The sound of blaring music jolted me. My single-story rental was still two houses away, but there was no missing the throngs of people congregated in the front yard.
I took a deep breath. It’s Reed’s birthday, I reminded myself.
A cluster of people I didn’t recognize lounged on the worn saggy couch under the carport. They chatted and gulped liquid from red cups. My mood darkened further. There better not be a keg.
Uncle Duncan parked the truck in front of the house. “Looks like you’ve got some company.”
I gritted my teeth in frustration. “It’s Reed’s birthday.”
Although he may not live to see another one if the cops show up.
“Oh yeah.” Uncle Duncan reached under the center console and cursed. “Dammit, I forgot to bring Reed’s gift with me.”
Of course, he got Reed a gift, because that’s what you did for family on their birthdays.
I slunk down in my seat, feeling even more like a jerk for forgetting. “We’re going to celebrate tomorrow. Come to dinner with us and give him your gift then.”
My uncle shook his head. “I can’t. I’m driving up to the Rim to check on the cabin. Ricky’s gonna pick you up at the club and drive you home tomorrow.”
“Ricky? Are you two seeing each other again?” I smiled thinking of the foulmouthed, heavily bearded manager of Duncan’s trailer park.
My uncle flushed. Ignoring my question, he snapped his fingers. “Hey, why don’t you kids come up to the cabin with me? We can hike and fish. Like old times.”
Fond memories of summers spent visiting his run-down cabin flashed in my mind. “That sounds amazing.”
He gave me a jack-o’-lantern grin, revealing a handful of missing teeth. “Great, then I’ll swing by and pick y’all up tomorrow morning.”
All too quickly, I remembered my two shifts at the restaurant and my set at the club. I shook my head sadly. “I wish I could. I have to work.”
His smile faded. “Well, think about it. I’ll still come by around nine with Reed’s present. If you change your mind, we can all head out.”
“Sounds good.” I slid across the cab to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. “Thanks for the ride and coming to the club.”
“It’s the least I can do,” he said as I jumped out of the truck.
I gave him a quick wave and turned to march through the yard. There were at least a dozen crumpled red cups lying like grave markers in the dead grass. Refusing to give into my anger, I took a deep breath and navigated around them.
Reed will pick this up first thing tomorrow.
I pushed past the people loitering on the front step. A few familiar faces called out, “Hey, Lee.” Not in the mood for small talk, I ignored them and stepped through the open door.
The smell of weed and the sound of loud music assaulted my senses. I clamped my hands over my ears and tried to peer past the wall-to-wall people. The living room had been overtaken by music equipment and Reed’s band.
Ronnie, shirtless and wearing too-tight skinny jeans, crooned unintelligible lyrics into a microphone, while Sam flexed his enormous biceps banging away on his drum set. Morgan’s black hair obscured his pockmarked face as he strummed his guitar and Reed… Reed stood by the speakers smoking a clove in jeans and a blue flannel shirt.
Why isn’t Reed playing?
With one last wail, Ronnie finished the god-awful song. The crowd must’ve been drunk because they hooted and howled their appreciation. Always theatrical, Ronnie bowed several times. “Thank you. Thank you. That song was dedicated to our former bandmate who is celebrating his twentieth birthday tonight. Reed, we’re gonna miss you, man.”
Former bandmate?
I blinked in confusion. The band was everything to Reed. Just last week he’d been trying to convince me they were close to signing with a record label. I’d laughed and told him to wake up and smell reality. His band had as much chance of making it big as I had in making it to the Peace Corps now. Some dreams had to die bitter deaths. But I didn’t intend on Reed doing something as drastic as quitting.
A heavy wave of guilt blindsided me.
As if sensing me, Reed looked up. All at once I was snared by his electric-blue eyes. They contrasted so vividly against his darkly tanned skin they gave him an almost otherworldly appearance. The combo of those eyes with his high cheekbones and long sandy-blond hair made him panty-dropping gorgeous.
That fact wasn't lost on the female partygoers standing around him. I kind of wanted to slap the flirtatious looks off their faces.
Seeming oblivious to their interest, Reed straightened to his lanky six-foot height and pushed away from the huge speaker he’d been leaning against.
Motioning him toward the kitchen, I maneuvered between the wall-to-wall crowd.
Some tall, muscular guy crashed into me, spilling his drink.
Goddamn it. I stared at the beer dripping down the front of my sweater, daring the night to get any worse.
“What a waste of good beer,” the guy mumbled.
I gave him a scathing look. Based on his Southern Arizona University sweatshirt and short blond crew cut, he didn’t run with Reed’s crowd.
Getting his first look at me, the guy’s hazel eyes widened, and a dazed look crossed his face. “Um, I’m… I’m so sorry for spilling my drink.” He tried to mop up the wet spot on my chest.
“Get your hands off me.” I pushed him away.
“Sorry. Uh. Let me make it up to you. Can I get you a drink?”
“No, thanks.”
Seemingly oblivious to my annoyance, he stuck his hand out. “Name’s Noah, but everyone calls me Scooter.”
“Great. You can scooter out of my way.”
He laughed too loud at my lame joke and dropped his hand. “A beautiful woman with a sense of humor. That’s a rare thing. Do you live around here?”
I craned my neck to look around his bulging bicep. “You could say that.”
“Do you go to SAU?”
Reed appeared next to me and said, “She’s out of your league, man.” Then tugged me into the kitchen.
“That was a little cold-blooded.” Reed was usually nice to a fault. He’d even offered a glass of water to the guy who repossessed our car last month.
“I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.”
I snorted. “Better not come to the club then.” The men there made the drunk college boy look like a gentleman.
Reed’s eyes darkened. “I hate that you have to work there.”
I opened my mouth to remind him we needed the money but was distracted by the state of the kitchen. The avocado-colored laminate counters were covered in red cups, wadded up chip bags, and bongs. Spying the keg sitting over by the fridge, my skin grew hot and tight. “Reed—”
“Before you say anything, I promise everyone will be out of here by two. Ronnie’s going to take the keg with him, and I’ll clean the entire house.”
A couple of the guys playing beer pong on Gran’s old oak dining table waved at Reed. “Awesome party, man. When is the stripper getting here? Ronnie said there would be a stripper.”
I stared hard at the peeling white cabinets, pressing my lips together. I couldn’t handle this right now. Every part of my life was in crisis. Neither job I had was paying enough to cover our bills. My boss was pimping me out to a drug lord who’d probably end up killing me. My sister was in jail. My house was a disaster and filled to the brim with drunk assholes.