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Page 51 of The Guy on the Left (The Underdogs 2)

Matt came to her end of the bar. “I was serious you know.”

Ivy raised her brows. “About what?”

“I know you think I’m just fooling around, but I’d ask you out in a heartbeat if I thought you’d say yes.”

A little flustered, Ivy murmured, “That’s sweet, but—”

Matt shook his head. “No, not sweet. My thoughts for you are anything but.” He leaned a hip against the counter on the inside of the bar. “Listen, I don’t know everything about what’s going on between you and P. Colton, but I have bartender’s ears, and I’ve heard you talking to Emerson.”

“Matt—”

“No, let me finish. I promise I won’t make things awkward.” He continued when Ivy nodded. “I just want you to know, you don’t have to settle with whatever it is you’ve got going on with him. You’re the whole package—funny, smart, and beautiful. If that guy doesn’t get his shit together and figure that out, I just wanted you to know, I’ll be waiting once you decideyou’retired of waiting.” He snatched a rag off the counter. “Now, I’ve said my peace. I’ll leave you to your game.”

He walked to the other end of the bar, but instead of her eyes going back to the TV, they fell to her cup and zeroed in on the lone marshmallow that floated on the surface, refusing to melt. Was she being as stubborn as that marshmallow, refusing to give up on a relationship that wasn’t even one?

She couldn’t fault Colt as Matt so easily did. The whole friends with benefits thinghadbeen her brilliant idea. At the time she’d suggested it, she hadn’t thought it would last so long. Honestly, she thought Colt would’ve ended it weeks ago. Was it time for her to do so? The only reason she hesitated was because she loved the time she spent with him. It was the time apart that was so hard.

And it was when they were apart that she had her doubts.

She didn’t know what to do. The only thing shedidknow was they couldn’t stay in limbo forever.

Chapter Seventeen

Colt

Colt’s jaw hardened as his coach announced their flight would be delayed another hour. He and his teammates had already been waiting for over three. Soon it would be four. And if the weather didn’t clear up, he might never make it back. Today was the worst day for that to have happened. On Ivy’s birthday.

He pulled out his phone and texted her.

Hey, can you talk?

He knew she’d be busy celebrating, so was surprised she answered so quickly.

Sure.

He exited messages to call her.

“Hey,” he said when she picked up. He didn’t hear anything in the background. “It’s so quiet. I expected to have to yell over all the noise.”

“I moved to the back after you texted. It’s quiet in the kitchen. That and the fact Emerson shut the place down for the night, so there’s not much of a crowd here.”

“Sorry I’m missing the party. My flight was delayed again. Don’t think I’m going to even make the tail end of it.”

“That’s okay. I know you wanted to come, that’s the important part.”

She didn’t sound upset or hurt. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. “Did my present arrive, at least?”

“Yes. I have it here with me, but I haven’t opened it. Thought I’d wait for you.”

“No, I want you to open it on your birthday, and with the way things are going here, it doesn’t look like I’ll get back until early morning.”

“Then at least let me open it while we’re on the phone.”

“That I won’t object to.”

“Okay, it’s in my bag. Hang on while I grab it.”

He heard a soft clunk, and then less than a minute later she returned, sounding a little winded. “Okay, I’m back. Now let me just put you on speakerphone so my hands are free.” She came back on a second later, sounding echoey. “Can you hear me?”


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