Dirty Little Mistake (Hard to Love #2)

Chapter 13

Camryn

S tanding with my hands on my hips, I stared down at Kaia sitting on the ground surrounded by the pieces of our tent and shook my head. "I can't believe you actually brought Parker." Parker was Kaia's new skating partner.

Kaia's head snapped up from the instruction manual, her brows furrowing as she glared at me. "I didn't really bring him. I just asked if he wanted to come." Kaia was my best friend, and I loved her, but when it came to men, she was absolutely clueless. "Why wouldn't I invite him?" Her gaze shifted back down to the tent instructions.

My lips twitched with amusement at the confusion twisting on her face. "You don't think Jax will throat punch him?"

Her face scrunched, and I almost laughed. She and Jax thought it was some secret that they were doing whatever they were doing, but it wasn't. You'd have to be blind to miss the way Jax looked at her, and Kaia was blind. "Trust me, Jax won't care."

"O... kay..."

"Are you going to help me, or what?" She held the instructions up, shaking them in the air.

"Definitely or what."

"Funny." She scowled.

"What are you two doing?" Jax's wide eyes scanned over Kaia's mess of the tent spread all over the ground.

"You're supposed to put it together." Owen chuckled. "Not toss it around the field."

Kaia cut them both a look. "I'm working on it."

Kaia's eyes followed Jax as he leaned down and pulled the instructions from her hands. "Why don't you two go get a drink, and we'll get it put together?"

"Sounds good." I smirked.

Kaia's brows snapped together as she pushed to her feet. "No," she frowned, snatching the paper back. "I can do this."

"We know you can do it." Jax smiled. "But if you don't let us help, you're going to miss the show at this rate."

Her shoulders sank as she blew out an exasperated sigh.

"Hey," Parker called out. "You need help with that?"

"No." Jax and Owen shouted at the same time, and Parker stopped.

Kaia's jaw flexed as she cut them another look. "Fine." She shrugged, shoving the instruction into Jax's chest. "I'm going to get a drink." She spun on her heel and strolled toward Parker. "Come on, Parker. Let's get a drink."

Smirking, my gaze flicked back to Jax. "You just going to let her run off with him."

"Why would I care?" I huffed out a laugh, and Owen choked out a laugh. There was no way he thought we were that stupid. His words said he didn't care, but his body language said he was pissed.

"Oh, I don't know." I cocked a brow. "Maybe because you're obsessed with her."

"Shut up, Cam." His gaze dropped to the instructions.

"Okay." I shrugged. "But if you keep pushing Kaia into someone else's arms, don't be surprised when she stays and you can't get her back."

He shrugged. "Kaia is free to do whatever she wants."

"Yeah, right." I nodded sarcastically. "Is that why you go to that shithole bar that you hate every time she's there? Is that why you threaten any man who comes near her?" I shook my head. "What is it with you and Trystan?"

His head snapped up. "There's nothing wrong with me, and maybe Trystan's just not that into you."

My gaze flicked to Owen, who ignored the conversation as he leaned down to collect the tent pieces.

Owen knew I liked Trystan. Everyone knew. It wasn't a secret. But I knew he liked me, and I didn't really want to rub it in his face, either, even though Owen and I were only friends.

Owen wasn't very different from Trystan. Except that Owen was into hockey instead of music, and he didn't have the same fear of commitment that Trystan had. But he was a playboy who was easily distracted by pretty things. The puck bunnies loved him, and he usually loved them back. Unlike Trystan, though, Owen had girlfriends. I'd never seen Trystan with the same girl twice and never in the daylight.

My eyes cut back to Jax; he'd intended for that to cut deep. Cocking my head to the side with a sarcastic grin, I flipped him off. We both knew he was full of shit. Trystan had sought me out. He was waiting at my house, not the other way around, and something told me that was something he'd never done before. Then again, Jax probably didn't know any of that.

"You boys have fun." I smirked. "I'm going to find Kaia and get a drink."

Pushing through the crowd, I made my way toward the stage. Rockfest was a huge outdoor concert in the middle of an open field. You had to go through the hundreds of vendors and food trucks to get from the camping area to the stage.

My phone vibrated. Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled it out. My face split into a stupid grin.

It was Trystan.

Trystan: Are you here?

Trystan had asked me to come with him, but he never explained what that meant, and I'd been so excited that I hadn't thought to ask. He'd left before we were out of bed, so I assumed it didn't mean ride here with him, but I was hoping it at least meant I would see him for more than just his performance.

Camryn: Yep!

Camryn: You can't miss me. I'm right up front on this super hot guy's shoulders, topless, swinging my yellow shirt around over my head.

I snickered as I reread the text.

Trystan: What the fuck?

Trystan: Stay put. I'm coming.

Oh shit.

I typed super fast.

Camryn: Just kidding.

Trystan: Still coming... Where are you?

My gaze flicked around. I didn't know where I was, or at least I didn't know how to explain it.

Camryn: It might be easier for me to find you.

Trystan: Meet at the left side of the stage.

I zigzagged through the crowds to the left side of the stage and smiled when I spotted Trystan leaning against a post, staring down at his phone. He was so fucking hot in his ripped jeans and dark blue shirt.

As if he sensed my presence, his gaze lifted, meeting mine. Pushing off the post, he moved toward me. His eyes swept over me, his lips twitching with amusement.

"I'm glad to see your shirt made it back on." His lips quirked into a playful grin as he stepped into my space. His fingers curled around my waist, and he jerked me into him. "Though I do look forward to seeing it on the floor tonight." My chest swelled, and my stomach flipped with anticipation.

Soft lips crashed against mine, and my eyes fluttered shut as I melted into him.

"I have to go get ready." He grinned, pulling out of the kiss. "I'll find you after the show. You're staying with me tonight."

My heart fluttered like a love-sick schoolgirl as my face split into a grin. "I'll be the one front and center fangirling."

He chuckled as he turned to leave but stopped. "Oh, and keep the shirt on. I would really hate to jump off the stage to break someone's face." His lips curled into a grin. "I'm trying to clean up my bad boy reputation."

I huffed out a laugh. "Liar."

He winked with a half-smirk before turning and walking away.