Chapter 7
Kenzie
In three days, I had added two new items to my list. Make friends to not die of boredom and make sure to never live alone.
Every sound the worn-down house made me jump out of bed and clutch a baseball bat.
It didn’t matter how many times I checked every door to make sure they were locked, or the windows to ensure they were shut, I didn’t feel safe.
It also didn’t help I got suckered into watching a crime documentary on Netflix, scaring the shit out of myself to the point I called my parents with the excuse of checking in. Hell, I almost called Sean.
I decided I didn’t like it when the guys weren’t home.
Their place was meant to be lived in, not to be vacated or left alone to a dork like me.
They had one game Friday morning—making it six games for their tournament—and they would return home.
It was two p.m. and they still weren’t back and I wasn’t a huge fan of checking my watch every ten minutes. I had a life without them, right?
Ha. Ha. I didn’t, not yet.
My entire first week’s assignments for both classes, my laundry and even a budget for the summer were done.
Once I turned nineteen and could waitress at the Lion, I’d be able to save more money and contribute more to the house.
There always seemed to be food and I couldn’t say who exactly bought it. Hm, a question for another day.
I sat on what I deemed the welcome couch, my legs spread out on the cushions, and I was on my seventh Buzzfeed quiz about what type of cereal I was—I was Fruity Pebbles, by the way—when I heard their voices.
My stomach felt filled with butterflies and when Tanner walked through the door, my breath caught in my throat.
He gave me a sexy head nod, still mid-laugh, and I couldn’t picture anything more attractive in the world. “Hey, Kenny, you survived!”
“We had a bet going,” Zade added, following TJ into the house. “Aaron said you hated being home alone growing up, so, how badly did you freak out?”
“You’re all assholes. Trying to make a profit off my fear?” I set my laptop down and found the nearest cushion to throw at him. “And to think I ordered a Zwillows Pillows sweatshirt to support you.”
That wiped the smirk off his face. Aaron entered behind Zade and all three guys dropped their shit right at the entrance and plopped onto the remaining seats in the living room. Zade and Tanner gave Aaron a long look, Tanner speaking first. “Dude, you’re sure about this?”
“Yeah. It’s been almost a year.”
“We don’t have to do it here,” Zade added, and my concern went from zero to ten. “Seriously, it doesn’t matter if we do it here or at one of the other houses.”
“Guys, it’s our senior year. Greta will be here and she would literally fight anyone trying to fuck with us.
I’m not in the same place I was then. We’re having a party,” my brother said, the reason for their serious talk making sense.
“Kenzie, are you okay with us having a party here? It will be loud, messy and people will probably try to have sex in your room.”
Three pairs of eyes stared at me and a fit of giggles came over me. It did nothing to show them how mature I was. They rolled their eyes until I could contain myself. “Sorry, that’s just…gross. Sex in other people’s beds is wrong. But yeah, I’m fine with the party. Actually, I’m excited.”
“Yeah?” Aaron’s eyes lit up, turning brighter blue. “You always complained about not getting to party with me in high school. Now’s your chance, K-bug.”
“Don’t use that nickname, buckwheat,” I fired back with the nickname our parents gave him…which he despised. His left eye twitched for second before he gave me a nod of appreciation.
“Fair enough. Let’s see if our beer pong skills carry in the family or not.”
“They do, trust me.”
“Ten dollars I beat you.”
“Game on, bro. Game on.” I gave him the most confident look I could, laughing at Zade’s whistle. “Zade’s on my team.”
“TJ’s on mine. Shake.” He held out his hand and we shook, both trying to get the other one to break, and he won, with his strength. So I kicked him in the shin. “You little shit.”
“That’s for letting your teammates bet on how much I freaked out.” I felt Tanner’s stare and I met it, sensing his amusement, and I knew he wouldn’t lie to me. “Who had more than ten times?”
“Your brother.”
“Fuck, well, he wins. I started carrying the bat around after it got dark every night and I might’ve left every light on upstairs.”
“We’re back, and you’re fine.” Aaron gave me one last look before picking up his bag. “Let’s get the house ready, boys, it’s been a while since we gave her a good time.”
They weren’t kidding—they had crazy parties.
Music blared from the basement after Zade got the hook-up with some awesome speakers, and three large kegs of Bud Lite lined their back deck.
