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After a long afternoon at the gym, Spencer detoured to the coffee shop for a treat. He earned a nice iced coffee after the work out he just put his body through. But there was only one way to keep these abs, and that was hard work.
Maybe he went a bit overboard with the whipped topping on the coffee, but you only live once. Juggling coffees for himself and Zane while opening the door to their apartment, he called, “Z, I’m back.”
No response. Zane must still be out. He was supposed to be meeting Lily for lunch.
Setting the coffees on the kitchen table, he pulled off his sweatshirt and sweaty t-shirt, balling them both up in his hands.
Hurrying into the bathroom, he grabbed a quick shower.
As he toweled off, he could hear Zane moving around and talking. Running a towel over his hair, he slid on a clean pair of sweatpants.
“Hey, Z,” he walked barefoot down the hallway to the kitchen. “I got coffee.”
“I saw that, thanks.” Zane nodded to the living room. “Lily and Harley are here. Lily and I already grabbed a coffee, but thanks anyway, bro.”
“Did you lose your shirt?” Zane teased.
“Ha-ha. I just took a shower, smart ass. It’s what people do after they come home from the gym.”
“I know how proud you are of your abs, but really?” Zane continued to taunt him.
“Zane, you should be pretty proud of your abs as well.” Lily moved to Zane’s side and pulled up his sweater to show off his. “You work really hard for these.”
“Lily,” Zane fussed, seeming embarrassed.
Spencer chuckled. “No use, Lil, he’s not going to walk around the apartment shirtless. It’s just not him.” He shrugged.
“So, what are you guys doing here? I thought Z was meeting you at the coffee shop. Speaking of coffee, I brought two drinks home. They were doing the buy-one-get-one thing. They’re in the refrigerator if either of you two ladies want one.” He pointed to the refrigerator.
“Yeah, I did meet Lily at the coffee shop. But Harley’s laptop is giving her some problems. I think the fan needs replaced. Long story short, I invited them back here while I work on it.” Zane rummaged around his corner of the room where all his computer parts were. “I thought I had a replacement fan here... but I don’t see one. I’m going to have to run to the store for one. Lil, you want to come along or stay here?”
“I’ll come with you.” Lily smiled.
“Har?” Zane asked.
“I’ll just stay here,” Harley said.
“Okay, well, help yourself to anything in the kitchen, or I’m sure Spencer can get you whatever you’d like.” Zane grabbed his jacket and after taking Lily’s hand, he turned his attention to Spencer. “Be good.”
“Who? Me?” Spencer countered before they left. He added, “I’m always good,” and he turned to Harley with a smirk.
“So, you said you have an extra coffee?” she asked. Sweetly.
He could’ve easily put on a shirt but was amused at how hard Harley was trying to keep from staring at him shirtless. He should be ashamed at his actions, but it’s not like he was hurting anyone, and it’s not like he didn’t often walk around his apartment shirtless. This was nothing unusual—and he wasn’t aware the girls were here.
“I do.” He grabbed the drinks out of the refrigerator. “Interested?”
“Mind if I have the one with whip?” She bit her bottom lip, looking nervous.
“Um, yeah, sure,” Spencer stuttered and handed her the one he had ordered for himself.
She put the straw in it and took a sip. She looked at her drink then back to the one that he was holding. “This was yours, wasn’t it?” she asked shyly.
Spencer shook his head but couldn’t help laughing. “It’s fine. Really.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, even as her eyes wandered to his chest briefly.
“I’m sure.” He grinned at her. His own stare lingering a little too long as she nibbled at her bottom lip, he swirled the straw in his drink, forcing himself to look away. “So, your computer is giving you trouble?”
“Yeah. It started freezing and overheating. Zane thinks it’s the fan.” She shrugged and looked down at her drink.
“Well, you asked the right guy. Zane is a computer whiz.” Spencer nodded to the living room. “I was going to play some video games, want to join me?”
Video games in the living room might be a good way to keep this from getting awkward, and to help him keep his focus on something that wasn’t her.
“Sure,” she nodded.
Surprised at her answer, he chuckled. “Yeah? I didn’t take you for a video game chick.”
“Meh,” she shrugged. “it’s not like I have a game system or anything. And I would never refer to myself as a ‘video game chick’. But if that’s what you’re offering, then, you’re on.”
Harley moved past him, pausing in his face just long enough to say ‘you’re on’.
It was oddly a turn on, just what he didn’t need with Spencer and Lily to return home at any time. At least at the cabin, they had turned in for the night. There was no expectation that they’d emerge from their room before morning.
