Falling For Her Enemy [Book #5]

Chapter 29

Landon's POV
We all laughed at a joke James made as we slid into the booth of one of our favorite spots. We just finished our off-season workout. So naturally, for athletes like us, we're starving.

The waitress who stops by our table to take down our orders ends up being someone from our school. She's easy on the eyes. Blonde. But she does absolutely nothing for me.

Theodore finds interest in her. But chokes when he's given the chance to speak to her. James swoops in to save the day. "Chip thinks you're beautiful, don't you, bro?"

Theodore nods slowly, his face red. The blonde waitress whose name tag reads Jenna but with a G smiles and writes her number down on a napkin. "Call me sometime?"

James nudges our nervous friend, and he spits out a quick, "Yeah."

As soon as she walks away from the table, James grabs Theodore and shakes him. "That's what the fuck we're talking about, Chip."

Kai and I chime in, proud of our friend. Theodore has always been a good-looking dude. Just shy. If he was a little more confident, he'd have girls feining after him just as much as Kai does.

After fifteen minutes, our orders arrive. Burgers and fries for all of us. I dip a French fry in ranch and toss it into my mouth.

Kai's telling some sex horror story he had that I don't bother to pay attention to. My mind is on Harper. She said she spoke to her brother, and he's okay with us now. Though I'm not too sure. He and I still haven't talked out our issues.

As if having been summoned, my chance to talk to Hayden walks right into the diner. He's with his friends Lincoln and Greyson. None of them seem to notice me and my friends as they take a seat in another booth opposite the end of us.

This place is pretty popular for college students, but all of sudden, California feels really small.

"Yo, Landon."

My gaze tears from Hayden and his friends. I look over at Kai, who's noticed I haven't been listening to his story. He realizes why when he glances back to see what's stolen my attention.

"You gonna talk to him?"

"Nah. Not right now." I don't really feel like receiving another one of his shiners. But then again, I did promise Harper I would speak to him the next time I saw him.

Feeling conflicted, I force myself to focus on Kai's story. He was talking about how he couldn't perform with the girl he was with a few nights ago.

I zoned out at some point, hearing Harper's voice in the back of my mind.

Stop being a chicken and talk to him, frat boy!

I don't know why I was even nervous. It's not like I needed permission to be with his sister. But I've spent the majority of my life hating Hayden Isaacs. It was easier than admitting the truth. I was jealous. He's better than me at everything. Even his dad is better than mine.

What makes this whole fued between us even worse is that he doesn't even play lacrosse anymore. And still, I find myself trying to be better than him. It's pathetic, really. But when you've grown up with a father like mine, it's hard not to want to prove to him and the rest of the world wrong.

"I gotta take a leak. I'll be back." I excuse myself and slide out of the booth. I didn't have to use the bathroom. It was just an excuse to rehearse what I was going to say to my girlfriend's brother.

I stand in front of the sink and splash cold water on my face. Harper is finally on good terms with her brother. For her, I don't want to say the wrong shit and fuck it all up.

I dry my wet face with a paper towel. My eyes close. I inhale deeply to steady my panicked heart. When I hear the door open, I get ready to exit. Only, it's Hayden who's entered.

Stopping in my tracks, he seems to freeze, too. He didn't know I was here. And I'm sure I'm the absolute last person he wants to see right now. Honestly, I could say the same about him.

Harper's words ring loudly in my ears.

Suck it the fuck up, buttercup.

She's always had a way with words. It just adds to my long list of reasons why I love her. Why I'm in love with her.

"Ah," he says, realizing something. "So that's why Harper was so hellbent on making sure I came here for lunch."

I didn't know anything about that. But knowing Harper, this has her written all over it. She probably knew I'd tried to flake out.

He takes a step forward. I stand my ground despite the lack of threat radiating off of him. That's new. Usually, after a few seconds, words are exchanged, and we're ready to start swinging.

"If you're going to hit me again, just avoid my face and package."

Hayden doesn't laugh. The air fills with awkwardness. Well, okay then. That clearly wasn't a good joke because now he looks like he wants to hit me. Again.

"Do you love her?" He asks, causing me to forget what I'd rehearsed beforehand.

I was caught off guard, but answer anyway. "Yeah, I do."

His emerald eyes search my face, trying to figure out if I'm lying or not. He doesn't find anything, and I notice the way his shoulders relax. "I don't like you. Never have. And I honestly don't know what the hell she sees in you."

I clench and unclench my fist. I don't know where he's going with this. I'm doing my best to be patient, but I wish he would get to the point already.

It feels like forever, but eventually, he does get to the point. "But," he continues, "I've never seen my sister so happy. You have her heart now. Don't break it."

I don't miss the warning in his voice as I reply back, "I won't."

Hayden gives me a look that lets me know we have an understanding. No additional words need to be said. I don't know that we'd ever be friends, but Harper definitely pushed us in a direction that will consist of fewer fist fights.

I exit the bathroom and return to the table. I'm surprised to see Harper in my spot, laughing with the guys.

She smiles when she sees me, her green eyes bright. "Hey."

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"My aunt let me leave work early so I could check on the two of you." Her eyes examine my face, checking for bruises. When she doesn't find any, she sighs with relief.

"You didn't think your brother and I could be in a room together without fighting, huh?"

"Honestly, no."

I toss her a grin and reach out to tuck a curl behind her ear. Her eyes are on me before they shift to someone behind me. I glance over my shoulder, spotting Hayden as he rejoins his friends at the table.

I bring my gaze back to hers. "You want to know what we talked about, don't you?"

"So bad."

"Well, we talked about you."

"That's it?" She questions in surprise, her eyebrows raising.

"You're all that matters. So, yeah."

Her smile returns. And then she's pulling my head down for a kiss.

"Aww," Kai cooes in mock tone. "Aren't you two lovebirds just the cutest?"

Harper and I don't stop kissing even as we simultaneously flip Kai off. James and Theodore snicker, Kai grumbling incoherently under his breath.

When we finally break the kiss to catch our breath, I pull Harper to her feet, take a seat, and pull her onto my lap. She comfortably nestles against me and grabs a golden fry from my plate as Kai resumes his sex horror story.