The Do-Over (The Miles High Club #4)(38)

My eyes rise to hers. “Maybe you are.”





Chapter 9


HAYDEN

We stare at each other. The air crackles between us, and I open my mouth to reply, but for the first time in my life, I’m shocked to silence.

He did not just say that.

“Hayden, meet Eduardo.” He gestures to a young teenage boy that I hadn’t noticed working behind the bar. I think it’s the same one he had a fight over the other night.

I turn, embarrassed. “Hello.” I smile.

“Eduardo is going to be our new translator.”

I frown as I look between the two of them. Did I hear that right? “I beg your pardon?”

“I broke his phone, so I got a replacement one, but”—he pauses for effect—“he has to work it off,” he replies sternly. “So . . . he’s going to help our room members out.”

I smile, the deal he’s made taking shape in my mind. “Okay, that sounds like a great plan. We could really do with the help,” I say as I play along.

Eduardo looks between us, seemingly excited. “I’ll find you jobs,” he says with a strong Spanish accent. “I know a lot of people here in Barcelona.” He stammers as if trying to talk me into it.

“That is exciting.” I smile. My eyes flick over to Christopher, and he gives me a subtle wink.

“But you can’t have the phone until we all have jobs and you have paid it off,” Christopher reminds him.

“Okay.” He nods. “I’ll earn it for positive.”

Christopher smirks. “The word is certain. ‘I’ll earn it for certain.’”

Eduardo corrects himself. “I’ll earn it for certain.”



The music is loud and the club is pumping. “How long . . . ,” says Zack.

I screw up my face as I concentrate to hear him. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

He leans right in close and puts his hand around my waist so that he can talk into my ear. “I said, How long have you been traveling?”

“Oh, only two weeks. Very new at it all. What about you?”

“This is my eighth month.”

“Wow.” I smile, then glance over to see Christopher, glaring at me from the bar . . . like he has been all night.

I thought we were friends?

Every time I turn around, I see his furious face. I’m over it.

I glare right back. Honestly, I don’t have time for his childish tantrum. He slept with two women last night and then has the audacity to be pissed with me for talking to a man.

What a joke.

I will not be manipulated like this. He needs to grow the fuck up.

“I’m just going to the bathroom,” Zack says.

“Okay.”

He walks off, and I sip my drink.

“I’d like a word,” Christopher growls.

“No.”

He screws up his face. “What do you mean, no?”

“N-O.” I spell it out for him.

“Listen,” he spits through gritted teeth.

“No. You listen,” I yell. “Do not insult my intelligence by acting jealous when we both know you have no intention of pursuing me.”

His eyes nearly bulge from their sockets. “Outside. Now.”

“Fine.” I storm toward the door. I’m angry.

How dare he?

We burst through the front doors of the club and out onto the street.

“What is your problem? Every time I turn around, I am copping a dirty look from you.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“You don’t even know him,” I spit.

“I know his type. I’ve been analyzing him all night.”

“Ha.” I explode. “And what type is that, Christopher? A man who wants women only for sex? Well, I’ve got news for you, mister. It takes one to spot one.” I step forward and poke him hard in the chest. “If you want to analyze something, why don’t you work out why it is that you have such low expectations.”

“I do not have low expectations of women,” he yells back. “Your expectations of men are way too high.”

“Who said anything about women?” I yell. “You have low expectations of yourself.”

“That’s fucking ridiculous!”

“It’s true.” I throw my hands up in disgust. “That’s why you give your body away so easily. You don’t hold value in yourself.”

“Fuck off.”

“How can you not see it?”

“See what?”

“That deep down you think that nobody could possibly love you for you.”

His face falls.

“Why is that?” I ask softly. “Because it doesn’t make any sense to me.”

His eyes search mine, and I know that I’ve hit a nerve.

“Why do you think that hard and fast is safe? When are you going to stop hiding from yourself? You’re an adult. Grow up.”

He screws his face up in disgust. “You have no fucking idea what you’re talking about.”

“I can’t help you with this, Christopher. You want to fuck around, that’s great. Go do it. But don’t cry ‘poor me’ when people who care about you meet someone worthy.”