Roman would… I don’t know.
We talked about everything. We shared everything. I’d thought, if Hadley wasn’t going to help me work out what the hell Mason and I were doing, then Roman and his vast store of hookup knowledge would have some idea. Sure, the guy didn’t date, but it wasn’t for lack of knowing how – how else could he avoid it so well?
But, no. He’d decided to be in a mood when I really needed him.
Chapter Twenty-One
Roman is NOT Jealous of Mason.
Roman still waited for me at his ute in his driveway every morning and in the carpark every afternoon. But, we barely spoke. The air around us had that sizzle of tension, but it wasn’t the good kind. Roman scowled and smoked, but any time he touched me it was soft.
Things with Mason were likewise going swimmingly.
I had no idea what I was doing. I tried – as Roman had suggested – putting the same logic I used to understand Roman and me into understanding Mason and me. But, I couldn’t work it out.
Around Mason, I was just a mess. I giggled too much. I blushed too much. I got awkward – and not in a cute way. I actually snorted quite disastrously on multiple occasions while trying to laugh in a way that showed him I was interested.
All it got me was a weird look from Hadley and an awkward smile from Mason like maybe he was rethinking dating me.
So, by Friday – as Hadley and I wandered to the oval – I was already extremely uncomfortable when she brought up the whole uni thing again. Somehow though, I managed to keep some composure.
“All I’m saying is that distance could be good. You know, FREEDOM!” Hadley shouted in her best Mel-Gibson-Scottish accent as she flung her arms in the air and I was worried she was about to bare her arse. So yeah, maybe we’d watched Braveheart one too many times…
I nodded. “Okay. But, Sydney and Melbourne are so expensive to live in, Hads.”
“But, the shopping, babes!”
“But, the lack of money, babes!”
She shrugged. “Mum and Dad said they’d pay for me to go wherever I want.”
I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t like my parents weren’t keen to help me out either. But, that was hardly the point. And, if I wasn’t going to tell her the real reason I didn’t want to go to Melbourne or Sydney, then I was going to have to come up with some damned good arguments.
“Adelaide is still hours away from the parents. Is that not enough?”
“Hours by car, babes. By. Car. The parents could still drop in unannounced. What if I’m riding some handsome man on our couch and my Mum walks in?”
I snorted despite the rate at which my heart was beating. “Okay, that is one visual I did not need. Besides, two things wrong with that. Firstly, I’m going to need serious prior warning if you’re going to be doing guys on our couch. And, maybe a large store of plastic wrap. And secondly, our parents are more than capable of not telling us that they’re getting on a plane if they really wanted.”
She sighed. “But, plastic gets so hot and sticky. Plus, the way it squeaks? Babes, it’s just not sexy. Unless he’s into the donkey thing.”
I brok
e into a huge laugh completely unintentionally. “That? That is what you take away from that?”
Hadley and I pulled up short as something went whizzing past our faces. But, it was just a football a bunch of the other guys in our year were throwing around. As I looked around at who was playing, my eyes fell on Roman across the oval.
He was with Steve, Rio and Jake as usual. The four of them looking like some poster for juvenile delinquency. Which wasn’t fair, and I knew it. Roman wasn’t really a delinquent. Well, I mean… Yes, he was. In so many respects, he was. But, that was so not all he was. And, I’d bet that wasn’t all Rio, Steve and Jake were either when you actually got to know them.
“Seriously, it should be a crime to be that good looking,” Hadley muttered.
“What?” I asked.
She laughed. “Like you hadn’t noticed in all the hours you two must have spent together lately.”
I jumped. “What?”
I took my eyes off Roman to find her watching me carefully. “Are you okay? You’re being really weird at the moment.”
I shrugged. “I’m fine. Why would I not be fine?”
Hadley’s eyes slid behind me to Roman and back again. “Did he try to kiss you and you had to shut him down?”
“Did he what?” I scoffed, totally convincingly (not). “No.”
Hadley frowned. “Then, what is up with you two lately? Seriously, the amount of time you spend staring at each other when the other one isn’t looking is depressing.” She rolled her eyes and waved an arm at him. “Case in point.”
I spun and my eyes found Roman just as he was looking down at his board.
“Seriously, what happened? If he didn’t make a move on you, what– Oh, I know…” she said, getting that tone she got when she thought she’d discovered something juicy. “He’s like properly into you and now he’s annoyed you’re dating Mason!”
I huffed and started walking over to our friends. “Hads, for the last time, Roman isn’t into anyone, let alone me. He’s just… In a mood. He gets that way.”
“You do seem to know a lot about him…” she teased.
“We’re friends… Sort of…” I blinked and shook my head. “I don’t know, Hadley. We’re friends, he drives me to school so I don’t have to get the bus, and he gets super moody sometimes. It’s like his thing. I thought you used to like that about him?”
“Oh, I still like that about him. But, I like the timing of his mood more.”
I turned to glare at her and she gave me a wink. “Hads, there is nothing significant about the timing. Maddy’s just being…awkward, I’m sure.”
Hadley grabbed my arm to stop me getting too close to the group and pulled me to face her. “Maddy?” she asked, far too interested. “Jilted ex-lover? Threatened by you?”
I huffed. “No. Niece.”
She opened her mouth and paused, obviously needing a moment to digest that. “He has a niece?” she asked finally, then she smirked at me. “Paris got biz-ay did she?”
I tried to school my smile, but failed. “That is usually how these things work, yes.”
“A niece?”
“She’s five.”
“And, he what? Looks after her?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Carmen works really hard, so he does what he can. Plays with her, cooks for her, looks after her.”
“Oh. My. God.” Hadley breathed out heavily and clutched her lower stomach. “My ovaries, babes!” She made little explosions with her hands.
