CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
LIAM
I motion for Chase to follow me, walking across the street, opening the villa Mom and Dad bought a while back. Pushing through the kitchen doors, he raises his hands in surrender. “I know what you’re gonna say. I swear I didn’t invite her to tag along.”
Ever since Chase and I got a little close, I’ve told him more about Vanessa—including her swinging by the tattoo parlor and coming to every single event the frat has.
“Tommy has a thing with her, I couldn’t say no.
” I understand this, but hate how it’s making me feel, and I hope Bianca doesn’t realize anything.
I want her to hear it from me. Vanessa and I slept together once, and I wasn’t in the right headspace.
I was stupid, and thought that was the only way I could forget Bianca, the only way she wouldn’t show in my mind.
I consented, I wanted to forget her, but I didn’t.
I never have.
Looking up, I catch Chase staring at me, feeling the decency to be somewhat remorseful.
“Look, I get that this is extremely uncomfortable.” He sighs and I raise an eyebrow, urging him to continue.
“Liam, man, Bianca already knows about you and Vanessa.” Something passes over me and my heart drops at that statement.
“What, how?” For a moment, I look at him, but deep down, I know Chase wouldn’t do that.
He raps his knuckles on the counter. “Vanessa asked her to the frat party saying she wanted her to wingwoman for this guy she had hooked up with once. She’s a smart girl, I know she’s probably put two and two together.
” My body almost recoils in disgust at Vanessa’s words before guilt overtakes me.
No wonder Bianca had a weird look when Vanessa approached me earlier.
“Great,” I grumble before leaning against the kitchen counter.
“I just got her back, and even now . . . We’re fragile.
” He nods thoughtfully and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but he’s actually a good listener.
I chuckle sadly. “I feel like we’re making some type of progress, and now.
. .” I put my head down, my forehead connecting with the cool marble, my heart stuttering at the words that can’t even come out.
“Maybe this will be the thing that keeps us from moving forward.” A frown stretches over my face as I look out the window and spot her laughing with Jamie.
“And I wouldn’t handle it well if it were. ”
I look back out the window and see them coming toward the villa. I give Chase a look to be done with the conversation. As I start to walk out, he stops me. “Look, knowing Bianca, she’s probably the type to appreciate honesty. Just get everything out there.”
I nod, pushing open the French doors, finding Vanessa on the other side. I step back, shocked, given I thought she was still on the beach. “What do you want?”
She looks up at me with glazed eyes and I pinch my nose when I notice that she’s a little tipsy.
“Have you seen Tommy?” she asks.
“No.”
She scoffs at that, sliding her hands into her back pockets of the shorts she’s now wearing, then sighs.
“Truthfully, I came looking for you.” She reaches to grab my arm, but she huffs in annoyance when I pull away.
Chase nods, leaving when he sees us, and I run my hands through my hair, frustrated.
“Vanessa, we’ve talked about this. Please leave me alone,” I whisper sternly, hoping Bianca or Jamie doesn’t see this for something it isn’t. She looks up at me, her eyes glossier than before.
“Look, I know it’s been a while, but I thought . . .”
I shake my head. “Vanessa, you’re drunk, and like I told you already, we’re done. We weren’t anything to begin with. It was one freaking time two years ago!” I shout, but then lower my voice. “I’ve moved on. You need to as well. Tommy is nice, go for him.”
She rolls her eyes and comes closer. “Oh, come on, Liam. We had fun, didn’t we?” she says, a chuckle escaping her lips, and anger fills me.
“Stop.” She flinches at my voice, but still tries to get close.
I step back as much as I can before my back hits the counter.
“You and I—mistake. I regret the night we slept together. I wish it never happened. So have some dignity for yourself because I want absolutely nothing to do with you.” Her eyes widen and she looks as if she’ll start to cry, but then she attempts to lean into me.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand and I turn to see Bianca.
She looks startled and I push Vanessa off me. I try to move closer to Bianca, but she walks out, mumbling something along the lines of, “I’m sorry for interrupting.” I let her go, and remain hopeful this is the last time I have this conversation with Vanessa.
“If you cost me the most important relationship I have, I’ll make sure you’re never allowed in any fraternity house, kicked out of the sorority you’re in now, and I’ll file a complaint against you for harassment, do you understand me?
” She looks up at the menacing tone I’ve had to resort to, and for once, she hangs her head and nods.
She then walks out without looking back, and I let out a sharp exhale as I go looking for Bianca.
Chase is trying to make conversation with Jamie. Moving toward them, she turns to me with a glare. “Where is she?” I ask, and she shrugs. “Jamie, come on,” I beg, but she takes a long sip of her drink. I look at Chase for some help.
She scoffs. “I think she saw something that hurt her.” I flinch at that. “Give her a minute.”
I nod, sighing because she’s right. Though, it doesn’t mean I stop looking for her. My heart plummets at the thought of her thinking that I’ve been sleeping or flirting with someone while we almost kissed the other day.
Have I forgotten about that? Never.
I know we’re not dating, solely making baby steps to being friends, I guess.
Technically, it’s fine if I did move on with someone in that way, but I still feel like I’ve betrayed her .
. . us. As I rush out of one of the bedrooms, I bump into her as she’s exiting the bathroom.
Her dazzling eyes stare up at me, a blush painting her face.
“Bianca.”
She pushes away from me. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“It wasn’t what it looked like,” I say, getting right to the point.
She shrugs. “It’s okay if it was, I assumed a while ago, besides we’re not . . .” Her words trail off and my shoulders drop.
“Bianca, don’t shut down because of this.