She sat down on the couch and stared at him, smiling sweetly and egging him on. “Well, are we going to do this or what?”
“Prepare to lose,” he countered as he took a seat on the couch. She was in his usual video game spot, but he wasn’t complaining.
Handing her a controller, he loaded the game. After running down the rules and instructions, he paused, “Any questions? I mean, you can ask me while we’re playing if you need to.”
“Yeah, I think I’m good.” She chose her character and hit a bunch of buttons before he could say anything else. “Oh, did I forget to mention that I’ve played this before?”
“Uh,” he sat, staring at her, confused. “Yes.”
She shrugged. “Before I met Isaac, plenty of guys wanted to date me, especially jocks who lived for their video games. And, just fyi, jocks don’t like when a girl beats them at a video game.”
He shook his head and sneered at her comment. “Well you haven’t played me yet.”
She simply shrugged him off with a smirk.
He began strong and confident in his gaming skills. Showing off his sick skills and taking names. His points were increasing more by the second. Then all of the sudden, it was like Harley came out of nowhere with gamer skills he hadn’t seen yet on a girl. Yes, that was a sexist way to think, but it was the truth. He was sure there were girls with mad gamer skills, he just hadn’t met one yet.
“You just killed me!” he yelled, stunned that she, in fact, did just kill him.
She simply shrugged and the game continued for almost an hour before Lily and Zane returned home.
“What are you two up to?” Zane asked as they walked in the door.
Spencer attempted to mess with Harley’s controller to make her mess up, but his efforts were useless. She was better at this game than he expected.
“Just playing video games, Z,” Spencer called without taking his eyes off the television.
“Harley’s a gamer? Nice.” Zane chuckled. “Never would’ve guessed that.”
“Sweet, right?” Spencer added.
“I ordered pizza for dinner, hope that’s okay,” Zane said as he set up his computer parts on the kitchen table.
“Duh.” Spencer teased. “I mean, it’s no three course BBQ meal. But, pizza is always okay.”
“I figured,” Zane responded with a shake of his head.
“You forgot fully paid for,” Harley sarcastically added.
“Yes, the complimentary three course BBQ dinner,” Spencer corrected himself.
She nodded in acceptance of his words, and laughed.
“Oh, and we grabbed these while we were out.” Zane dumped the contents of a shopping bag onto the table.
“Conversation hearts?” Spencer asked.
“Yep. They are my favorite.” Lily gushed and smiled at Zane before opening a bag and popping a little pink candy heart in her mouth.
“Of course they are, Spencer commented with a chuckle.
“Did you have any doubt?” Harley whispered.
All Spencer could manage was a laugh at her comment. Poor Lily was so energetic that it was like she was on a perpetual sugar high, and that was not lost on any person that met her.
Spencer checked the time then looked back at Harley. “The hockey game is starting soon, mind if I put it on?”
“Not at all, I love hockey. Plus. I was winning anyway.” Harley grinned.
“Oh, you think so? Fairly sure if we kept playing, I would’ve won.” This bit of fun-loving ribbing was very enjoyable. He’d never met a female who could keep up with him on video games, sports, or his general goofiness.
“I guess we’ll never know, will we?” she countered.
He switched the television to the hockey game. “How did I not know that you were a hockey fan?” Spencer sat back on the couch and focused on Harley.
“Yeah, well, I’ve dated my fair share of jocks. You find interest in whatever sports they are watching. But, I’ve always enjoyed hockey. Being stuck at boarding schools I needed to find things to occupy my time. And hockey games are on a few times a week. Let’s just say my favorite teams kept me company while I was away at school.”
“And what did you do during the off season?” Spencer asked, extremely interested in learning more about this sports loving side of Harley.
“Baseball.” She shrugged.
“Huh,” Spencer sat back, baffled at this new information.
A knock on the door meant the pizza was here. Spencer grabbed a piece while it was still hot. The melted cheese and aromatic sauce was his favorite smell in the world.
“Har? Pizza?” he asked.
“Duh.” She mocked his earlier response.
“Lil?”
She shook her head. “I’ll wait on Zane. But, thanks.”
Spencer carried two plates to the couch and handed Harley hers. They ate pizza and watched the hockey game while Zane worked on the computer and Lily watched him like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Soon he was putting it back together. After a quick test, he announced it was fixed.
Zane and Lily grabbed their pizza and ate in the kitchen, which didn’t surprise him. Zane wasn’t a big sports guy.
