“Ari, do you know that guy?” I asked, leaning in and making contact with her body. I swear I saw her inhale a quick breath at my touch, but then blew it off to my imagination.
“Rod?” Ari said, leaning over to get a better look.
The guy waved to her, and she waved back.
“Who’s Rod?” I asked, watching the guy beam when Ari noticed him.
“Oh my gosh! Rod!” Ari said, making her way around the table and hugging him. I balled my fists under the table when he let his hand slide down her back and over her ass.
What. The. Fuck. Her parents were right there. That was a bold fucking move.
“Who’s Rod?” I asked Ellie, who was sitting on the other side of the table.
“Ari dated him for a bit in high school before he moved away.”
My eye shot back over to them.
“Mind if I join y’all for a bit?” Rod asked.
“Aren’t you here with your family?” I asked, looking past him to the small family he had gotten up and abandoned.
This Rod guy stared at me like I was beneath him. How dare I speak to him when not spoken to.
“Nah, they’re fine. Ellie, do you mind moving so Ari and I can sit together?”
My jaw dropped. He didn’t just do that.
Ellie stood. “Sure. No problem.”
The seat next to Ellie had been empty, but I was hoping Ari would blow the guy off. Boy, was I wrong. For the next ten minutes, she laughed and flirted with the asshole. When we ordered, the douche actually asked to have his dish brought over here, not his table.
After ordering another beer, I watched Ari as she kept leaning in to the guy each time he made her laugh. Her hand landed on his arm more times than I could count.
“Jeff, is everything okay?” Sue asked. She obviously saw I was tense.
“Everything is great. Thank you so much for having Ellie and I join y’all for dinner.”
She smiled. “You’re family. Of course we want you here.”
Our meals were served, and Ari continued to talk and pay attention to the asshole sitting across from me. Each time he laughed, it grated on my nerves. When Ari got up to use the restroom, I waited a few minutes and did the same. Racing down the hallway to the restrooms, I waited for her to come out.
She stepped outside and jumped when I walked up to her and pulled her down the hall a little farther.
“Jeff? What are you doing?”
I scoffed. “What am I doing? What in the hell are you doing?”
Her brows pulled together tightly. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t you think it’s inappropriate for you to be flirting with this Rod guy so openly in front of your parents?”
I’ve seen Ari pissed off before so I knew it was probably best that I take a step . . . maybe three . . . away from her.
“You dirty rotten son-of-a-cocksucking-asshole jerkface! I think you need to mind your own damn business.”
“It is my business when this guy looks like he’s pawing you up under the table.”
Her mouth fell open, and I was almost positive she was going to slap me.