“Let’s hear it,” I deadpan. She’s going to say it either way.
“Okay, it’s a good one.” She claps her hands under her chin. “Are you ready?”
When I don’t respond, she continues, cupping her hands around her mouth in a mock whisper. “It’s you. You’re the joke.”
I poke out my bottom lip, patting the top of her head. “We’ll work on it. You’ll get better with practice.”
“Oh, that’s not all,” she says when I start to turn around. I pause, waiting for her to finish. “The only reason you’re here right now is because Thayer told Holden to get close to you. But it’s super cute that you actually thought they were your friends.”
What? I falter, not expecting that.
“What the fuck, Taylor? Chill,” Aiden chimes in.
“What? You don’t believe me? Just ask him.”
“Tay!” Christian snaps, and the look on his face is all I need to know it’s true. The way Holden flip-flopped so suddenly and basically forced me to be his friend again. The way he’s always there, whether it be at lunch, in between classes, or picking me up from practice.
My stomach churns, feeling stupid, but not exactly surprised.
“Enjoy it while it lasts, because your time here,” she lowers her voice, moving close enough to tower over me, “is almost up.”
“Thanks for the warning,” I manage to force sarcasm into my tone.
“Anytime.” She smiles.
I turn to the side yard, knowing there’s a gate over there I can leave through so I don’t have to walk back through the house.
“Shayne,” Aiden calls out, but I wave him off.
“I’m fine. I’ll be back in a minute.”
I hear bickering break out among Christian, Baker, and Taylor, but I keep going. I make it to the perimeter of the yard, outside the clusters of people, eyes glued to my Chucks as I follow the fence down toward the gate. Using my free hand, I pull my phone from the purse at my hip and open Valen’s text thread to let her know I’ll be out front.
“Where you going in such a hurry?” an unfamiliar voice asks, or slurs, rather. “I remember you.”
I stop short just as Ryan…something approaches, beer in hand. I don’t know much about him, other than he used to play basketball with my brother and graduated last year. “It’s me,” I deadpan. Not in the mood for small talk or reunions, I move around him. Ryan sidesteps, blocking my way, and his beer jostles with the movement, spilling down my chest. I gasp, holding my arms out to shake off the excess beer before pinching the wet fabric of my dress and pulling it away from my chest.
“Shit, my bad. Let me take care of that for you.”
Before I can blink, his cup falls to the ground, forgotten, and he wraps his arms around the small of my back, bringing his mouth to my chest with all the desperation of a newly turned vampire needing to feed.
“Gross, get the hell off me,” I grunt, shoving him away before he’s able to make contact. I try to move past him, and he blocks me once again, pissed at the rejection. Just when I’m poised to knee him between the legs, a fist shoots out, hitting the side of his face, making his head snap to the side.
Shayne
I jump back, wide-eyed, as Thayer fists the collar of Ryan’s shirt before he’s recovered from the hit, then throws him to the ground.
“Hold up,” Ryan shouts, cupping his jaw, looking up at Thayer from the grass, blood dripping from his lip. “I didn’t know she was your girl. My bad, man.”
Thayer lunges for him, but I pull on his shirt, holding him back. “Stop!”
Ryan flinches, holding up his arms to protect his face, but to my surprise, Thayer listens to me, stopping at the last second. Instead, he spits on the ground next to him.
“Oh, that’s lovely,” I say drily. “And I had it handled.”
“The fuck you did.”
Holden and Aiden must have heard the commotion, because they’re running up to us wearing matching confused expressions.
“What the hell happened?” Holden barks, looking from Thayer to Ryan’s form lying in the grass.
“I’m leaving,” I snap. “That’s what happened.” I head for the side gate.
“Get rid of him,” I hear Thayer order, and then I’m being picked up and thrown over his shoulder. Again.
“Put me down, Thayer,” I demand, squirming in his hold.
“You’re drunk.”
“And you’re an asshole!”
Thayer doesn’t answer, but I think I hear him chuckle as he prowls back toward the house. My hair hangs in my face, and I’m glad for the barrier it creates between me and everyone who’s gawking at us. I feel a tug on my dress at my thighs, followed by the warmth of Thayer’s palm over my ass, shielding me from prying eyes. How chivalrous.
All the blood rushes to my head, and hanging upside down doesn’t do anything to help the dizzying drunk feeling. As soon as Thayer steps inside, people part like the Red Sea, making way for him. I hear a mixture of whistles, laughter, and cheers, and I try once again to get down to no avail.
“Shayne, what the hell?!” I hear Valen’s voice shout. I brace my hands against Thayer’s lower back to push myself up, seeking her out. “Two minutes! I leave you for two minutes!” She abandons her drink, then rushes after us, but Holden intercepts her, his hand flattening against her stomach. I catch the scathing look she gives him before Thayer rounds the corner, then starts up the stairs. Once we’re down the long hallway, he pivots right, throwing his door open.
He’s taking me to his room? My stomach flips, and not because of the alcohol. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in here, and I’m not sure I want to be now. Thayer kicks the door shut behind him, then stalks to the center of his room and tosses me onto the bed.
I yelp, bouncing onto his mattress, throwing my arms out behind me out of reflex. Thayer’s eyes flit down my body, landing on my exposed underwear, and I quickly jerk my dress down, clamping my legs shut around my hand.
“What is wrong with you? You just hauled me up here like a jealous boyfriend! Do you realize what this looks like?”
“Why should I give a fuck what they think? I just saved your ass.”
“Saved me?” I snort, incredulous. “Or was it just a part of your grand scheme to get close to me?” I use air quotes to drive my point home, but Thayer doesn’t react like I thought he would. He doesn’t seem like he’s been caught. I push to my feet, closing the distance between us. “It wasn’t real, was it?”
“What wasn’t?”
“Any of it. You fixing my car. Giving me the key to the barn. Holden,” I tick off. “You made him pretend to be my friend. And for what?” What did he hope to accomplish?
“I told him to watch you,” he clarifies. “Big deal.”
“Like that’s so much better.”
“I’m not sorry, Shayne.”
“Of course you’re not.”
“I needed to know if I could trust you.”
“And?” I ask, raising an eyebrow, challenging.
“Jury’s still out.”