What happened between her and me—one time, years ago—it’s insignificant to me.
Okay?” I try to catch her eyes as she ducks her face.
“I hate that it happened. I thought by doing it, I’d forget about how you weren’t in my life anymore.
” She looks up at that as if she can’t believe that’s why I did it.
I sigh. “I’m not perfect, Bianca. Far from it.
” I chuckle bitterly, reaching to grab her hands, elated when she lets me.
“But I’d never lie to you, and I’m not starting now.
And if you don’t believe me, Chase can tell you all about Vanessa’s . . . persistence.”
Her eyes widen at my use of the word, and I hold her gaze, willing her to believe me. She nods after a bit, and I wonder at what that could mean. “Okay,” she replies.
“Okay?” I ask.
She sighs. “You’re many things, Liam Parker, but a liar has never been one of them.
I believe you.” She gives me a small smile and I let out a laugh in disbelief.
I rub her hands and she moves to take them out of my hold.
“I just . . . kinda need to process everything. But we’re cool.
It’s fine, and even though you don’t wanna be with Vanessa, you can do whatever you want with someone else if you wanted.
You don’t have to stop on account of me. ”
My eyes close in pain. Why would she want to push me into someone else’s arms? Before I can even grace her with a response, wanting her to know that the only person I want a relationship with—even if it’s just best friendship—is her, Jamie joins us and throws an arm over Bianca’s shoulders.
“I have the best idea.” Bianca laughs, rolling her eyes while Jamie leans in to whisper in her ear. Chase follows, finding a spot beside Jamie.
Bianca looks at her, wild-eyed. “No, we couldn’t.”
“Yes, we should. We always talked about it, I’m leaving in a couple of days, why not?
Besides, you need a pick-me-up,” Jamie says while giving me a dismissive look.
I look at Bianca, hoping she at least tells me what they’re going to do.
They both leave and I’m not ashamed to admit I follow them out.
Chase trails behind me as we head back to the beach.
The thumping of music gets stronger and the knot in the pit of my stomach doesn’t lessen any.
“Mama Kate!” Jamie shouts while Ms. Kate looks over.
Josh does too before he rolls his eyes, and I raise an eyebrow.
They walk over to her while I spot my parents having the time of their lives in the water.
“Can we use your car to go to a tattoo parlor?” My ears perk at that and I walk over to them.
All our expressions turn to ones of surprise, except Josh’s.
His is of pure disgust. Ms. Kate seems to mull it over while I still stand there in shock.
Putting his sunglasses back on, Josh says, “Nope.”
Ms. Kate responds with her own, “Sure.”
Bianca freezes when Josh and Ms. Kate say two different answers, and I get closer to her, hoping to see why she looks so tense. Though, she pretends not to notice me.
Ms. Kate turns to look at him in disbelief. “Honey, they’re eighteen. Let them have fun.” He takes his sunglasses off again before he stares her down.
“No, Kate. I’m not letting my stepdaughter ruin herself more than she already has.
God. The influences you two have,” he mutters, and my body recoils at the comment.
Mom and Dad have made their way out of the waves, her face scrunching up in annoyance, his with an expression of subtle anger, obviously having heard what Josh said.
Ms. Kate lets out a sound of disbelief before she grabs her keys and hands them to Bianca, Josh sitting up as he looks at her in shock.
“Have fun, girls.” Jamie squeals happily while she drags Bianca away, but she turns to glance at her mom as Josh stares holes into the side of Ms. Kate’s face.
She sighs and then looks at me. “Liam.” She signals with her head toward the girls, and a weird tug-of-war begins in my head.
This guy. This Josh Callaway is not the perfect gentleman people make him out to be.
But he wouldn’t do anything to her, right?
They’re in public. She wouldn’t take that from him anyway.
I sigh and look at Chase as we start behind the girls, and I nod toward my parents. They nod back, understanding. I catch up with Bianca and Jamie, snatching the keys.
“Hey!”
Jamie turns toward me, but I hold the keys out of her reach. “I’m driving you both in my car.”
Bianca steps forward. “You can’t take my mom’s keys.”
I step forward too. “Bianca, I’ll drive you both to a tattoo shop. A good one. Let me tag along.” I shift my focus to Jamie, begging her with my eyes to let me do this. If being their chauffeur helps me be near Bianca, I’ll take it.
“Oh, me too,” Chase adds, and we all look at him. He shrugs. “Come on, you guys are way more fun.” Out of all of us, Jamie’s the only one who scoffs. I look at him knowingly.
Oh, this is gonna be interesting.
Jamie sighs, relenting, and Bianca nods nervously.
I let them inside my car, going back into the villa and hanging Ms. Kate’s keys on the hook where she can find them later.
Jogging back outside, Bianca’s in the front seat and Jamie and Chase are in the back.
Through the rearview mirror, I watch him look at Jamie, and I realize it’s the first time I’ve seen him really look at a girl.
He’s not ogling like he usually does, but admiring.
I know because I do it to Bianca every time I see her.
My Freckles has yet to say a word.
I turn on the car and start toward the parlor. All I hear are the tires running along the road and the low conversation between Jamie and Chase. I sigh, merging into the left lane as we come to a stoplight. I open my mouth, then close it as the light turns green.
I remember when Bianca and I would get into disagreements; after such a short amount of time, we both demanded to talk.
It was refreshing that we both valued communication, but now, she retreats.
She goes back into her little hidey-hole while I work on coaxing her back out.
I’m a patient guy, and I don’t mind, but I refuse to believe that something so insignificant will ruin the little bit of progress we’ve made.