Chapter One
ELLA
“E lla, we have a question, and you need to be completely honest.” Jayce’s voice is serious over the phone as he ignores all pretense of a normal conversation. I pause packing my overnight bag for my trip with Brynn, wondering what on earth my brothers could call me about when I haven’t even been gone forty-eight hours.
“Okay…?” My voice is cautious as I adjust the phone against my ear. Jayce is the more serious of my two brothers, and his tone has me on guard, wondering what could be wrong.
“Has Dad made any sort of pun regarding the name of your vet school?”
A sound halfway between a groan and laugh escapes me. I had expected the jokes to start sooner than the drive back home to Ridgewood Falls. But since getting accepted, I’ve been so busy with studying for finals, I never had a free weekend to visit home. At graduation last week, we somehow avoided any corny puns. Then Dad came and helped me pack my apartment, and we made the drive home. As soon as we started talking about my plans for summer before attending my dream vet school, Tufts University, there it was.
“You know, you have to be tough to attend Tufts,” he had said.
An hour later, when trying to figure out what to have for lunch, it was, “Deciding where to eat is a ‘tuft’ decision.”
Those were far from the only ones, but I tried to block them out after the first two. “Oh my god, yes. How did you know?”
Jayce groans and Nolan cackles in the background. “Pay up, Jayce, I know Dad better than you do.”
A grin breaks out on my face and I shake my head at their antics, placing the last of my clothes in my bag. “What was the bet?”
Shuffling muffles through the speaker like the phone is being moved around, then Nolan’s voice is loud and clear. “I said I was surprised that Dad hadn’t made a ‘Tuft’ pun at graduation, and Jayce told me that that would have been too corny, even for Dad. I bet him that he would realize what an opportunity he missed and make up for it when you got home.”
Of course they would bet on whether Dad would torment me with corny jokes. The two of them are always placing bets on something when it comes to our family. Nothing big or serious, but on things like how many times Mom might reference her book club during family dinner, or if Dad finally gave up his New Balance shoes for a newer model. It’s all in good fun, and they normally bet household chores instead of money since they live together.
Jayce and Nolan still live near the University of Vermont, where we all went to school, working on their SaaS2 start-up company together. Jayce was a senior by the time I was enrolled, and Nolan was in his sophomore year. It was nice living so close to them when I was in school. We fought sometimes, as all siblings do, but we’ve always been especially close. They never excluded me from games they played when we were growing up, and let me tag along wherever they went.
Part of me believes that because my big brothers were nearby, it’s the only reason my parents were okay with me going to a school an hour away.
“It’s tuft being a comedic genius.” Dad’s voice comes from my open doorway, and I turn to see him leaning against the frame, grinning, his honey-brown eyes twinkling with mirth. He must have just gotten back from a run, if the towel slung around his neck and sweat shining on his bald head are any indication. Before he decided to shave his head, his hair was the same shade as mine—a rich chocolate brown. He’s always made a point to stay in shape, and has been especially adamant about it since his fifty-fifth birthday.
Nolan, Jayce, and I all groan at the corniness, but Dad just tuts and shakes his head. “Everyone’s a critic.” He looks at me. “What time are you heading out with Brynn, El?”
I hold up my now packed bag. “In about ten minutes. Is Mom reading?”
“Yeparoo. Make sure you tell her bye before you leave.” Dad steps in quickly, pressing a kiss to my temple before exiting my room, humming a tune with his hands in the pockets of his running shorts.
“You’re going out with Brynn tonight?” Jayce sighs through the speaker. “Where are you going? Don’t let her talk you into anything crazy, El, you know how she gets?—”
“Oh, leave her alone.” They must have put me on speaker too because Nolan’s voice comes through as clearly as Jayce’s. “Her people-pleasing doesn’t extend to Brynn. They’ve known each other too long for that.”
Nolan’s right. Brynn and I have been friends since elementary school and she’s not on the list of people I can’t say “no” to without major fear of disappointing them. What’s ironic is that my brothers don’t seem to realize they are on that list.
But hey, at least I’m self aware.
“But,” Nolan continues, and I roll my eyes. These two treat me like I’m thirteen instead of twenty-three. “Make sure you do like the buddy system or something. And don’t talk to any strange guys. I know you and Harvey just broke up, but don’t do anything you’ll regret?—”
“We didn’t just break up, that was two months ago.” They don’t even know the whole story of what happened with Harvey, and probably never will. “Anyway, I have to go. I know you guys are looking out for me, and I promise to be smart. Okay?”
