Chapter 12
Sebastian
Grace was at my birthday. Grace Gillman—hockey star extraordinaire, women’s activist, and hater of all things me—was currently standing in the front hallway of my favorite place in the world.
She was the last person I’d expected to be here.
When I’d told Caroline that she had a fat chance of convincing Grace to come, she’d only chuckled and said they were on the way.
“Who is that?” I asked Caroline as she leaned back against the kitchen counter beside me.
“Her best friend, Sam. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it was the only way I could convince her to come.”
Usually I’d be annoyed that someone had been invited without my permission, especially because I was particular about who was welcome at the lake. But tonight, I wasn’t bothered. The only thing I could think about was the long-legged girl who’d taken up permanent residence inside my head.
“As long as she doesn’t steal anything or throw up on my mother’s favorite rug.”
Caroline smirked at me like she knew something I didn’t.
But before I could pry, Bryce walked into the kitchen with Kent, Grace, and Grace’s friend Sam trailing behind him.
Sam was eyeing the back of Bryce as if she’d like to climb him.
Next to each other, the difference in their size was almost laughable.
She barely came past his elbow. The group stopped in a half circle before us, and Grace stepped forward, her cheeks flushed.
She was wearing a crop top that displayed several inches of midriff, a pair of jeans hanging dangerously low on her hips.
“Happy birthday,” she said softly.
“You came after all. Does this mean we’re finally friends now?”
Grace was struggling to hold back a smile. “I’ll agree to acquaintances. Anything else might be moving a little too fast?”
I shrugged. “You’re the one at my birthday party.”
“Okay, then we’re one step past acquaintances but not fully in the realm of friendship. Fracquaintances.” As soon as at the words left Grace’s mouth, Sam let out a snort of laughter. Grace elbowed her in the side, face flushing even brighter.
“I think frenemies might fit you two better,” suggested Bryce. The sound of his voice pierced the tension between Grace and me, and she seemed to sag in relief.
“This is my best friend, Sam,” Grace said, pushing the tiny redhead to the front of the group. “She’s met everyone else by now.”
“Saved the best for last?”
“I’ll let you believe that, at least for tonight,” Grace said.
My lips twitched with the threat of a smile, but I forced it down.
I couldn’t let myself be pulled any further into her gravitational force.
I needed to get through tonight without doing anything impulsive.
There could be no flirting disguised as fighting, no intentional ruffling of feathers.
If I could stay in control for the next twelve hours, seeing Grace at practice once a week would be a breeze.
>> <<
“This is a truth circle,” Caroline said, smacking her hands against the hardwood, “where we ask scandalous questions or make people reveal their darkest secrets. If you really want to see how many hot dogs Landon can fit in his mouth, form your own dare circle. But please do it somewhere I don’t have to watch. ”
“No one wants to see that,” muttered Lydia.
I surveyed the room, cataloging everyone pulled into the “truth circle.” Bryce was sitting on my right with Sam on the other side of him.
Landon had squeezed in beside Grace, who scooted closer to her best friend the moment he sat down, leaving Kent, Caroline, Lydia, and Nina to complete the circle.
I could have sworn Bishop and RT had fled the room with several other partygoers the moment Caroline had announced her idea.
“There’s only one rule in the truth circle—you must tell the truth. You don’t get to know the question beforehand, but the questioner must have your approval before they ask.”
“You have to ask someone if they’re willing to answer your question before they know what it is?” Sam questioned.
I snuck a glance at Grace. I’d spent the first few hours of the evening watching her from afar, imagining what it would be like to drag my hand along her lower back so I could feel the heat of her skin against my palm.
While everyone else was clearly intoxicated, some to the point of slurring their words, Grace’s eyes were alert.
She was still clutching the same can of beer that Bryce had handed her at the beginning of the night.
I knew it was the same because I’d barely let her out of my sight since she got here.
So far I’d managed to keep my distance, but as the evening progressed, I grew more restless in my desire to talk to her.
“Yes,” Caroline said in answer to Sam’s question. “The game is more about if you trust the person asking the question than the question itself. I can go first, if that makes things easier.”
