31. Hope
31
HOPE
W e rode to Cowpoke’s Bar and Grill on the Bay together in Xander’s orange SUV.
From the street-facing view, the place looked as if it were made entirely of wood, like an ark or something. But once we waded through some sand and climbed the outer staircase, we came out on the upper portion of a two-level, open-air restaurant, fashioned like a dock.
We paused to glance over the beauty of the water at sunset before we made our way down to the bottom portion, where wooden swings saddled up to the bar, and beyond that, karaoke night was being set up on the stage.
I went straight to the emcee to put in my first request, and he sent me a head bob in acknowledgment as he wound a black cord around his arm.
So I turned away to find us some seats.
Two long tables had already been pushed together and looked as if they could seat at least ten people. After claiming them, I joined the others at the bar to order drinks. Faith and Oaklynn got themselves mixed cocktails, but Raina, Xander, and I ordered lemonade and sodas.
We had decided to stay in the spirit of girls’ night, even after we’d invited the guys to join us, and we didn’t change out of our crazy outfits.
I’d lost the oven mitts, but I still sported my tutu and tights with the lime green eyeshadow, star wand, pearls, and off-the-shoulder gold top.
Faith said the scarf would overheat her, but she stayed in her short, denim skirt, white halter, and cowboy hat and boots.
Raina kept her pigtails, sunglasses, hoop earrings, bow tie, and strapless rainbow dress, while the only thing Oaklynn didn’t bring along was her cleaning gloves. Her sash and tiara looked great over the Starry Night themed romper she wore.
Xander was the only one of us who looked absolutely normal.
Which just might be why the rest of the bar sent us confused glances before they focused solely on her. Or maybe it was just because she was that pretty. Either way, some dude swaggered over almost immediately to ask if he could buy her a drink.
She merely picked hers up to show him she already had one before lifting her brows meaningfully, and he slunk off rejected.
“Something tells me you won’t have any problems moving on whenever you are ready,” Faith spoke up dryly just as Oaklynn leaped from her chair with a happy squeal, slopping some of her drink over the side.
“Incoming,” she cried, setting the glass down and racing off.
We turned to watch her launch herself at Damien as he and Hudson approached together. He caught her with a grin, gripping her ass and pulling her up against him so she could wrap her legs around his waist as she kissed him thoroughly.
Leaning toward Xander, I muttered, “Is it just me, or are they rubbing their happiness just a little too much in our faces?”
She lifted her brows and sent me a look. “A lot too much. Now, I really miss Liam.”
Faith didn’t help matters much when she popped up to go to Hudson, who was laughing at Oaklynn’s clothes. “Damn, Dimples. You stole my gear.”
“I’ll give it back, no worries,” she assured him when she came up from Damien’s face for air. “But it’s dress-crazy night with the girls, so I needed to borrow something .”
“Dress-crazy night?” he asked, lifting an interested eyebrow. “So what’s—?” He turned to get a look at his own girlfriend just as she reached them.
“Holy shit,” he blurted, looking at Faith from head to toe. “Where the fuck did you get those boots? And that hat?”
“They’re Raina’s,” she answered, popping a hip to strike a pose and then tipping the hat seductively at him. “You like?”
“Oh, I like,” he assured, stepping toward her slowly so he could hook an arm around her waist as he kept looking her up and down. Then he leaned past her to call to our table, “Sorry, Red, but you’re not getting these back.” Finally, he pulled Faith close and kissed her thoroughly.
“Geez Louise,” Xander groaned. “Not them too.”
“I know,” I grumbled. “I’m starting to feel like an ugly, forgotten misfit over here.” But as soon as I spoke, I noticed my brother and Keene over by the bar, ordering drinks. “Ooh! Alec’s here.” I bumped my shoulder into hers. “At least he’ll talk to us without sucking someone else’s face off first.”
When she laughed, Alec glanced over from the bar and blinked at her. But his gaze shifted to me soon enough, and he burst out chuckling.
Grabbing the cup the bartender handed him, he started toward our table, shaking his head. “What in the world are you wearing?”
“What? This old thing?” I lifted my arms to put myself on display. “It’s dress-crazy night. Didn’t you get the memo?”
“Must’ve missed it,” he murmured before shifting his gaze back to Xander as if looking for her wacky costume.
