Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
RACHEL
Oh no, he had to get a little flirty with me, which has me swooning like the weak woman I am.
My body sways toward his, and I’ve not had a single drop of alcohol yet.
Paige and I didn’t have any time to even pregame at her place, which is something I’ve never heard of before, and she had to explain to me it’s when you drink at home before you go out to save money.
Considering I’ve never had to save money before in my entire life, it makes sense I’ve never heard of this. God, I’m spoiled.
This is why I wanted to buy my own drinks and be an independent woman tonight.
I got my first paycheck, and I was shocked at the amount of money I made—meaning it wasn’t much, and now I understand when people say that customer service employees are underpaid.
They totally are. We work our butts off.
But then I got the tip payout that’s divided among all of us, and that eased the sting some. I was able to deposit my check, and my new debit card is nestled in my bag, ready to be used.
The “I feel liberated and able to stand on my own two feet” vibe I was rocking got squashed, thanks to Wyatt’s bossy, flirty ways.
I wasn’t exaggerating when I told him he has this way of taking the lead over everything.
And while I said it to him like it’s a bad thing, I didn’t mean it.
I secretly like how he takes over, as if he wants to take care of me.
Maybe I’m reading too much into this. I don’t want another man to just take care of me. I’m tired of depending on men. I need to be more like Paige and take care of myself.
But being close to Wyatt reminds me of what happened the last time we were together.
That moment lives rent-free at the forefront of my mind, and it only gets worse when he’s around.
Meaning that I’ve got him standing right next to me, his body brushing against mine and lighting me up inside, and all I can think about is having sex with him.
Again.
The bartender shows up with our drinks, and I remember that Paige is with us when she lifts her glass up, examining the contents. “It’s so pretty! Looks like sunshine in a glass.”
“Have you never had an Aperol spritz?” I’m a little shocked. It’s my drink of choice in the summer.
Paige shakes her head as she clinks her glass against mine. “Nope, but I hope it tastes as good as it looks.” She takes a sip from her straw, her entire face lighting up. “Oh yeah.”
Wyatt reaches around me to grab his beer, his chest pressing against my shoulder with the movement, and I lean back a little to keep the connection going, sad when he pulls away. Oh, he is bold tonight, and I like it. I love it.
I want some more of it.
Isn’t that a song?
Speaking of songs, a popular country one starts playing that I recognize from the playlist on constant rotation at work.
I move to the beat, shimmying my shoulders, taking a big sip of my drink.
Paige joins me, both of us dancing away from the bar with our drinks in our hands, and Wyatt seems to have no choice but to follow us, clutching his beer and looking extra hot.
Just thinking about how handsome he is sets my skin on fire.
And the more I’m around him, the hotter he gets.
The more relaxed he seems too. Maybe he just has to get used to someone before he can fully be himself?
I mean, I get it. I’m probably too accepting of every new person who enters my life.
Paige is the same way, meaning we’re kindred spirits, just like she told me once.
That’s probably what gets me in trouble too, especially with men.
My easy acceptance of everyone. This is why I fall under their spell so quickly and think I’m in love with them.
I should take things more slowly. Be more cautious.
Like Wyatt.
Nate spots us as we move through the crowd and waves. He’s standing with another woman at a high-top table, and we make our way over. I grab hold of Paige’s free hand and give it a squeeze, rising up on my toes so my mouth is at her ear. “Who’s the woman he’s with?”
“Kayla Valdez. They graduated in the same class,” Paige tells me out of the side of her mouth. “She has a girlfriend.”
“Oh. Good to know.” I was ready to throw down for my new roommate if Nate was showing interest in someone else.
Nate introduces Kayla to me when we arrive at the table, and she pulls me into a warm hug, her smile just as welcoming as her attitude. “It’s so good to meet you! I’ve heard all about you.”
“You have?” I’m a little taken aback at that declaration. Like, who’s talking about me to this woman?
“You are seriously all the talk around town. You’re the one whose house burned down, right?”
“Yeah.” Oh crap. My biggest embarrassment. I sip from my straw, taking in as much alcohol as I can because I hate that she knows me like that. “I am.”
“I’m shocked you’re still here.” Kayla pauses. “You’re not staying in your house still, are you?”
“Oh no.” I laugh, shaking my head. “Paige was kind enough to let me rent out her extra bedroom, and I’m working at Mitchell’s for the summer.”
Kayla’s brows shoot up. “No kidding? I worked there when I was in high school.”
Way to make me feel inferior, though I doubt that was her intent. “I’m thinking everyone in this town has worked at Mitchell’s at one point or another.”
Kayla laughs. “True. Oh, there’s Suzi.”
Her face goes soft, and I glance over my shoulder to see who she’s talking about.
I immediately recognize the woman headed our way: the nice firefighter who called Wyatt an asshole.
Suzi joins us at the table, wedging herself between Nate and Kayla and slipping her arm around Kayla’s waist. “I know you,” she says the moment we lock eyes.
“The woman whose house burned down,” Kayla tells her, and Suzi snaps her fingers.