They grumble their agreement before we hang up. I’m so ready to see Brynn tonight and just let loose and have some fun. I’m back home for the summer, but Brynn and I decided we need a girls night away to blow off some steam after all the pressure of finals and graduation. We’ve booked a hotel in Burlington, Vermont for the night, and there’s a new nightclub called the Concrete Jungle that opened last month that we’ve been wanting to visit. I wasn’t really a partier in college. Brynn and I would have a drink every now and again, but my weekends were mostly spent studying or hanging out with my brothers to just let loose and not have to worry about anyone’s expectations of me for one night.
I’ve missed Brynn like crazy the last few months. It’s obvious how hard everything has been for her since she moved home after her dad got sick at the beginning of the school year. Juggling online school, taking care of her dad, and helping at her family’s restaurant, Ridgewood Tavern, can’t have been easy, but I also know she wouldn’t have had it any other way. I’m excited to start my summer job helping out at the restaurant, knowing I’ll be able to help lift some of the burden she carries.
After being together nonstop since second grade and rooming together the first three years of college, finishing school without her there felt like trying to function without my left arm.
Still possible, because I’m right handed, but really fucking difficult.
Mom is in the living room when I find her, her nose in a book and a glass of wine on the table next to her. She’s an absolute sucker for romance novels, and adamantly pretends to not know what we’re talking about when we poke fun at her for it.
Her hair, more silvery-gray than the dark brown it used to be, is swept up in a claw clip, and her blue eyes peer at me from behind her reading glasses. “Are you heading out, Ella-Bella? Dinner will be out of the oven in twenty minutes if you want to wait.”
I internally cringe at the nickname that started when I was a toddler. I think it might have been Nolan who said it for the first time. It stuck though, as well as any variation you could think of, growing more ridiculous the older I got.
La-La, Ellie-Bellie, Ells-Bells, Bells, and even Eleanor-Bellenor, to name a few.
Thanks, Nolan.
“That’s okay, Mom. Brynn and I have plans to grab something.” Leaning down and pressing a kiss to her cheek, I sneak a peek at the cover of her book. Taken by the Pirate King . “Have fun with… Captain McSexyPants.”
Cackling as she swats her book at me, I run towards the front door, my bag slung over my shoulder. “Love you guys! I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Love you, El! Tell Brynn we say hi!” Dad calls from the top of the stairs.
“Love you, have fun!” Mom blows me a kiss from her seat.
Smiling, I leave the house, get in the car, and let Brynn know I’m on my way. It’s only 10 minutes later that I’m pulling up to her house, jamming to Taylor Swift’s album Red, and she’s waiting for me out front. “Hell yeah, Elle!” Brynn grins at me, wrapping her arms around me in a quick hug. “Let’s do this!”
* * *
“Girl, you look hot as hell.” Brynn steps back from my face, admiring her handiwork. We came straight to the hotel from Brynn’s house, the thirty minute drive flying by as we talked about how excited we are to let loose tonight.
With my makeup done, I turn towards the full length mirror in the bathroom of our hotel room and find that I actually agree with her. The black spaghetti-strap bodycon dress I’m wearing stops just below mid-thigh and hugs my curves while accentuating my slim waist. My rich, chocolate brown hair tumbles across my shoulders in loose curls, and dark gray eyeshadow with winged eyeliner makes my brown eyes pop. The look is finished with my metallic silver Converse, some silver jewelry, and a small black clutch.
“You and your Converse.” Brynn clicks her tongue at me, and pulls on her four inch heels. The girl is a master at walking in a stiletto, while I’m more likely to face plant if I tried to walk in anything that tall.
She looks amazing. Her soft coral pink hair falls in waves down her back, her strapless gold dress clings to her hourglass figure, and makes her already long legs look like they go on for miles. She’s done her makeup similarly to mine, but in a deep, dark purple to accentuate her hazel eyes.
“You’ll be changing your tune in three hours when your feet are dying and I’m still killing it on the dance floor,” I tease, running my fingers through my hair to make sure it lays just right.
“Beauty is pain, darling,” she says in this ridiculously posh-sounding British accent, and we both dissolve into giggles.
The thing about having the same best friend since grade school, is at a certain point, there’s nothing new to learn about the person. You already know every single thing there is to know. Every weird quirk, every silly habit, and it removes any kind of pretense where you have to be a certain way.
