Page 72 of Tanner

“What are you smiling about?” Chris asks as he walks around the pool table.

Harper just texted me a meme. It’s a picture of Ross from Friends, sitting on the couch and smirking. The caption says, The look you give when someone is reading a story, and you know the main character is about to die.

“Nothing.” I grin as I slide the phone in my pocket.

Ryan grimaces. “Harper?”

I nod.

With our school schedules, we don’t see each other during the day, but we’re constantly talking and texting. You learn a lot about someone when you aren’t around them physically. You have no choice but to get into each other’s heads.

“I asked her to come join us. Hope you don’t mind.” I take a shot, and the ball sinks into the pocket.

“I do mind.” Ryan squints his eyes at me as I walk around the table to set up my next shot. “She bailed on you—twice.”

I slide the stick in my hand and eye up my target. Blue number two. “I appreciate your brotherly concern, but I’m a big boy, and I can handle myself.”

“I’d believe it if you were an average guy, but I’ve never seen you this into someone.” Ryan’s arms are folded with his pool stick tucked into his elbow.

I stand tall. “What should I do, not see where this goes?”

“Just keep your guard up.”

In the years we’ve been friends, I’ve never had to worry about what Ryan or Chris thought about the women I date. They’ve always been friendly to them and supportive if things didn’t go right, but they’ve never been ones to act concerned.

“What do you think?” I ask Chris, who’s sitting on a stool in the corner.

He raises a shoulder. “I’m sorry, but I agree.”

Ryan takes a step forward. “Don’t you think it’s interesting she broke up with you about your age, and then, all of a sudden, she’s begging to have you back?”

“What are you saying?”

“Does she know you’re rich?” Ryan asks.

“No.”

“You sure?” Chris asks, taking a swig of his beer. “It’s not that hard to Google Tanner Sexton.”

“And find out what? That I have Facebook or that I go to Columbia? I’m not on the company website. I don’t work there yet.”

“You’re Marina Sexton’s son. Your mom was an industry siren, and your father is known for being a newspaper magnate. You’re West Coast royalty,” Ryan explains like I don’t know exactly where I came from.

“Last I checked, we were on the East Coast.” I don’t have to look at them to know that they’re looking at me like I’m a fool.

Of course I know Harper can easily look me up. She could know I have money.

“You’re acting like an idiot,” Ryan states.

“And you’re being an asshole.” My words are loud and harsh.

The few other patrons in the bar look our way.

I motion to Paul to let him know everything’s fine back here. When I turn back to Ryan, he looks pissed. The guy is only trying to be a friend.

“The answer is, no, she doesn’t know I have money, and if she does, I don’t think she’s with me because of it. She’s coming here after work. You can scout her out yourself.”

“I will,” he says.