She took her time assessing the circle, looking each person in the eyes as she tried to determine who she wanted to pick. Eventually, her attention shifted to Grace.
“Grace, will you answer my question?”
Grace looked like a deer caught in headlights as everyone turned toward her.
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered.
Grace was nervous. Her fingers tightened around the can as she glanced at Sam for either comfort or reassurance.
If I had to guess, they’d known each other for most of their lives.
I could tell by the way they interacted with each other.
And right now, Grace was leaning on her comfort-person for support.
I’d never witnessed such apprehension in her before this moment. She always seemed so sure of herself.
“If I say yes, I’ll have to answer you? No matter how personal the question?”
Oh, she was definitely nervous. Seemed like Grace wasn’t much for sharing, at least not when it came to personal matters.
“Yes, but I promise to go easy on you this first time,” Caroline assured.
“Then yes, I accept.” Sam’s eyes widened in response to Grace’s words.
“Tell me the truth—are you having fun tonight, celebrating Sebastian’s birthday?”
Grace visibly relaxed as several people in the group booed.
“That’s too easy,” Landon shouted. “Make it harder than that!”
“I’m having fun,” Grace admitted, her eyes meeting mine from across the circle. “Thank you for having me, Sebastian. And for letting Sam tag along.”
There was no suggestion of sarcasm in her response, as I would have expected, and I tried not to let it go to my head.
I was sure it was only a matter of time before she went back to loathing my existence.
Though, if I were being honest with myself, I didn’t mind our bickering.
Fighting with Grace was like the thrill of a breakaway.
Riling her up, seeing that spark of fire in her eyes, felt like flying across the rink at full speed, nothing but ice and open space before me.
As the game went on, the questions grew dirtier.
Sam was eager to answer just about any question thrown her way, while Grace nearly always declined.
The only person who was visibly annoyed by her lack of participation was Landon.
Each time she turned him down, I could see his frustration rise.
After the third time, he shifted his attention to me.
“Birrrday boy Seb,” he slurred, taking a long sip of his beer. “Will you answer my question?”
If it got him to stop pestering Grace, I was happy to oblige. “Yes.”
Landon threw his fists up in celebration. In the process, drops of beer rained down over Grace. I opened my mouth to scold him, but he barreled forward with his question before I could speak.
“Did you and Kate break up over another girl?”
The circle went silent. I could see the triumphant gleam in his blurry, unfocused eyes. What the hell was he playing at? I’d never even mentioned the breakup to Landon, which should have been warning enough that it wasn’t on the table for discussion.
“All right, all right,” Bryce said. “Maybe it’s time we move on to another drinking game.”
“Good idea,” Caroline said as she pushed to her feet. “Should we go to the basement? I think they have beer pong set up down there.”
“No, come on. It’s the rules, Sebby. Yagotta answer the—”
“No more truth circle,” I snapped as I got up and stepped away. “And I’d advise you to stop while you’re ahead. You’re clearly wasted.”
The group immediately dispersed, Kent leading the charge to the basement with Lydia and Nina following in his wake.
Meanwhile, Landon held out a hand to help Grace up from the floor.
Though she looked as if she’d rather touch dog shit, Grace politely accepted his help.
He tugged at her arm with far too much force, the momentum launching her straight into his chest. Warning bells blared in the back of my head as his slimy hands dropped to her waist, his fingers pressed to the exposed skin along her lower back.
Grace froze on the spot. Her entire body seemed to tense with Landon’s newfound proximity.
And just like that, my control flew right out the door.
In less than a second, I was across the room, and in another I was yanking Landon away from her.
“Don’t fucking touch her,” I said, and everything grew still.
Bryce was between the two of us before I had the chance to wring Landon’s neck. “You should drink some water and go to bed,” he said.
Landon glared at me over Bryce’s shoulder, looking for a moment as though he might protest before he stumbled off to one of the guest bedrooms, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.
His exit did nothing to ease the tension in the room.
If anything, the pressure only intensified as I locked eyes with Grace.
She was standing stock-still, mouth open in an expression of alarm.
No one else spoke. Somehow, the silence was loud enough to make my ears ring.