You can just let loose, have fun, and not worry about what other people think about you. Because Brynn and I know all of each other's dirty little secrets, there’s no posturing, no acting like cool, put-together twenty-three year olds. I mean, there’s no point in trying to be something you’re not with the person who knows that you couldn’t sleep without a specific rabbit stuffed animal until about a year ago (Brynn). Or that you believed in Santa until the age of twelve (me).
There’s a slight chill in the air as we walk to the New-York themed club, but I know that with the amount of dancing and drinking we plan on doing, we won’t feel it on the way back.
Ten minutes later, we’re at the bar inside the club, ordering shots of tequila. The alcohol burns as it hits the back of my throat, but soon warms my chest, giving me the push I need to join Brynn on the dance floor.
The club really leans into its name. The Concrete Jungle is full of neon lights, and there are a few jumbotrons, giving it the same look and vibe as Times Square. The walls are painted in a night-time cityscape, and I overhear someone nearby saying that all the images on the jumbotron match up real time with what is being shown in Times Square.
Brynn and I dance for a while, moving our bodies to the beat of the music. Plenty of guys try to join us, but when a tall, muscled, tattooed guy with a black button up shirt and an earring comes up to her, she surprises me by leaning into him. He may not be either of our usual types, but even a blind man can see this guy is hot.
She bites her lip as she dances with him and raises her brow at me, essentially asking permission to ditch me for a while.
“Text me,” I mouth, then grin at her as she animatedly mouths a thank you back to me.
Phew, I could use a drink of water. And some quiet. Now that I don’t have the immediate company of Brynn to keep me energized, I’m quickly reminded of why I don’t go to clubs that often. It’s pretty overwhelming.
Making my way back to the circular bar, I take a seat at the side furthest from the dance floor, where it’s a little quieter. A guy sits about a stool down from me at the same time that I hop up on a stool, but I don’t get a good look at him, content to sit and rest for a while after all that dancing.
The bartender is on the busier side of the counter, and I’m wondering if I’m going to have to order on that side, then bring it over here after.
“Hi… I’m sorry, I don’t usually do this, but… can I buy you a drink?” The deep timbre of a man’s voice has me whipping my head to the side and finding the guy I saw seconds ago.
Now that I’m actually looking at him, it’s obvious that this is the hottest guy I’ve ever seen in my life. His hair is a mix between dirty blonde and sandy brown, shaved close on the sides and sexily tousled on top. A neatly trimmed beard cuts a clean line of his square jaw. It’s hard to tell since he’s sitting down, but I’d guess he’s a little over six feet, and definitely toned under his gray button up shirt.
His sleeves are rolled up and the top two buttons are undone like he knows it’s catnip to women. Blue eyes peer deeply into mine with something like intrigue shimmering beneath the surface.
I was going to get a glass of water, but shit, I can have another drink, right?
“I’d like that.” I smile at him. “I’m Ella.”
Mystery man moves to the seat next to me, and there’s this tug in my gut, urging me to get closer. I should probably be weary about a complete stranger buying me a drink, but there’s just something about him that makes me think I can trust him. “Nice to meet you, Ella.” Something sparks in his eyes when he looks at me, and up close, I can see that his eyes aren’t just blue, they’re this gorgeous gray like an ocean after a storm.
“Do I get to know your name now?” I ask coyly, my fingers unconsciously twirling the ends of my hair. “Or do I need to call you ‘mystery man’ all night?”
He chuckles, and something sparks in his eyes when he looks at me. “As much as I like the sound of that, I’m a fair guy. You gave me your name, so I’ll tell you mine… my friends call me Liam.”
He turns his head towards the bar right as a second bartender walks up to us, and I’m struck by his profile. A sculpted jaw, leading to a strong chin. Full, inviting lips that part as he asks the bartender to get me whatever I want. A smooth, straight nose that sits beneath those piercing eyes.
I haven’t flirted with anyone since… well, since Harvey. So just over two years ago. Harvey and I got along well enough, but since our break up I’ve come to realize there was never a real spark, and talking with Liam has me wondering just how much I’ve been missing out on.
“—Miss?” Shit. The bartender is looking at me. Did he just ask me what I want to drink?
“Oh, um, a margarita please. With salt.”
The bartender nods and moves to mix the drink.
Liam gives me this sexy-ass grin that says he knows what kind of effect he just had on me. An effect I’m more than ready to explore in fine detail. I’m not looking for any kind of relationship, let alone anything serious. But… I leave for school in three months, and maybe a night with a sexy stranger that melts my panties with a single look is just what I need.
Fuck it. I’m texting Brynn right now and telling her I met a guy too so don’t wait up.