I snorted. “I know, though, right?”
“Holy shit! Did you just admit you think he’s beautiful?” Hadley looked at me like I’d suddenly grown two heads but she was simultaneously proud of me.
I shrugged nonchalantly. “Maybe.”
“Progress, babes. Progress.”
“Just don’t go spreading it around.”
“Trust me, the only thing spreading will be my legs to give that gorgeous creature children he will look adorable with.”
I burst into laughter and Hadley dissolved into giggles with me. We held onto each other for support as we closed the distance to our friends.
As soon as he saw us laughing our heads off, Mason jumped up and came over to me. I swapped Hadley’s arm for Mason’s around my shoulders and he kissed my temple.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
My laughter sort of choked off in my throat. “Hads is just being vulgar again.”
She shrugged unapologetically. “I can’t help it if I’m honest about my feelings.”
I giggled. “Yeah, but when your feelings are leading you to shag unsavoury characters, I don’t need quite all the sordid plans.”
“You’re my best friend. Of course you’ll get all the sordid plans. And, all the details after. Every. Single. Debased. Detail.” She winked and I shook my head with a smile. It was fine for Hadley to corrupt me of course, just no one else.
“You girls often talk sex?” Mason chuckled and I felt my cheeks go bright red.
“Only always,” Hadley answered. “We like to compare and contrast, make sure someone’s doing it right.” She gave him her sultriest grin and another wink.
He laughed. “I’ll remember that in future.”
“Really?” Hadley asked in what I’d coined her ‘detective tone’.
He nodded and his arm dropped from my shoulder to my waist, tightening his hold on me a little. “You can be assured my performance won’t be lacking. I always bring out my best when I’m being marked.”
Hadley slid me an impressed look and I gave her my best smile back. “Is that so?” she answered. “Good to hear. I expect reports of toe curling, name screaming, and marathons.”
Mason held me tighter. “Only the best for our Piper,” he replied, his tone halfway between teasing and sexy.
Hysterical laughter burst out of me and I winced. “Ha! Good. That’s good. The best is…good.” My chuckle thankfully died and Hadley gave me the most sympathetic look ever.
Mason chuckled, put his other arm around me so my back was against his front and kissed my cheek.
“What are your plans for the weekend, Hads?” he asked her, resting his cheek against mine.
She flicked her hair over her shoulder in that semi-sarcastic way she had. “Oh, you know. Desperately trying to get Tucker to take me out.” She leant forward conspiratorially. “You don’t think his best mate could talk to him?” She batted her eyelids and I supressed a grin.
Mason leant over my shoulder towards her. “His best mate could… But, Craig’s been a little busy with his own stuff.”
I did smile then as Hadley laughed. Then, she cut it short and glared at him, and my smile widened.
“Cut the bullshit, buddy. Is Tucker interested or not?”
I felt Mason smile against my cheek; like me, he knew she wasn’t being serious. “You know, Hads. I get the feeling guys don’t talk about this stuff as much as you girls do.”
“I know for a fact that’s shit,” she replied, trying to supress her smile.
I felt him shake his head. “Not at all.”
“All that time you spend in the locker room and you talk about, what? The size of your dicks?” she laughed.
“Well, in the safety of a man-only environment, it’s really just caveman grunts. We get the general feel of a thing rather than the flowery words so desired by you women.”
“You think you’re terribly funny, don’t you?” Hadley asked, her eyes narrowing.
“I’m hilarious. Why else would Piper be interested in me?” he chuckled.
Why else, indeed.
My eyes slid to the other side of the oval of their own accord while Hadley and Mason kept talking. Anyone would be forgiven for thinking Hadley was blindly hitting on my…was he even my actual boyfriend? But, I knew her well enough to know she wasn’t. Hell, she spent most of her time sounding like she was flirting with me if you didn’t know any better. Hadley was a comfortable, relaxed, flirt. T
hat’s just who she was and I was in no way threatened by the fact it could be inferred that Mason was flirting back.
Because, flirty-sounding banter didn’t always have to be more, it didn’t mean you were accepting anything other than trading words. Unfortunately, some people have yet to accept that when their advances get shut down.
Mason’s arms were warm and strong and sure around my waist. Every now and then, he’d lift one to point somewhere or just gesture as he talked in his usual animated way. He was always full of laughter, always happy, carefree.
I felt like I should be calm and comfortable in his arms. And, it wasn’t like my heart was about to explode from stress or I was uncomfortable. I just felt constantly…on. Like I had to make sure I wasn’t letting my thoughts show on my face, or make sure I was ready to reply with the right thing, or just make sure I didn’t explode in ridiculous laughter like I apparently kept doing. My brain was running a hundred miles a minute and I felt like I could never keep up, always worried Mason would think I wasn’t interested or I was an idiot or he’d be disappointed in me somehow.
It was tiring.
It felt like it shouldn’t be that hard.
It felt like I was the absolutely worst human being on the planet.
As my mind was tumbling in frenzied circles, I realised I was staring at Roman again.
When he looked up at me, my hand rose to him.
I managed to take a deep, relaxing breath.
And another one.
He stared back at me for a moment longer, gave me a curt nod, and went back to whatever it was Roman Lombardi did.
And, my next breath was slightly more tense.
Things were weird between us.
I didn’t know how to make it right and he didn’t seem inclined to make any effort.
I guess I wasn’t surprised really. I mean we’d gone from hanging out almost constantly, sleeping together, some weird sort of friendship I didn’t know what I’d do without, to me dating Mason. We’d always known that our relationship would have to change if or when Mason asked me out. I just hadn’t realised it would be quite so difficult to actually do.
Accidentally Perfect Page 23