“I just thought...” A heavy sigh escaped her lips. “I don’t know, maybe this whole list is stupid.”
Moving closer to her, I squeezed her hand. “It isn’t stupid. It’s brave. And I’m proud of you, Felicity Giles.”
“Yeah?” Her eyes lit up.
“Yeah. You could have stood by and let me trample all over your senior year and you didn’t.” The glare of headlights blinded us both and I threw up my arm to get a better look at the approaching car.
“It’s Toby, come on.” Flick grabbed my hand and tugged me toward it.
“Eager much?” I murmured and she threw me a scathing look over her shoulder.
“Homecoming might have sucked, but the night is still young, and I don’t plan on letting this dress go to waste.”
“You do look pretty hot,” I agreed.
“Damn right I do. Jude isn’t going to know what hit him.” Gone was the sad girl I’d found minutes earlier.
“Flick,” I said. “You don’t have to—”
“No, not listening. I need this, Hails.” I wasn’t exactly sure what she was referring to but the glint in her eye told me not to argue.
Toby rolled his window down, his gaze sweeping down my body, eyes darkening with lust. “Hey.” He gave me a lazy smile.
“Hi.”
“Hey, Toby.” Flick’s eyes looked past him into the car.
“Looking good, Felicity,” Jude’s voice drifted over to us and a wide smile stretched over her face.
“Ready to go?” Toby asked and she nodded eagerly, climbing into the back. I hesitated, my eyes glancing over to the gym.
“Hailee?”
“Yeah. I’m coming.” I ducked inside and pushed all thoughts of Homecoming and Cameron Chase out of my head.
“Why so glum, Sista?" Flick sipped her drink, swaying her body to the sultry beat. We’d been underdressed at the last party Toby brought us to, but tonight we stood out for different reasons.
So much for escaping.
“I’m just not feeling it,” I said, scanning the room. Kids were crammed into every inch of the house. It was nowhere near as big as Lewis Thatcher’s house, but I also hadn’t spotted any East football players, so it had that going for it.
“Toby seems keen.” Flick motioned over to the guys as they got us all another round of drinks.
“I guess.”
My best friend’s eyes narrowed and she grabbed my arm pulling me into her. “You’re moping.”
“I am not. I’m just...” Totally not thinking about how good Cameron looked.
“You should’ve just gone and talked to him.” Flick let out an exasperated breath but I didn’t reply. “Fine. Be a spoilsport. But please don’t ruin my fun. I need this, Hails. In fact,” she said conspiratorially. “I’m thinking I might do it.”
“Do it?” I stared at her blankly.
“Sex, Hails. I might have sex.”
My hand shot out, smothering her mouth. “Jesus, Flick, keep your voice down.”
“What?” She grinned. “It’s okay to say the words.”
“Are you drunk?” We’d only had two drinks.
“No, I’m not drunk. I’m merely embracing this opportunity. Jude is hot and he’s sending me all the right signals.”
“So this doesn’t have anything to do with whatever happened earlier?” My brow rose.
“It was nothing.”
Oh, it was something all right, she just didn’t want to admit whatever it was.
My eyes found Jude and Toby over her shoulder. They were heading back to us. “Just don’t make any rash decisions. Jude seems like a nice guy, but your first time should be with someone you like… really like.”
“Like you—”
“Is one of those for me?” I said, alerting Flick to the fact the guys were back. She shot me an appreciative smile, before turning to Jude and taking her new drink from him. “Want to dance?” she asked.
He shrugged but Flick wasn’t deterred. Grabbing his hand, she led them into the next room where the dancing was.
“I like her,” Toby said. “She’s got real... character.”
“Is that your polite way of saying she’s pushy?” I laughed and he smiled.
“She goes after what she wants, nothing wrong with that.” His eyes grew hooded as they lingered on me, and I lowered my gaze, needing to break the connection.
Toby was nice. A good guy. He was constantly checking if I was okay, getting me drinks, and making me laugh. And he didn’t seem as put off that my step-brother was Jason Ford as I’d first thought. But despite everything he had going for him, Toby didn’t set my world on fire.
He didn’t make my heart beat wildly in my chest or stir desire in my belly.
He was sweet. Kind and attentive. He was everything I wanted to like.
Everything I should have liked.
There was just one small problem.
He wasn’t Cameron Chase.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cameron
“Are you going to wear that thing all night?” I asked Jase, eyeing the cheap plastic crown on his head with amusement.
“I’ve already had three offers to suck my dick and Lisa Tenby let me finger fuck her in the girls bathroom so yeah, I’m wearing it all night. What’s up your ass anyway?”
“Nothing, I’m fine.” My eyes searched the sea of bodies, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hailee. But I couldn’t see her.
I hadn’t seen her for hours since I saw her and Flick arrive.
Jase glared at me, his hard gaze burning into my face as he sipped his drink. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, looking out over the crowd again. I didn’t like school dances, never had, but when you were a Raider and played for Coach Hasson, they weren’t optional. We were expected to show up, smile, and give the people what they wanted. Most of the guys lapped it up—the chance to be kings for the night. But not me.
“Miley’s looking hot,” Jase said and my eyes slid to his. “What’s going on there?”
“It’s just casual.” I lifted my shoulders in a slight shrug.
“No shit. But come on, man, do you like her? I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”
“We’re just friends, Jase.” Nothing more. Nothing less. But he didn’t look convinced.
“Yeah, well, keep it that way. The last thing we need is any distractions. And she has trouble written all over her. I’m going to take a leak.” He made his way across the room, parting the sea of bodies like he was the prodigal son.
And maybe he was.
For a town like Rixon, Jason was a ticket to having their name splashed in the national papers. People couldn’t wait for the day, five years from now, when they could say they knew the new star of the NFL.
I spotted Asher over by the doors on his cell phone. Worry lines were etched into his face, and I straightened, my spine tingling. But before I could go over there and find out if he was okay, his eyes found me across the room and he grimaced.