When he couldn’t discern what was so different about her attire, she simply shrugged. “I didn’t get the memo either.”
“Ah.” He sat down across from her and to my left. “Thank goodness. I won’t be the only one left out.”
When she smiled and then looked him over as if remembering what I’d said about molding him however she wanted, I grinned mischievously to myself, proud of the little seed I’d planted, and I took a quick drink of my lemonade to mask my smile.
Sauntering up, Keene wolf whistled as he zeroed in on Xander. “Damn, Girl Union. You clean up nice.”
As she sniffed derisively and glanced my way as if to say, you were definitely right about him , Raina spoke up from the swing she was sitting on at the end of the table, stationed higher than the rest of us, like a queen.
“What about me ?” she asked Keene pointedly.
His gaze lifted and sparked with amusement over her outfit. “Oh, I could have lots of fun with that bow tie,” he murmured suggestively as he waggled his brows and tugged playfully on one of her pigtails.
She preened, just happy to be flirted with, and Keene turned away to glance around the joint idly as he took a sip from his glass. Then he dropped his attention to the seating arrangements, only to furrow his brow and nudge Alec’s shoulder.
“Dude, I want to sit there. Get up.”
Alec lifted his face in confusion. “What?”
“I said—” Keene started, only to pause and then glance at me as if I might attack him if he repeated the demand. Clearing his throat sedately, he turned back to his best friend. “You know what, bud? Never mind. I’m good here.” And he pulled out the seat next to Alec to sit there instead.
Slouching to get comfortable, he hitched his chin up toward Xander. “So where’s your tacky getup?”
“Xander’s exempt tonight,” I spoke up, answering for her. “We’re trying to find her a hot rebound hookup.”
“What?” he cried in dismay. “Then why the hell did you come here ? If you need someone, my bedroom’s right below yours at home, darlin’.”
I was going to say something mean and cutting, like, Xander actually wanted to be able to look at herself in the mirror again afterward, but instead, I sighed affectionately. “Oh, Sneezy. You’re so cute.”
“What?” he asked, blinking cluelessly.
Not answering, I glanced toward the stairs that led down from the main entrance. But I didn’t see Parker descending them.
I’m not sure why I looked. I didn’t even know for certain if he’d been invited. Oaklynn had been in charge of spreading the word, so it was anybody’s guess as to who she’d called.
When he didn’t appear within two seconds, I exhaled in disappointment and turned as some dude approached our table, calling, “Yo, Pigtails.”
Raina sat up straighter on her swing. “Ooh, that’s me,” she said in surprise before turning to blink at the guy who approached.
He wore a Haverick football jersey with the number eighteen on it.
Pointing at her with the end of his beer bottle, he bounced his eyebrows suggestively and asked, “Wanna dance?”
“Hey, nice jersey,” she told him with a friendly smile. “My boyfriend has one exactly like it. Same number and everything.”
“Oh, yeah?” He leaned against the table next to us to look all cool as he hitched up his chin and glanced around. “So where is he ?”
“He’s stuck on a bus tonight with the rest of the team, heading to Gainesville, Florida,” she answered promptly. “Getting ready to play in the game tomorrow night.”
Cocky smile fading, her pursuer pushed away from the table and straightened in alarm. “Wait.” His eyes grew wide with horror. “You’re?—”
“Foster Union’s girlfriend,” she finished for him, nodding apologetically. “Yeah. That’s me.”
“Holy shit,” he breathed, looking momentarily frozen before he lifted his hands and gushed, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, ma’am. I meant no disrespect. I would never?—”
“Oh, it’s fine,” she tried to assure him, but he looked as if he were going to get on his knees and ask for some sort of punishment next. “It’s really fine.”
To keep him from apologizing further, Xander hurriedly told him, “ I’ll dance with you.”
He blinked and switched his gaze to her, only to pull back in alarm. “Whoa! Uh, okay,” he answered, and a big, redeeming smile spread across his face. “Really?”
“Sure,” she told him as she stood. “I’d be happy to dance with a Foster fan. He’s my first cousin, you know.”
“Seriously? Wow,” the guy murmured in awe. “I have so many questions about him.”
“And I probably have all the answers,” she teased. “Lead the way.”
I nudged her leg, murmuring, “Get it, girl,” as the guy started for the dance floor ahead of her.
But she sent me a stern frown, hissing, “Shh. I felt bad for him.”
