Page 60 of Enemy Games

I dropped my bagel and coffee on the table in front of Reid and Ethan. They looked up at me with questioning gazes.

“What's going on?” Reid asked while Ethan took me in.

“You look like you haven't slept in a week.”

“I'm aware.” I took the seat and willed an answer to hit me in the head so I didn't have to ask them what I came here for. “I have a problem.”

They shared a look before turning back to me.

“We've known that for a while. But could you be more specific?” Ethan asked with a smirk on his face.

It took all my willpower not to leave. I had a mission and, unfortunately, it required them.

“There's a girl.”

That was all I could get out before both of them busted up laughing. Yeah, I was going to regret this. I should have found anyone else, literally anyone on campus, to ask rather than coming to these two. They were going to make me pay for every single word I’d ever said against them or dating.

“Okay, there's a girl,” Reid said once he composed himself.

“Yeah, there's a girl, and I think I'm interested in her, but I'm not sure what to do.”

Ethan clapped, then rubbed his hands together. “All right. All right. I've been waiting for this moment for a few years now. Tell us about this girl.”

Reid leaned forward. “I have a feeling we know who it is.”

An evil glint shone in Ethan’s eyes. “I know I just want to hear him say it out loud.”

I groaned then looked around making sure no one we knew was within earshot. “It's Presley.”

Reid let out a mock gasp. “No way!”

Ethan nudged him with his shoulder. “We got him to admit the truth. That’s half of the problem.”

Reid smirked. “You’ve come to the right place, young grasshopper. What wisdom is it that you seek?”

I ignored him. I wished I could leave the table, but I’d already come so far. It was time to dive in. “I need to figure out if these feelings are just attraction or if there's something deeper there.”

“You mean like a specific chemical reaction?” Ethan jumped in.

“A social construct?” Reid added.

“An utter and complete waste of time and emotion?”

Had they planned this conversation at some point? This felt practiced.

I narrowed my eyes. “I never said that one.”

Ethan crossed his arms. “You didn't have to. The judgment was always there.”

“Are you guys going to help me or not?”

“Oh, we'll help you.” Reid leaned forward and steepled his fingers. “We just won't make it easy on you.”

“So you want to know what she thinks about you? Is that it?” Ethan eyed me like he was sizing me up.

When had these two turned into mob bosses?

“Benjamin thinks I should take her out. Or at least ask her if she's willing to go out with me.”