Chapter Eleven #2
“So he says. Who’s to say he’s not just saying what he thinks I want to hear? Maybe he likes a challenge, and that’s exactly what I am to him now.”
“But why set his sights on a peach that he’s already tasted?”
“Please do not refer to my who-ha as a peach.”
“I’m just saying, typically men who like a challenge only like it until they’ve bagged the girl, then they move on. But he’s had you more than once, and let’s be honest, you would have given him much more. So that really doesn’t fit your theory.”
I consider her words, unwilling to admit that she’s not wrong.
“He’s an ass.”
“A very fine ass, indeed.” Char giggles at the appalled expression on my face.
“Good to see River hasn’t tamed your fire,” I murmur.
“Why would he when he so loves the burn?” She traces her tongue over her bottom lip seductively.
“I’m sure his sister just loves hearing you talk about her brother like that.” I point out, giving Lyric a sympathetic look.
“I’m used to it.” She shrugs, too good for her own good.
“Like you and Kai are any better.” Char nudges her shoulder.
“On that, we can agree,” I interject, glad to have the conversation off Macallan for a brief moment. “I had the misfortune of sleeping on her couch the night before last.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Lyric blushes, pushing to her feet.
“Oh, Ly, we’re just messing with you,” Char calls after her.
“Uh-huh.” She flips us off over her shoulder as she makes her way to the door.
“Did she just flip us off?” I buckle in laughter.
“Where are you going?” Char asks, her own laughter vibrating her words.
“Away from you.” She grabs her bag and phone off the counter. “And I have class,” she quickly adds with a grin. “You’ll keep me posted about your situation?” she asks me directly.
“I will.” I nod.
“Keep your guard up. I don’t like the idea of you sleeping in the same room as that girl.”
“Me neither,” I agree.
“Love you guys.” She tugs open the door.
“Love you too,” we call back in unison.
“Speaking of class, don’t you have class today?”
“It got canceled.” Char shrugs. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“I wouldn’t know why you would.” I shake my head at her.
“So about Macallan.”
“Char... Can we not?”
“Why won’t you even talk about him? What’s got you so worked up that having a conversation with your best friends warrants this kind of reaction?”
I pull in a deep breath, knowing there isn’t a chance Charlotte is going to let this go until I cave.
“He’s wearing me down,” I admit. “And it terrifies me.”
“Why?”
It’s a simple question, and yet not one I’m sure I can truly answer.
“He hurt me pretty bad, Char. Something like that, it’s not easy to get over, even if he claims his intentions were good.”
“I get that. But what I really want to know is how you feel now, in this moment.”
“I feel confused,” I answer honestly.
“And.”
“And frustrated.”
“And.”
“And conflicted.”
“Why are you conflicted?”
“Because no matter how many times I remind myself of what he did, when I look at him...” I can’t finish the sentence.
“You like him.” It’s not a question.
“Which has to make me some kind of masochist, right?”
“The heart wants what it wants.” She shrugs as if it really is just that simple.
“Doesn’t make it okay.”
“Look, I get your hold-up. I get that he betrayed you, humiliated you, hurt you. But that was two years ago. People change. Circumstances change. You’d do well to remember that. Just because someone hurts you doesn’t make them incapable of redemption.”
“It should,” I mutter under my breath.
“I’m not saying you should rush into bed with the guy. I’m just saying, give him a chance. He might surprise you.”
“Where is this coming from?”
“River.”
“River?” I quirk a confused brow.
“When we left the restaurant, he said, and I quote, ‘That poor sap has got it bad. Too bad for him, Maisie looks ready to eat him alive.’ End quote.”
“How would he know that?”
“I asked him the same question. He said that men are easy to read, if you know what you’re looking for. I told him nothing about men is easy to read unless they just want to get laid. Now that’s a language I can speak.” She grins.
“Interesting.”
“What’s interesting?” She sits up straighter. “Oh my God, he said something, didn’t he? What did he say?”
“It’s nothing.”
“The look on your face does not say that it’s nothing.” She gives me a knowing look.
“He said he regretted not fighting for me when he had the chance.”
“I knew it!” She slaps her leg. “He’s totally smitten.”
“You mean River knew.”
“No, I picked up on it too. There was some serious tension between you two.”
“I may or may not have challenged him to prove he’s not the same guy he was two years ago.”
“And you’re just now telling me this!”
“I haven’t talked to you until now. And well, I’ve kind of been in denial.”
“Kind of.” She snorts loudly.
“Okay, full denial. Can you blame me?”
“Not at all.” She pulls her legs up, crossing them in front of her. “So what are you going to do?”
“No idea.”
“When do you see him next?”
“Tomorrow. We’re meeting to work on our psych assignment.”
“Okay, so let me ask you this... If he were to say, I don’t know, shove you up against a wall and kiss your face off, what would you do?”
“Kiss my face off?” I laugh at her choice of words.
“Shut up. You know what I mean. What would you do? Honestly...”
“I’d probably kiss him right back,” I admit, because denying it would be useless, especially with Char, who is far more perceptive than I’ve ever given her credit for.
“There’s your answer.”
“What is?”
“Let him make the first move.”
“Who says he will?”
“Oh, he will,” she says, awfully sure of herself for someone who doesn’t know Macallan that well.
“And then what?”
“Well, if I had to guess, you’ll fuck each other’s brains out a few times before he’s pronouncing his undying love for you.”
“I think maybe you’re riding the same crazy train as Lana.” I roll my eyes.
“Well, I did try to befriend the witch, so maybe I am.” She grins, the action crinkling the corners of her eyes.
“On that note.” I check the time on my phone, realizing I should probably get going if I want to make it to practice on time. “I gotta go.”
“Of course you do.” She sighs, pushing to her feet at the same time that I do.
“Coach will have me running laps if I’m late, and given how horribly I slept last night, I’d prefer not to have what little energy I have left spent on that.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I expect a full report after your study session tomorrow.” She uses air quotes around the words as if they’re code for something else.
“Don’t hold your breath. Nothing’s going to happen.”
“We shall see,” she sing-songs as she follows me to the door.
“Remind me again why I’m friends with you?” I groan.
“Because I’m amazing, of course.” She gives me a toothy grin as I exit into the hallway.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
“Oh, I don’t need the reminder. I’m well aware of my awesomeness.”
“Are you also well aware that your head is growing bigger by the second?” I bark out a laugh when she reaches up and examines her skull as if my words were meant to be taken literally.
“Feels perfect to me,” she announces, satisfied by her perusal.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re going to be late. You’re welcome,” she says, all but shutting the door in my face.
I can’t help the laughter that vibrates my shoulders as I walk away.
God, I love Charlotte.
She may drive me nuts, but I honestly do not know what I would do without her or Lyric. I know how incredibly lucky I am, at least in that aspect of my life.
In other aspects, not so much.
But who knows... Maybe a change is coming. Though I dare not get my hopes up. I know what it’s like to let my guard down around Macallan Stewart. It’ll take a lot more than a flirty smile and sweet words to win me over. But man, am I looking forward to seeing if he’ll try.