Turning, she followed him to where Hudson already had Faith out on the floor, cutting a rug.
“Huh. That was really nice of her,” Alec commented, watching Xander dance with the stranger.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Keene demanded, slapping his arm. “That douche just took our girl.”
Alec only barked out a disbelieving laugh. “ Our girl? As if. There’s no way either of us ever has a chance with her.”
“Speak for yourself,” Keene muttered, plucking at his shirt with both hands. “I’ve got a damn fine chance.”
“I think I’m with Dopey on this one,” I said. “Xander’s still pretty set on her ex. Ain’t no way anyone is getting with her for a while. You should put your efforts into that table of girls over there who keep checking you out, Sneezy.”
“What? Which table?” Keene demanded, sitting upright and glancing around. When I pointed them out with a tip of my head, he lifted his brows in interest. “Well, hello , beauties.”
As soon as he started to stand, however, I lifted my hand to caution him. “Hey, whoa. What’re you doing? Don’t be so eager. You should make them come to you every once in a while.”
He paused, cocking me a slight frown. “I’m not following.”
I sighed patiently. “You always do all the work in chasing the girls, don’t you?”
“Uh…” He didn’t seem to know how to respond.
So I rolled my eyes. “Don’t you think you should make them put in a little effort sometimes? Here. Come on.” I stood up, holding out my hand to him. “Let’s show them what kind of moves you have on the dance floor. Then they’ll be fighting each other over who gets you.”
Keene squinted at me suspiciously for a beat before he started to nod. “You know what? You’re exactly right. Yeah. Let’s make them come to me .”
When he popped from his chair, I cheered, “Right on,” and I grabbed his hand to pull him out to where Hudson, Faith, and Xander were dancing.
“How do you want to do this?” I asked. “Sweet and polite or down and dirty to really show them what you’re made of?”
His eyebrows lifted. “Did you just offer to…grind on me?”
I lifted my eyebrows right back. “I did. You in?”
“Oh, hell yes.”
With a chuckle, I turned my back to him and lifted my arms above my head. “Alright then.” Swiveling my hips, I slowly backed toward him. When my spine brushed up against his chest, he clutched my waist, moving with me.
Into my hair, he said, “This is so weird. Alec’s sister is starting to turn me on.”
Loving it, I threw my head back, laughing hard enough that I bumped the back of my noggin on the front of his shoulder.
He snickered along with me, and together we fell into the moment, simply enjoying the rhythm.
When a tingling spread over my skin like a rash, making my breasts prickle, and an ache form between my legs, my gaze went to the stairs without thought.
And there he stood, paused on the bottom step, watching me dance with Keene.
Parker , my mind shuddered through the name in relish.
Memories swamped me, and suddenly, the only thing I could feel on me was his mouth and hands, his intense gaze as he stretched out beside me on that massive hotel bed and stroked his fingers up my body, his breath in my ear as he told me what he was going to do to me next. Then his tongue?—
With a shuddering gasp, I whirled away, only to come face-to-face with a surprised Keene.
“Whoa. Hey, you okay?” he asked, looking honestly concerned.
Flustered and shaken, I nodded and looped my arms around his neck, shifting closer to seek protection from the overwhelming feelings that were roaring through me. “Yeah, sorry,” I rasped, slightly out of breath. But as soon as I glanced over his shoulder, I spotted the table of women we’d been trying to attract.
Distracted by them, I smiled and patted Keene’s arm. “Good news, Sneezy. Your audience has taken notice.”
“Really?” He spun us around so he could have his own look.
Captain Discreet, this one was not.
In forcing me to face the other way, however, I was able to return my attention to those stairs. And a certain broody-eyed glare was still aimed at me from the base of them.
Parker’s gaze clashed with mine, and I forgot to breathe. Forgot to think. Forgot who and where I was, until Keene exclaimed, “Holy shit. They’re watching us hard .” Turning his face to address me, he added, “What’re your thoughts on spinning and dipping?”
I blinked, trying to focus on what he’d just said. “What?”
He sighed as if I were hopeless. “Just go with it.”
Before I could prepare myself, he tightened his grip on my hand and then whirled me out away from him, only to spin me right back.
I yelped out a surprised scream and then laughed when I bumped into his chest on the return.
“Oh my God!” I gasped, clutching his arm to catch my bearings. “That was so fucking fun.”
