Chapter 24
Early the next morning Anne shoves a brownie in her mouth and chases it with black coffee. “Ugh. Why do I drink? I hate being hungover.”
“I hate when you’re hungover, too.” She’s always grouchy.
She takes another bite of brownie. “What did you do last night?”
“Nothing. Came back here.”
“You didn’t see West?”
“He had some VIP thing.”
Anne blows on her coffee, studying me.
“What?” I ask.
“We haven’t had a chance to talk. So…is he a good kisser?”
Not that I have anything to compare it to, but I still say, “Yes.”
“Go ahead.” Anne points at me. “You know you want to smile.”
I do, but I hold it back, mainly because it’s going to drive her crazy.
She sniffs and dabs at completely dry eyes. “My little girl’s all grown up.”
I laugh. “Shut up.”
“Did he like feel anything?” She sashays her shoulders. “You know. Like your boobs or anything?”
“God, Anne. Why do you have to be such a perv?”
She lets out an evil little giggle. “So, what’s next?”
“I don’t know.” More kissing, hopefully. There is no doubt in my mind I want more of that.
“Like a date or something? Or are you guys just going to make out on floors behind soundboards?”
“He asked me to go to his sister’s birthday.”
“Shut up. Are you serious?”
I nod, wondering if maybe I should have said no.
“Eve, that’s huge!”
Panic sets in. It is pretty huge.
“Where?”
“He said his home in Florida.”
Her phone rings, and she checks the display. “Ooh, gotta take this.”
“Can I borrow your iPad?”
She waves me on, and while she plops back across her bed and starts flirting with some girl on the phone, I grab her iPad and power up.
I go to Grayson’s site, comparing his speaking schedule to our tour cities, and other than New York, they don’t coincide.
Next, I Google my name. Images pop up of me, always standing in Grayson’s shadow, sweetly smiling and proudly watching on. There’s still no mention of my current absence. Like I thought before, it’s like I’m not even missing.
Brynn and I said we wouldn’t call each other, but we need to talk. I need whatever update she might have. I grab my phone and send her fake account a quick message, and right as I hit send, a text comes in from West.
West: Vianca’s birthday. You’re still in, right?
I stare at the message. I want to be in, but all my secrets are telling me to take a step back. I shouldn’t be doing this, whatever this is with West. I should be moving on, I should always be moving.
Anne snatches the phone from my hand. “Oh, hell, yeah, you’re still in.”
“Anne!” I didn’t realize she’d hung up with that girl.
Yes, I’m in, she types, hits send, and hands it back. “There. Now stop thinking about it.”