Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
DAISY
Friday night I’ve almost made it a full week without running into Connor again. Mostly because I’ve been doing everything in my power to not be at home when he is. It may have included asking Vanessa for the guys’ training schedule this week.
“I’ve never seen someone look so defeated with a margarita in their hand,” Lauren says, looking at me with narrowed eyes.
We’re squeezed into one of the booths at the back of the off-campus bar.
The neon light sign above the table casts a red glow over everything, making the strawberry drink in my hand look slightly toxic.
“And that says a lot because Vanessa used to drink them all the time when her and Finn were on a break last year.”
“Name one thing better to cure a heartbreak.”
“I’m pretty sure chocolate is already the main sponsor of that event.” Lauren blows her a kiss before turning to me. “Are you going to tell us what’s wrong or do we need to pry it out of you?”
I take another sip of the overly sweet drink, buying myself some time. “How do you know if two people are meant for each other?”
Vanessa blinks. “That’s a deep question for a Friday night.”
“I sent my latest draft to Tarah,” I explain. “She thinks I’m holding back and I’m starting to think she might be right.”
Why else does it feel like I’m wringing myself inside out every time I sit down to write?
“So let go,” Lauren shrugs like it’s that easy. I wish it was.
“I’m not sure I know how,” I admit.
“Maybe you just need to let loose for a night. We could call it research,” she jokes. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
I already know the answer to that question.
“I slept with Connor,” I blurt, letting the confession sink between us like a lead balloon. Lauren sputters around the sip of her cocktail she just accidentally inhaled. Maybe I should have eased them into it.
“Repeat that.”
I shrug, trying to play it off like it’s nothing, when really, I’m still trying to figure out if it was the single best moment of my life or a solid sign of finally hitting rock bottom. “I had sex with Connor.”
I dip my head to chew my straw, avoiding their gaping mouths and wide eyes.
“I knew it,” Lauren exclaims. “Please tell me all of that sexual tension was as good as I think it was.”
“It was okay.”
Better than okay. Possibly the single greatest night in my life, totally tainted by tequila and the fact that he keeps a trophy drawer full of panties next to his bed.
Knowing him, he’s probably off collecting another trophy. Good for him; at least I made sure to take mine with me when I fled the scene of the crime.
Vanessa crooks a brow. “Just okay?”
I blush. “Fine, it was pretty great.”
“I knew it!” Lauren exclaims, bumping her shoulder against mine while I duck my face until my hair falls forward, hiding my flaming cheeks.
“Why are you looking like it totally sucked?”
I shrug, sipping my drink and hoping that I’m not as transparent as I feel right now. “He sort of ran out on me the next morning.”
“He did what?”
“Ran out. Fled. Vanished into thin air.”
“That’s very unlike him.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s not like I’m looking for anything serious. It was just a drunken mistake,” I feed her the same line I told Connor when he tried to bring it up.
Lauren sulks besides me. “What a waste of chemistry. I was totally counting on you.”
I grimace. “Sorry to disappoint.”
“We’ll just have to find you someone else to live vicariously through,” Vanessa chimes in from across the table. “Or a sexy hockey player of your own.”
Lauren glares at her. “There’s no way I’m getting anywhere near those filthy animals. I’d probably contract some kind of virus.” She looks my way. “No offense.”
“None taken.”
“Come on, they’re not all bad.”
“You’ve caught yourself the only good one, and Daisy has slept with the other.” My face flames. “I can’t believe you’ll only take that ride once. He’s so fucking hot, even I’ve been tempted a few times.”
I’m not sure why the thought of Lauren and Connor hooking up has my stomach churning. Would she let him keep her underwear? I bet she would. I’m just glad she’s not part of the current collection.
I shift in my chair. “You should.”
“What?”
“Hook up with him. If you want to,” I say in an effort to remind myself that I have no business feeling bitter about Connor with other girls.
She cocks a brow, her lips pulling in while she assesses me, and I can tell that she doesn’t believe me, so I tip my nose up, forcing myself to hold her gaze.
When she finally smiles, it’s soft and tipped to one side as she shakes her head.
“I’ve already pushed him too far into the friendzone to ever go there with him. ”
And I hate that I feel a little bit like something is untwisting inside of me as she says it.
“Fuck boys,” Vanessa chips in beside us, and everything else comes back into focus. I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath. That’s bad, really bad. “I vote the three of us become a throuple.”
“What about Finn?”
“He’ll understand.”
“To the throuple!” Lauren laughs and we all chime in, downing our drinks. And then Vanessa waves over another bartender and before I know it, our drinks are being replenished, and I’ve definitely forgotten all about blue eyes and rough fingers tangling in my hair.
Definitely.