“Right?” He jerked up his eyebrows and asked, “So you ready for that dip, then?”
My eyes widened. “What? No! I?—”
“Here we go,” he warned, not listening to me, and I went swooping back until I thought I was going to fall flat on my ass.
“Keene!” I screeched in alarm, only to be pulled up against him again. Then I shouted out my delight with a laugh that exploded from the pit of my stomach.
But what a rush.
“Okay, I want to do that again.”
“Again?” he nodded at me in encouragement.
“Yes,” I gasped.
And away we went, spinning and dipping until I was dizzy and the song was ending.
“Holy shit,” I panted, leaning against him heavily and glistening with sweat as the song wound down to the end. “Where did you learn to do that?”
Keene winked, grinning wickedly. “A magician never reveals his secrets.”
With a chuckle, I rolled my eyes and patted his arm. “Well, I better get out of the way. It looks as if you have a growing audience just chomping at the bit for their turn with you.”
Keene glanced over, and his eyebrows shot up when he saw his admirers actually standing at the edge of the dance floor, waiting for us to finish.
“Ladies,” he greeted cheerfully, and his arms immediately dropped from me, so I could take a step back to watch three girls streak forward to intercept him. “Who’s next?”
With a delighted smile, I turned away, only to catch sight of Alec finishing a dance with Raina.
“Hey!” I greeted. “I didn’t know you were out here too.” Gripping his arm, I swung him back to me when he started to veer toward our table as if to return to his chair. But I shook my head. “Nuh-uh. I want to dance with my brother.”
Alec rolled his eyes and groaned but ruined the pout with a smile as he lifted his arms and began to dance with me while Faith, Hudson, Raina, and Xander left the dance floor together.
“So how’m I doing?” I asked almost immediately.
Alec shook his head in confusion. “With what?”
“Dopey,” I scolded, slugging his arm. “With Xander. She looks happier already, doesn’t she?”
“Oh!” His gaze immediately sought her as if he knew exactly where she was. And then his expression softened. “Yeah,” he murmured in contentment. “She looks a lot happier. Thank you.”
When he gave my cheek a grateful kiss, I bloomed.
“Anything for you,” I repeated and hugged him close, resting my face on his shoulder. But when I glanced past him, I could see our group’s table.
Parker had already been to the bar and gotten himself a drink. He swirled the amber liquid in his glass with one hand as he leaned toward Hudson as if to listen to him talk.
But his gaze…
His gaze was fixed solidly on me . I stared back at him through the rest of the song. And God, he was so freaking hot. His sandy hair was full of bedhead, the sleeves of his button-up shirt were rolled to the center of his forearms, exposing a sexy amount of flesh with his arms folded over his chest like that. And the slightly pissed-off narrowing of his eyes made my breasts tingle mercilessly.
As the last notes of the song ended and Alec pulled away from me, I had to shake my head to clear it from its daze.
Together, my brother and I started back to the table just as Damien and Oaklynn returned from wherever they’d been.
“Where did you guys disappear to?” I teased, which made Damien flush with his old shy ways.
Oaklynn laughed, winking at me. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” she taunted before returning her attention to the table and then shrieking, “Parker!” in excitement.
He shifted his gaze to her just as she flew to where he sat to give him a big hug, nearly suffocating his face with her boobs.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she chanted as she pulled back enough to send him a big grin.
He blinked from the circle of her arms before dryly asking, “Been working on our personal space skills, have we, Vargas?”
Oaklynn merely sniffed his sarcasm away and kissed his forehead. “Damien and I got into V-Eleven this week with no problems whatsoever.” Then she paused to frown. “Or are we calling it Seven now?”
“It’s V-Eleven,” Parker told her before glancing around the table for her boyfriend. When he spotted Damien, he lifted his arms in a what-the-hell gesture. “Can you…take this back now?”
“Yeah, Bashful, before he leaves scorch marks and the scent of sulfur all over your girl,” I added with a snort as I plopped into my seat next to Alec.
Oaklynn finally let go of Parker to return to Damien, and Parker veered his attention my way, his gaze blazing.
My breath caught in my throat.
Nudging my arm in warning, Alec jumped in to blurt, “What she meant to say was thanks for getting us on the exclusive list at the restaurant too. The lobster bisque was amazing.”