Soon, they emerged from the kitchen. “Well, I’m full,” Lily commented. “And, I think we better be getting home, Harley. Zane said he would drive us.”
Harley looked from the television to Lily. “Uh...”
“Har, if you want to stay until the game is over, I can drive you home once Z gets back,” Spencer suggested.
“Sounds good. Lil, you okay with that?” Harley asked.
Lily shrugged as Zane helped her with her coat. “Sure. See you when you get home. And, Spencer, thanks for keeping her busy.”
“Don’t thank him, I kicked his ass at that game,” Harley teased.
“And you’re sure you want her to stay, Spencer?” Lily teased.
Spencer nodded with a smirk. “Yeah, she can stay.”
“Gee, thanks,” Harley teased back.
“All right, we’ll leave you to it. Be good,” Zane said as he tossed the bag of conversation hearts to them.
“Would you like another piece of pizza?” Spencer asked her.
“No, I’m stuffed. Thanks.”
“Okay, well, I’m getting another slice.” Spencer grabbed two more slices from the box.
“How are you still hungry? Didn’t you eat like four slices already?” Harley asked.
“Yeah, so?” he teased. “My metabolism is still up from going to the gym today, plus, I earned it.”
“You’re such a gym nerd.” Harley rolled her eyes and turned back to the television.
“What?” he chuckled. “Yeah, I’m not so sure that’s a thing.” He sat back down on the couch beside her with his pizza.
His phone started to buzz. Picking it up off the end table, the screen lit up with the name “MOM”.
“Do you need to take that? I don’t mind.”
“No, I mean, I can call her back. It’s my mom.” Spencer babbled like this was the first time he ever put a sentence together.
Harley let out a little laugh that sounded more like a giggle. “You should answer it.”
“Nah,” he shook his head, still holding the ringing phone in his hand.
“It’s your Mom. Answer it.”
Spencer looked from the phone to Harley once more before answering the call and moving to the other side of the living room. “Hey, Mom. Is everything okay?”
“Hi dear. Everything is fine. I just wanted to hear your voice,” his mom responded.
“Well, here I am.” Spencer felt odd talking to his mom with Harley right there. He began to pace around the room, moving closer to the dining room.
“I hadn’t heard from you in a few days and was just checking in. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, ma. Just watching the hockey game,” he answered just as Harley cheered, clapping her hands at a goal being scored.
“You have company? Because that didn’t sound like Zane. Speaking of Zane, is he there? I’d love to just say hello.”
“It’s a friend. And, no, Zane ran out to the store. You could always try to call him, I’m sure he’d love to talk to you.” Knowing damn well that Zane was out at the store with Lily, Spencer snickered a bit.
“I tried. It went to voicemail.”
“That was a penalty! Refs, you suck!” Harley called.
He could tell that she was trying not to be too loud, but what hockey fan could contain themselves while watching a game? Of all people, he understood that.
“Oh, that’s why you’re not very talkative. You have a young lady there.” His mom snickered.
“She’s a friend, ma,” he countered with an eye roll she couldn’t see.
“Could it be that roommate of Zane’s lady friend?” his mom curiously inquired.
Ignoring his mom’s comment, he changed the subject. “Everything going okay there? How’s Dad?” While he had her on the phone, better make sure they were both doing okay.
“Oh yes, we are both fine. All is well here. You boys should plan to come home for dinner some Sunday. I do love family meals.”
“We can talk about that later, ma.” He looked over at Harley who quickly turned to the television as if she had been listening to his phone conversation. “How about I give you a call tomorrow?”
“Sounds good, dear. I’ll talk to you then. I love you.”
He looked at Harley, then turned his back to her and with his hand partially over his mouth mumbled, “I love you too.”
“That’s sweet,” Harley commented, amused, as she snacked on the candy hearts.
“What?” He sat back down on the couch and took a bite of his pizza. “She was just calling to check in.”
Harley continued to stare at him with a weird grin.
“What?” he asked again.
“You.” She directed her focus back to the television.
He shrugged, slightly embarrassed about the phone call. “Yeah, well, she’s a pretty great mom.”
“I can see that.” She turned to him and ran her eyes over him.
The way she looked him over made him uncomfortable and turned on all at once. “You can see that?” he questioned.
“Well, yes. I mean, she raised you to be a respectable young man, who is kind and caring, friendly and sweet–”
“In a masculine sort of way, obviously,” he added, not wanting her to forget that part.
“Obviously,” she repeated with a smile. “But behind every respectable, kind, caring, friendly, and sweet man is a great mom. It’s just how it is.” She shrugged matter-of-factly.
