More Than Friends (Friends, #2)(25)

“I heard you played a really great game Friday.”

Tuttle pauses mid-chew and then swallows before he answers. “I did all right. It was really the team. Ryan, he ran in three touchdown passes.”

“He’s a great player.”

“He is.”

“So are you.” I get a shrug as an answer. “I hate that I missed the game.”

“I know you love football.”

“Sucks that I have to work every Friday night.”

“You should tell them you’re busy.”

I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, that’ll go over real well with my new boss. ‘Sorry I can’t work Friday nights. I gotta watch the football game.’ She won’t go for that.”

He’s quiet. Contemplative. “What if I could give you a valid excuse?”

“An excuse for what?”

“To come to every football game.”

“How are you going to do that?”

Tuttle grins. Full on grins so broadly, I’m slightly taken aback. “Watch and see.”





“They’re in a relationship. Like boyfriend and girlfriend already. He’s probably had sex with her.” Livvy shudders, her gaze locked on what’s unfolding on the other side of the quad during lunch. It’s the day after Tuttle took me to In-N-Out and now I’m back to eating lunch at school. The temporary heat wave has passed and it actually feels like fall today.

“So?” I sound bored because I am bored. She needs to stop focusing her energy on Dustin and Brianne Brown and instead pay attention to Ryan. He’s totally into her. Like, he acts the fool around her all the time and she thinks it’s adorable.

I find him annoying, but that’s me.

“He took her to the homecoming dance, they went out Saturday and Sunday. And they’ve spent every free moment at school together,” Liv continues.

“How do you know all of this? And I thought you were over Dustin.” We should stop talking about him. Ryan could appear at any moment.

She rolls her eyes. “I promise, I’m trying my hardest to get over him, but it’s—difficult. I still miss him. He was a daily part of my life for so long, and now he’s gone. Poof. Like our friendship never existed.” A pained expression crosses her face. “Gross, he just kissed her. I think I saw tongue.”

Dustin and Brianne Brown were bound to happen. The girl has been working him over since the school year started. Actually, she’d been after him for years, according to Liv. Dustin had just been so wrapped up in Livvy, hoping he had a chance with her. Until he blew it. And she blew it. Oh, and Em blew it too.

Literally.

Ha ha. Bad joke.

“They wouldn’t be doing the tongue tango on the quad,” I reassure Liv just as Ryan sits down next to her, plopping his tray full of food on the table. He’s laughing, his gaze meeting mine.

“Who’s doing the tongue tango?” he asks.

“Brianne Brown and Du—”

“Hey, baby.” Livvy cuts me off and flashes Ryan a seductive smile as she strokes a hand down his chest. Guess she doesn’t want to look like she’s spying on Dustin in front of Ryan. Smart move. “What did you get for lunch?”

He points it all out, offering her some, but she shakes her head and holds up the prepackaged salad she brought from home. I’m munching on carrot sticks again and guzzling water. Ryan is eating pizza and a hamburger and a salad, plus he has a brownie that he claims his mom made. Right before Livvy bursts into a giggle fit. I’m thinking it might be a pot brownie, but what do I know.

“Hey.” I glance up at the sound of the familiar voice, the sun so bright I can’t make out the face of who’s standing by our table, but I recognize his shape. It’s Tuttle. And he doesn’t wait for an invitation, he just sits down next to me, lifting his brows as he shows me the Subway bag he’s carrying. “Want to split a sandwich?”

Before I can ask him when he found the time to go to the Subway down the street, he’s unwrapping the sandwich and giving me half. “What’s on it?”

“Turkey with everything except tomatoes, pickles and peppers.”

“Onions?” I wrinkle my nose. I don’t want onion breath around him.

He nods. “Oh yeah.”

“I don’t know…” I start, but he silences me with a look.

“Eat it.”

I dutifully pick up the sandwich, take a bite and almost moan at how good it tastes. I didn’t realize how burnt out I am on baby carrots and ranch until this very moment. “Thank you,” I say once I swallow.

“I have good news,” he says casually, facing Ryan and Liv. Making me think the good news is for either Ryan or Liv.

“What is it?” Ryan asks.

Tuttle turns to look at me. “You’re our new team water girl.”

I’m packing up my carrots and ranch, and I pause, meeting Tuttle’s gaze. “Are you talking about me?”

He nods. Takes another bite of his sandwich. There’s a tiny gob of mustard stuck in the corner of his mouth and I’m tempted to wipe it off with my finger.

Or my tongue.

My cheeks go hot at the mere thought.

“But I can’t do it. I work on Friday nights.”