I shrugged and sat back in my seat to pick up my lemonade and take a sip, making it obvious that I didn’t care to thank Parker at all.
But no one was paying any attention to me because Hudson broke in to announce that he’d helped make the sauce for the restaurant’s bisque all week. No one besides Parker that was. Parker narrowed his eyes at me moodily and frowned for a good two seconds before turning his attention away to listen to Hudson.
Tension spread across the back of my neck, and I fanned my face as if all my exertions on the dance floor had overheated me. But it was because I had no idea how to act around Parker anymore.
God, I was botching this so badly.
All I could remember was snuggling up to him on Saturday night, wrapped in his arms, my hair splayed across his chest and one leg hooked possessively over his waist as he rubbed a hand slowly up and down my back while telling me how every million he made caused him guilt because he’d benefited so much from his parents’ death and yet he still felt determined to make more so he could make them proud.
I shivered and sat up straighter only to yelp out my surprise when someone appeared at my side and slapped a wet, sloppy kiss to my cheek.
“Oh my God, Langston,” Keene exclaimed with the biggest smile as he gripped my arm and shook me. “You’re a fucking genius. Look at this.” Lifting his hands, he showed me an assortment of cocktail napkins with writing all over them. “Five,” he explained in awe. “I just got five fucking numbers from chicks. That’s a goddamn record right there.”
My lips parted in awe as I studied his accomplishments. “Well, what else did you expect?” I murmured before beginning to grin right along with him. “You’re one of the hottest guys in this place and can dance like nobody’s business. Of course, you raked in the numbers. Now, get this cheek too.” I turned my face the other way. “It’s starting to feel left out.”
Keene laughed and kissed the other cheek. “Thanks,” he told me. “But I better get back over there. I’m pretty sure I have a chance of scoring with at least one of them before the night’s over. Maybe more.”
“Oh, you better go, then,” I encouraged, slapping him on the butt as he turned away. “Good luck.”
With a surprised jump, he glanced back, only to snicker in amusement and wink, shooting me a finger gun in farewell.
“Well, you certainly made his night,” Alec leaned toward me to murmur with an approving lift of his eyebrows.
Grinning, I said, “And I got him to stop sniffing around Xander too, so…” Waving my hands in celebration, I added, “Double score.”
He scoffed but a second later, a smile bloomed across his face, letting me know he approved of that as well.
Tickled that I’d made my brother happy, I started to take another sip, only for my gaze to inadvertently seek Parker again.
He narrowed his eyes in displeasure, so I widened mine back and mouthed the word, What ?
He rolled his eyes bitterly, then shook his head, and turned his face away to ignore me.
I shrugged, not sure what had crawled up his butt that time. Taking another drink of my lemonade, I turned pointedly toward my brother, except Oaklynn slapped the table to get everyone’s attention.
“Hope!” she called as if an idea had just occurred to her. “You should invite the orgasm king to join us.”
While Parker immediately started to choke on the drink he’d just taken, Alec looked up in horror and demanded, “The what ?”
“Who’s the orgasm king?” Hudson asked Faith.
As I sat there, frozen, hoping the floor would open up and swallow me whole, Faith leaned toward Hudson and answered, “She recently just had her first orgasm; called the guy the orgasm king.”
“Oh!” Alec cried, grimacing horribly and plugging his fingers in his ears. “No, no, no. I did not want to hear that!”
Meanwhile, Parker kept coughing to the point that Damien had to slap him on the back and ask if he was okay.
As he nodded through watering eyes, assuring us he was fine, I sank lower in my seat and muttered, “Well, I guess girl-talk isn’t confidential.”
“Wait.” Alec pulled his fingers free. “Is this the guy you said you f?—”
“Oh my God!” I screeched, slapping my hand over his mouth. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. See there.” Raina motioned toward him. “We girls aren’t the only ones who can’t keep our mouths shut.”
Alec winced at me over my hand and then removed it from his mouth to say, “Sorry.” Then he squinted. “But... Is that guy not from Ohio? I thought?—”
“Hey, hey, my beautiful stallions,” an energetic voice thankfully interrupted, saving my bacon, as it boomed from the speakers to gain our attention.
I glanced over toward the stage to find the emcee for Karaoke Night gripping the microphone as he waved at the crowd.
While he captured everyone’s attention and introduced himself before running through the few guidelines he had for the evening, I risked a glance toward Parker.