It was just big enough to hold the massive barrels and there had to be at least twenty cups on the ground.
It was nine p.m. and people were already getting silly. It had started an hour ago.
“Girl, you look incredible. Give me a hug.” Greta Aske didn’t wait for permission before throwing her arms around me, causing me to stumble into the kitchen wall.
She wore a floral perfume and it tickled my nose, and I got a mouthful of her hair before she let go.
“I love your skirt. Seriously, how do you Hills look good in everything?”
“He doesn’t. It’s just me,” I replied, earning a huge grin from my brother’s bubbly girlfriend.
I eyed my high-waisted jean skirt that had buttons all down the middle.
I’d paired it with my Chucks and a black crop top that didn’t have sleeves.
It showed two inches of my midriff and felt like the perfect balance of flirty and modest. “But thank you. I stressed over what to wear to one of these.”
“Rookie mistake. It doesn’t matter.” She held a red cup up against her cheek and squinted toward the living room, where we’d removed all the valuables.
Only the couches remained. “Shit, someone I know looks sloppy. I’m going to check on her.
I wanted to tell you.” She paused, waiting for me to meet her intense stare.
“Your brother loves you. He needs you in his life and if you ever need help kicking his ass, you just ring. I got your number from him today and I’ll text you mine.
If I don’t see you later, we’re hanging out soon. That’s a promise.”
I didn’t have time to smile before she took off.
A girl I had never seen before slipped down the wall to the ground, unaware of how much she exposed to everyone, and Greta bent low to help her up.
It didn’t matter that she stepped in spilled beer or that it got on her awesome yellow dress.
She helped people and I sent another prayer to whatever guardian angel that would hear me. I was so glad Aaron had her.
“Yo, Kenny, we’re up on beer pong. I really hate losing to your ass-clown of a brother, so I hope you’re good.” Zade looked way too stressed for a party and I chuckled.
“I’ll be fine.”
“If we beat them, I’ll buy you breakfast tomorrow. Anything you want.”
“Incorrect. If we win, they will buy us both breakfast tomorrow, and I’m not talking about no IHOP. I want a buffet.”
“It freaks me out how much I fear you and respect you. If that doesn’t sum up how I feel about your brother, I don’t know what does. Come on, Ken, let’s do this.”
He smiled and charmed his way through the small crowd of people and led me toward one of three beer pong tables in the backyard.
My pulse raced at the thought of competition.
It ran in our family and while I knew my strengths weren’t athletics, I still wanted to win at everything.
We approached the table to find my brother chatting with a red-haired kid who looked a little star-struck.
When the kid saw me, his mouth dropped open.
“Angel.” He looked at me, then Aaron, and back to me. Aaron wasted no time before smacking the kid in the neck.
“You continue one second of your thoughts, I’ll kill you, Carter. Death. Serious death.”
“Is that your—”
“Yes, now leave.”
The goofy kid mouthed I love you to me and I snorted. Zade gave me an incredulous look and shook his head. “That’s Carter Bolt. It’s a damn shame he has a name for fame, but the hair of a ging.”
“Don’t hate on gingers. Have you seen Prince Harry? Good lord, I can get on that train.”
“Dude, no,” Aaron yelled at me, causing another fit of giggles to escape me. His expression softened and his tone changed. He moved to our side of the table and blocked out the rest of the party so I could see him. “How are you doing so far? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Aaron.” It was hard to be annoyed when he looked so worried. “I’ve had one drink and only seen two people making out. It’s actually boring.”
He pressed his lips together for a second before his playful smile returned. “You’re such a dick.”
“Nah, I’m sweet.” I shoved him toward his side and froze when Tanner walked toward us with his arm around a girl.
He wore jeans that showcased his strong legs and a black V-neck that left his glorious tan arm muscles for anyone to ogle.
I couldn’t control my physical reaction to him like that, hair styled and no stress around his eyes, but I could control my thoughts.
Who is she?
Does he like her?
Oh, Jesus. Of course he likes her, at least for tonight.
He brought his face toward hers, nibbling on her ear for a second and causing her to giggle and lean farther into him.
My gut tightened, the sight of them sending an irrational surge of jealousy through me.
We were friends. Nothing more. He owed me nothing.
Literally, nothing. But it didn’t stop the feeling and I found every ounce of my inner badass to shove the feelings down.
“Johnson, put your dick away for a second and come lose.”