Page 89 of The Write Track
We were on the same page there. “Watch him tonight,” I said. “He’ll be hanging around the bonfire. He’s a lurker.”
“Watch him for what?” Brody prodded.
I shrugged. “Ideas on how we can take him down.”
“We might need a lightsaber,” Bree suggested. “Or one of those slasher killers you guys love so much.” She fell momentarily silent then perked up. “Wait… you guys are going to go nuts when it comes time to decorate for Halloween, aren’t you? You’re going to be one ofthosecouples.”
I hadn’t gotten that far, but she wasn’t wrong. “I believe we’ll be hosting the Halloween party every year,” I agreed, slinging my arm around Bella’s shoulders. “You guys can have the Christmas party.”
“New Year’s Eve party,” Bree corrected. “Christmas is a stressful holiday. It makes me think of my mother. Hayley can have the Christmas party.”
I had no problem with that. “Just watch Preston tonight. Keep your minds open. We need to take that idiot down a peg or two.”
“Or ten,” Bella said. “He’s not going to make it easy.” She looked worried.
I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, secretly relieved that we weren’t hiding from our friends any longer. The need to touch her in front of them had been almost impossible to squelch.
“We’re going to figure it out,” I assured her. “He’s a tool.”
“Yes, one of those ones you buy when you can’t sleep and catch a weird infomercial,” Bree agreed. “We’re going to find him in a dumpster before it’s all said and done.”
I grinned. I couldn’t help it. “That sounds like a great idea to me. Let’s just figure out a way to get him in that dumpster.”
DINNER CONSISTED OF BEEF MEDALLIONSONtiny pieces of bread, side salads, and potato cakes. I filled my plate to heaping, not caring about the looks Preston kept shooting me, and laughed throughout dinner with Bella, Bree, Brody, and Hayley. Per usual, Preston sat two tables over, Daisy at his side. His glare was pronounced.
“I’m just glad you guys aren’t hiding your fornication any longer,” Hayley said as she wiped her hands on a napkin. “It was getting painful to pretend that I didn’t know what was going on when you disappeared for your walks every night.”
“We were getting exercise,” I shot back.
“Right.” Hayley rolled her eyes. “I know exactly what type of exercise you were getting. Bree made me spy one night, and we saw your guys’ version of foreplay. It was freaking painful.”
Next to me, Bella stiffened. “What?”
“They’re exaggerating,” I assured her.
“We’re not,” Bree countered. “You guys were being creepy slasher killers and damsels in distress. Your scream when you’re frightened of getting knifed—there’s an interesting discussion on phallic symbols to be had there since most of the stabbers are men, but I digress—needs work, Nathan.”
I couldn’t decide whether I was amused or annoyed. Ultimately, I found I didn’t care. It wasn’t as if we’d been getting naked in the woods. It had just been a get-to-know-you game that I would enjoy playing until the day I died.
“Don’t give my girl a hard time.” I grabbed my empty plate and stood. Bella was still working on hers. “I’m running to the bathroom and I’ll bring back dessert.” I gave Bree a stern look. “Don’t talk too loud with Nosy McNosypants listening over there, huh?”
Bree glanced over to where Preston was watching the show with abject hatred and turned into a soap opera villain. “Sorry.” She looked as if she legitimately meant it. “I keep forgetting that jerk. I can’t wait until he’s out of our lives and we can give you the hard time you deserve.”
“Yes, that will be great for us all,” I replied dryly. “You want the chocolate brownie for dessert?” I asked Bella.
Her grin was quick. “How did you know?”
“Even though I’m not the most observant man in the world, there’s no missing the way to your heart.”
“Aw, so sweet,” Bree crooned when I leaned in and gave Bella a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Don’t make me hurt you,” I warned Bree as I walked away from the table. It was an empty threat—everybody knew it—but Bree loved banter.
Once I was finished in the bathroom and had washed my hands, twice, I headed over to the dessert table. There were three offerings tonight, and I was debating whether I could get away with stealing five of the brownies—I had a grand idea about eating them in bed with Bella once we were finished with group activities this evening—when I felt a presence move in at my left. I didn’t have to look to know who it was.
“Preston,” I said blandly.
“Good dessert choices tonight, huh?” he said in a falsely chipper voice.