Watching me, he lifted his eyebrows knowingly as if to taunt, Told you you’d call me the orgasm king .
I flushed and swallowed just as the emcee consulted his clipboard and announced, “First up, we have…Alec Younger.”
I turned with a delighted gasp just as my brother whirled to me with wide eyes. “You didn’t.”
“Oh, you bet your sweet ass I did.” Giving him a shove to encourage him off the chair, I laughed. “Now get up there, superstar. Everyone’s waiting.”
Our table lit up, clapping and yelling him on, and I could hear Keene from the other side of the freaking bar cheering for him as well.
Sending me a stern look that promised retribution, Alec shuffled uneasily to his feet, even as he demanded, “What song did you even sign me up for?”
“It’s a surprise,” I promised, clapping with the others. “Don’t worry.” I waved an unconcerned hand. “You’ve got this.”
“Oh my God,” he groaned and turned away from our table to head toward the stage, making everyone in the bar focus on him intently.
“Holy shit,” Raina told me with wide eyes. “I would kill you if you signed me up for karaoke like that. Oh God, you didn’t, did you?”
“No.” I patted her leg in reassurance. “And this is fine. Alec’s used to it.”
“Has he even sung karaoke before?” Xander asked, looking worried.
“Oh, honey,” I told her with a wink. “You just wait and see.”
The room seemed to settle down to listen when he took the stage and stepped behind the microphone. Wincing at the lights, he tipped his face so he could see past them, and he looked at me with lifted eyebrows as he wiped sweaty palms on his hips.
I blew him a kiss and then held my fisted hands up by my mouth in eager anticipation.
As soon as the music started for Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” Parker started to cough. Again.
I glanced over to find Hudson slapping him on the back this time. “Jesus, man. What the hell are you drinking tonight?”
Parker mumbled something I couldn’t hear before his gaze seared my way.
Not sure what that sizzling stare meant, I turned away, and Alec stole my attention as he began to sing. I held my breath for the first few bars, knowing he’d be fine but still worrying for him regardless. Until, damn…
He nailed it at the chorus. And I mean, he nailed it.
Everyone in the entire freaking bar grew hushed as they watched in awe.
Faith was the first to respond with an amazed, “What the fuck?”
Next to her, Hudson took a nonchalant drink from his beer and said as if just then remembering, “Oh yeah. By the way, Alec can sing.”
Oaklynn straight-up smacked Damien in the arm. “Why in the hell did you never tell me he could sing like that?”
From her stool, Raina lost her words. “I—I—I can’t even?—”
And Xander simply murmured, “Wow,” unable to take her eyes off him.
Grinning smugly, I crossed my arms over my chest and sat back in my seat, enjoying the shock and admiration flowing around me.
When my gaze slid toward Parker, however, I found him scowling.
I lifted my eyebrows, silently asking what his problem was, but before he could respond, some woman I’d never seen before approached and leaned down to whisper into his ear. From the seductive way she smirked, as if proud of herself, she’d just invited him to do something very explicit with her. Then she tucked a slip of folded paper into the front pocket of his shirt and left again.
Parker said nothing, merely turned his head to watch her saunter away as he pulled the paper free and unfolded it to read. His eyebrows lifted briefly, letting me know she’d definitely said something he liked.
Then he looked directly at me before he slipped from his chair and strolled off to follow the skank.
My lips parted, and my heart stalled dead in my chest as I watched him go, chasing after some other woman. He didn’t even glance back once when he hit the stairs and ascended them, leaving our group behind.
And he did it all right in the middle of “Beautiful Things.”
Beautiful fucking Things.
Did he not remember what we’d done to this song?
Did he not even care?
Dazed and feeling as if I’d just gotten walloped in the center of the chest with a sledgehammer, I turned blindly to watch Alec sing. He was just finishing the second verse, and he had the entire bar held captive, enthralled by his perfect performance.
But all I could remember was Parker dancing in the rain with me on the balcony of the hotel, whispering those very words in my ear as he coaxed me to fall flat in love with him.
I tried not to be affected by what he’d just done, but my bottom lip trembled, and I knew I was going to cry any moment. Until my phone buzzed from my pocket.
I pulled it free, needing a distraction, and I sucked in a startled breath when I saw that I had a message from him.
Upstairs bathroom. Right fucking now.