“Oh my God, you’re still here! I thought you’d left.” Suzi pulls me into a tight hug so fast I almost spill my drink on her. “Look at you! Have they started work on the house yet?”
“Um . . .” She’s extra friendly, and I wonder if she’s drunk.
I’m also a little embarrassed because I can’t answer that question.
I have no idea if the house is being fixed because .
. . I haven’t talked to my dad since the day he cut me off.
And I’ve never gotten a chance to check on the house since I left it, which probably says something to an outsider who doesn’t know about my situation, right?
“Not really. You know how insurance is.”
“Oh yeah, such a pain.” Suzi rolls her eyes, letting go of me and turning her attention to Kayla. “Did you know Nate had a raging crush on you in high school? He just admitted that to me.”
Nate’s cheeks turn approximately fifty shades of pink and red at Suzi’s statement. “Only my junior year.”
“Uh-huh.” Wyatt takes a drink from his beer when Nate glares at him.
They all start giving Nate grief, and I just stand there and enjoy the moment.
It’s so . . . nice, how friendly they still are after all these years.
They’re comfortable with each other because they’ve literally grown up together.
And while there are some people I know from high school, we don’t really stay in close contact, save for Scarlett.
Like the music gods, or whatever you want to call them, dived into my mind and knew I was thinking about her, a Tate Ramsey song starts playing over the speakers, and Paige literally shrieks. Loud enough to hurt my ears.
“oh my god, i love tate ramsey!” Paige starts to dance right there at the table, mouthing along with the lyrics. She knows every single word, and I realize what I’m about to tell her is going to blow her mind.
Reaching across the table, I grab her arm, giving it a shake. “I know him.”
Paige pushes me away, shaking her head. “Shut the fuck up.”
My mouth drops open. Paige curses here and there, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say the f-word before. “I’m dead serious.”
“You do not know Tate Ramsey.” This comes from Suzi, who’s peering at me like I might be an alien from another planet. “Do you?”
I nod enthusiastically, pulling my phone out of my tiny bag and opening up the photos app. I scroll and scroll until I find the picture that will prove it. Turning my screen toward them all, I say, “See?”
Paige swipes the phone out of my hand, her eyes narrowing as she studies the photo. Nate and Wyatt flank her, staring at the screen too, while I wait for them to ask more questions. “That’s his girlfriend,” Paige says, pointing at Scarlett.
“She’s my best friend,” I announce proudly.
“Let me see.” Suzi makes a grabby hand motion, and Paige passes her my phone so Suzi and Kayla can study the photo together.
“You’re best friends with Scarlett Lancaster?” Paige’s voice pitches higher when she says her name. “She’s got, like, millions of followers.”
“I went to high school with her.” I don’t even bother telling them all the drama behind Scarlett and Tate’s relationship and how it started. Maybe someday I’ll tell Paige, but I have to swear her to secrecy. “Tate’s a really nice guy.”
“And a really hot guy.” Kayla hands me my phone.
“Hey,” Suzi says, looking vaguely hurt.
“Oh, give me a break. I was into him a long time ago. When I was still sexually confused and Tate’s pretty-boy looks had me all aflutter.” Kayla pulls her girlfriend in for a hug. “I had a Five Car Pileup poster and a Tate Ramsey poster hanging in my room.”
“Five Car Pileup.” Wyatt shakes his head at the boy band name—the band Tate used to be in before they broke up spectacularly, as boy bands tend to do. All the women glare at him, and he throws his hands up. “Sorry. I thought they were lame.”
“They weren’t lame.” Kayla sounds downright insulted. “I loved them. I wanted to marry Tate.”
“So did I!” Paige squeals, turning to look at me. “You have to get us tickets to a Tate Ramsey concert.”
“I can totally do that,” I say with confidence, sipping from my drink.
Kayla and Paige start bonding over their shared love for Tate Ramsey and Five Car Pileup, and I shift out of the way so I’m not in the middle of their conversation. I end up standing next to Wyatt.
Which was my ultimate plan.
“You surprise me every time I see you,” Wyatt says, slowly shaking his head.
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“I learn something new about you.”
“Isn’t that how this is supposed to work?”
He frowns. “How what is supposed to work?”
“Getting to know someone. Learning something new about a person every time you talk.”
“Ahh. You’re right.” He scoots closer, and I don’t protest. He’s big and warm, giving me all the positive vibes that I need to boost my confidence.
This man is extremely attractive. And confident—which ups his attractiveness tenfold.
“It’s not just that I’m learning something new about you, but the things I learn .
. . surprise me. Like the fact that you know a celebrity. Even I’ve heard of Tate Ramsey.”
“Yeah, I know a few.” I shrug one shoulder, noting the way his gaze goes there, lingering. My skin burns like he actually touched me, and I wonder how I’ll be able to handle it if he actually puts his hands on me in a more-than-just-a-friend manner. “It’s no big deal.”
“Seems like it is to them.” He waves his hand at Kayla and Paige, who are still going on about Tate.
“I guess I just . . . move in a different world than you guys do here.”
He tips his bottle to his lips, never breaking eye contact with me, which is undeniably sexy. “I’ll say,” he murmurs before he takes a sip.