Chapter 24 Donovan #2
I tilt my head back, searching her eyes with mine.
“You think he’s charming?”
“Yup.”
“More charming than me?”
“If this conversation veers into a Punisher-measuring contest—”
I frown. “Hold up—you want to measure his dick?”
“I hate when you say that word!”
“ ‘Dick.’ ” I smile.
“Yeah, Adam is definitely more charming than you are…”
“I’ll have you know Adam says the word ‘dick’ from time to time…”
“Oh my God!” she squeals. “Shut up!”
Impossible. I have too much to say still.
“Thank you, Carrie.”
“For what?”
“For everything.” I think for a second. “You didn’t have to help me out—but here you are. Bullying me, blackmailing my sister… Trying to fix things between us.”
Carrie shoots me a shy smile. Her eyelashes flutter as her gaze drifts down to my lips.
“Hanging out with you isn’t so bad, after all. And you’re easy to housebreak.”
“Wish I could say the same for you.”
She chuckles, and I think she’s going to pull away but her hands stay knotted at the small of my back. Everything in the way she’s holding me—her breath, her stillness, the way she’s looking at my mouth—begs me to close the distance. I lean in, helpless to stop myself.
There’s no mistaking what I’m about to do. Yet she doesn’t move.
She stays right there. It’s like she’s waiting.
Happy birthday, man! Don’t screw this up.
My lips tentatively graze hers when a car horn shatters the moment, exploding through the whole street.
Carrie jolts like she’s been shocked and slips right out of my arms. She hurries down the four porch steps and spins back toward me, wide-eyed.
“Let’s hit the road before Amelia changes her mind!”
My pulse is beating irregularly.
Fuck…
By the time I slide behind the wheel I’m panting, and before I hit the gas, I shoot Carrie a look.
I want her to know this is the last time anyone ever interrupts us again.
I don’t care how many guests are at that party.
Tonight, I’m going for another kiss. Judging by the color rising in her cheeks, Carrie got the message loud and clear.
I pull out, glancing at my sister in the rearview mirror. Carrie elbows me and mouths, “Come on,” and I roll my eyes in my head.
I clear my throat. “So, how’s school?”
It takes Amelia a few seconds to realize I’m talking to her. Our eyes meet and she glances at Carrie before taking a deep breath in.
“It’s good.”
“Cool.”
The silence sets in again, and if we were able to talk right now, I know what Carrie would be saying: “Come on, keep it going!” I’m doing my best, here! “Do better, then.” We don’t even need to talk—I know exactly what she’s thinking.
Carrie huffs, twisting in her seat.
Okay, okay!
“What’re you studying?”
“Nursing. Like Mom.”
“Wow.” Carrie sounds impressed. “She must be psyched.”
“If I’m happy, she’s happy.”
“You guys are so lucky to have such amazing parents.”
I glance at Carrie. She always has this weird vibe whenever she mentions her family, and I wish she’d open up more.
“You seeing anyone?” Carrie presses on.
“No.”
“Dad told me you’d been dating this guy for a year or so,” I try.
“Jeez, word gets around, huh?” Amelia snorts. “He dumped me in September. He wanted to ‘make the most of college.’ ”
“What the hell is wrong with these jackasses?” Carrie scoffs. “Our friend Lois had the same thing happen last year. You’ll get to meet her later—she’s dating Donovan’s friend Lane.”
It suddenly feels uncomfortably hot. I grip the steering wheel.
Hearing her mention one of my friends like that is sending me spiraling back to that son of a bitch Cooper.
I glance at the back seat, and I just know my sister is thinking the same.
It’s written all over her face. She stares back at me in the mirror. This time, neither of us flinch away.
“They’re good guys,” Carrie continues, clearly picking up on the awkwardness.
“I guess they can’t be worse than his old friends—”
“I would’ve killed him, if you’d told me what was going on,” I say quietly, staring in front of me.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now.” She turns to look out the window. “And I don’t want to go to this fucking party, either.”
“You’re gonna have a good time, I’m sure of it!” says Carrie brightly.
“You already forced me to come with you guys. You can’t force me to actively enjoy myself, too.”
“Oh, trust me—I can.”
“Yup.” I nod. “She definitely can.”
I don’t know how I’d be dealing with all this if she weren’t here beside me. A flash of gratitude courses through me.
“And I swear, if you don’t enjoy yourself,” Carrie continues, “I’ll take you home myself.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “You’ve got your license?”
“Of course! I drive my mom’s car back in Cincy.”
“And what car would you be driving Amelia home in?”
“Yours.”
I laugh. “Dream on. Nobody touches my baby.”
“I can force you to let me.”
“Nope. You’d have to knock me out, and even then—it’s not happening.”
“I could always steal it,” she counters.
Amelia bursts out laughing. “Now there’s an idea!”
Did she just laugh?
Amelia clamps her mouth shut.
When I finally pull up outside the dorm, I’m desperate for a nice cool keg. I can’t believe my sister is actually here, at my place, and even though the only reason she agreed is Carrie’s blackmail thing, there’s a part of me that wants to believe she’s giving me a second chance.
Kissing Carrie, building bridges with Amelia—tonight looks set to be pretty epic, and I just hope the Campus Drivers haven’t got some kind of fucked-up surprise in store for me.
The girls are right behind me when I push open the door to our place. I take one step in, then throw an arm out to stop them from going any farther.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”