“I’ll be sure to tell her that.”
“And it’s sweet that she calls you just to check in.” Harley’s expression suddenly changed from her adorable smile to sullen.
“Har, are you okay? Was it something I said?” Panic set in. Spencer hated to see any woman upset.
Quickly Harley looked back to the television. “Oh look, the other team scored. That sucks, but we’re still ahead by two.”
“Harley,” Spencer pressed.
She waved his concern off, “Spence, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”
Continuing to stare at her, he didn’t believe her.
“I’m fine, really.” She smirked this time. “But it’s sweet that you care. You are a good friend, Spence.” She laid her head on his shoulder and continued to watch the game.
Friend. He didn’t want to be her friend.
“I’m here any time you want to talk,” he told her.
“You know,” she perked up with a grin. “I think I might be able to eat another slice of pizza now.”
“You got your second wind?”
“I’m not sure they call it that, but yet.” She nodded with a laugh.
“That’s funny, because I can go for another piece myself,” he agreed.
Harley stood up and moved toward the kitchen, but not before turning to him and shaking her head in disbelief. She patted his stomach. “Seriously, where do you put it all?”
“You like?” he teased, proudly patting his rock-hard abs. “Those take work.”
“I’ll bet.”
He also admired her waistline as she hurried ahead of him to the pizza box. “You look like you put in some time at the gym yourself, or are you naturally blessed?”
She spun around with a chuckle. “Natural? I wish! I have a feeling that I put in as much time at the gym as you do. I don’t have much of a choice if I’m going to eat pizza all the time. And I am going to eat pizza all the time.”
They watched the rest of the game snacking on pizza and freshly popped popcorn.
Harley grabbed a handful of candy hearts. She examined each one mumbling, but he wasn’t paying any attention until she said, “Kiss me.”
“What?” Did she just say kiss me? Surely, he was hearing things because that would be a bold move for her. Not a move he would have minded, but bold, even for Harley.
“Text me. Kiss me. Be mine,” she repeated. Then she held up a yellow candy heart that read TEXT ME as she popped a pink and orange one in her mouth.
“Oh...the candy hearts,” he stuttered. “Right.”
“I mean, do people actually ask someone to Be Mine anymore? I can’t say anyone ever said that to me,” Harley asked. “But of course, I dated some real losers in the past too,” she chuckled.
“That sucks,” he commiserated.
“Well, have you ever said to a girl Be Mine?” She curiously stared at him.
“Uh, no. Can’t say I ever have.” Most of his Valentine’s dates never made it much farther than that, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Harley.
“So, what are your Valentine’s Day plans?” she asked him. Then added, “Got a hot date lined up?”
At her words he was like a deer in headlights. Somehow, he managed to croak out, “Actually, no. No plans.”
“Wow. I thought for sure you’d have something lined up,” she said in a teasing tone.
“Not yet, anyway.” He just shook his head. Not having given Valentine’s Day much thought, he tried his best to act cool. And then he lied, “I have plenty of options.”
“I’m sure you do.” She rolled her eyes at him.
“What are you and Mr. Lame up to? Big night at his place, you watching the hockey game while he works?”
“Ha, ha. But fair. He does work a lot. And don’t call him that.” She glared at him for a second before she continued. “Isaac made plans, I just don’t know what they are yet, it’s a surprise I guess.”
“I’m shocked that Mr. Lame doesn’t have a spreadsheet laid out for the evening. He’s not the typical ‘spontaneous’ kind of guy.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m sure he’ll tell me the plans once it gets closer.” She mumbled the last two words, but he heard them loud and clear.
The final buzzer sounded, marking the end of the hockey game. As the color commentators began their post-game discussion, Harley carried some of the plates into the kitchen.
“I guess I better get home.”
“Yeah,” he looked around the apartment. “I’m surprised that Zane isn’t home yet.”
“I’m not.” She rolled her eyes. “Those two can’t get enough of one another.”
“Yeah,” Spencer added, but part of him wished he had that type of relationship with someone. Dating was fun, but he had been enjoying the time spent with Harley more than any date he had been on in his college career. Did that mean he was growing as a person? Maybe.
After their dishes were in the sink, and the trash disposed of, he helped Harley with her jacket and finally slid on his own. Ushering her out the front door, they walked to his SUV side by side. He couldn’t help but glance over at her a few times. They were so close that he had the urge to reach over and hold her hand as they walked.
But he didn’t dare.
