More Than Friends (Friends, #2)(26)

He licks the mustard from his mouth and I feel a little weak at the sight of his tongue. What’s up with all the tongues today? “Find someone to cover you.”

“I can’t do it this week.” No way. “Maybe I can work next week’s game.”

“But we need you this week. It’s an away game, and that’s when we need our water girls the most.”

The water girl title is so undignified. “What happened to your previous water girl?”

“Turns out she’s allergic to the grass on the field and can’t do it anymore. I told Coach about you and he knows how much you love the game and our team. He said he wanted no one else. Just you.” The smug look of satisfaction on Tuttle’s face was more than obvious.

And sort of annoying.

“You can’t just volunteer me up for a job when I’m not sure if I can do it,” I tell him.

“When do you next work?”

“This afternoon.”

Tuttle frowns. “A closing shift?”

I bite my lip and nod. Then I open up my sandwich and pick off all the onions, one by one. I am not risking onion breath while I’m around him.

“By yourself? Or with that drippy guy?”

I’m offended on Blake’s behalf. “Don’t call Blake drippy.” I put my sandwich back together and take a bite.

“He seems sorta drippy.”

“Aw, look, Ryan. They’re having a lovers’ quarrel,” Livvy teases as she nudges her boyfriend right before they both start cracking up.

I send them a withering stare before I resume my conversation with Tuttle. “Don’t be so mean. Just because he’s not some big, sexy jock like you.”

Oh, the look he sends me is priceless. “You think I’m a big, sexy jock?”

“You know you’re a big, sexy jock. Everyone thinks so.”

“I only care what you think,” he says as he leans in close, his voice low. Too low. Sexy low.

There he goes again, saying dangerous things. “You shouldn’t.”

“Too late.” He resumes eating like the conversation is over.

I push his shoulder out of irritation, and because I want to touch him. Shoving him when you’re me is pointless considering he’s a solid wall of muscle. “I can’t ask my boss for every Friday off. I just started there.”

“Just through the football season, Amanda.” Oh. He said my name. He doesn’t say it very often, but it sounds nice falling from his lips. His perfectly kissable lips. “Maybe until mid November, but that’s it. Then you can work every Friday night for the rest of your life if you want to.”

I’m tempted. I think he knows it too because I see the light catch in his eyes and the warm way he studies me is enough to make me want to squirm.

“Just ask,” he says, his voice soft. He sends a quick glance in Ryan and Livvy’s direction, but they’re too wrapped up in each other to pay attention to us. “The worst she can say is no.”

“I’ll ask,” I say, my voice as soft as his.

“Promise?”

I nod. “I’ll let you know what she says.”

We both eat for a while before he asks another question. “You’re really closing by yourself tonight?”

“Yeah. It’s my first time.” I swallow past the sudden nervousness that swamps me. “Blake said I could call him if I need help.”

“Please.” Tuttle scoffs. “Like that guy can help you.”

“I mean, with like the register or whatever. The money I have to put in the safe in the back before I leave. There’s this whole closing up procedure I have to follow and I don’t want to mess it up.”

Jordan studies me, the concern in his eyes obvious. “I don’t like the idea of you being alone there at night.”

“I’m a big girl.” I smile but it feels fake, so I let it fade. “I’ll be fine.”

“Uh huh.” He reaches out and brushes the corner of my lips with his thumb. “Mustard,” he tells me.

Just before he sticks his thumb in his mouth and licks it off.





Tuesday night at Yo Town is pretty boring. The shop is located in a busy shopping center, but once it hits about eight o’clock, business dies. The last hour would’ve dragged if I hadn’t prepped for closing during that time. I’m confident closing will be a breeze, but I can’t help but feel a little nervous after Tuttle showed so much concern about my being alone.

If he never would’ve acted like that, I’d be fine. He put too many dark thoughts in my head.

He’s pretty good at that.

My phone buzzes in the back pocket of my jeans and I pull it out to find a text from Blake.



You doing okay? Have any questions?



I text him back.



I’m fine. Last hour has been dead but that gave me time to clean up a lot.



That’s what I usually do too. Call me if you need anything.



Will do! :)



I put my phone away and start to cover the toppings that can stay out overnight. I’ll put the ones that need to be refrigerated in the back after I lock the front door. I check the clock. 8:47. Thirteen minutes ’til closing time.