“Probably because he knows there’d be a Zara shaped hole in a door exiting the room if he did.”
“You don’t know Leo. We’re not playing the same sports.”
“Because he’s an ex-pro football player.” She held up another shirt in front of her face at a half attempt to hide her laughter.
I tugged it out of her grasp. “How’d you know?”
“Did you think wrestling was all I watched?”
I flopped onto my mattress. “Apparently, I’m the only one who didn’t know.”
“You’re busy.” She lay down beside me. “You’ve got Tyler and work and everything else you’re trying to do.”
Those old feelings gnawed at my stomach. Embarrassment. Guilt. Shame.
“You don’t have to tell me anything, of course, but I’m your friend. What kind of shitty friend would I be, if I weren’t there for you when you needed me?” She wrapped her fingers around mine.
Staring up at the ceiling, I blinked back the swelling tide of emotions threatening to make me cry. “I know.” I dropped my head to the side. “Thanks, Stella.”
“Any time.” She popped back up and picked up a skirt, so short it must have been Jeannie’s. “Plus, you’re my catered mini foods hook up. I can’t have you moving out and cutting me off from my supply.”
“The truth comes out. Before you even ask, hard pass on this one.”
“You’ve got to give me something to work with here. We’re on a mission.”
“A mission to what? Freeze my eggs without needing to go to a doctor?”
She waggled her eyebrows up and down. “Mission: Get Zara Laid.”
“No. It’s not that kind of night out. Absolutely, no.” I swiped my arms in front of me.
“That’s what you think. Wait and see, Z. Wait and see.”
26
Leo
Squadrons of people flowed through the street heading to the main entrances of the stadium. Cars honked, not realizing the mistake they had made coming this way an hour before the concert started. The green walk light became more of a suggestion than a strict rule. Groups of girls and guys, parents being dragged by their kids, and couples out for a date night all mingled together for an evening of alternative pop rock that everyone found themselves humming along to without even realizing it.
But we were in the throngs of people headed to the front of the venue. We were at the side entrance where a few people trickled in through an imposing metal door that always seemed to open as someone approached, despite there being no way for anyone to see in or out. That was our door. The one that would take us into the belly of the beast. At least it was Everest’s beast.
He glanced around, folding and unfolding his arms like a junkie looking to score. “Are we going in? Can we go in? What are we waiting for?” His pace-and-observe routine had been ruined by us having nothing more than a brick wall to stare at since we’d gotten here.
“You can go in. I’m waiting for Zara.”
August grabbed Everest and pulled him aside, their heads close and August’s emphatic hand gestures punctuating his words. His hands only came into the conversation when he really wanted you to pay attention.
I should’ve picked her up. But then it would have been closer to a date, and we weren’t dating. She’d made that insanely clear. So now I waited. Her text had said she was ten minutes away, but that had been fifteen minutes ago. How long should I wait before checking in on her?
Jameson stared down at his ticket afraid it would disappear. “What kind of merch do you think they have? Teresa wanted a keyring for her train keys and I promised my mom a water bottle.”
“You know those are going to be a thousand dollars each.” I checked up and down the street, tempted to walk to the cross street to see if she was on her way.
Hunter leaned against the brick wall near us, tapping away on his phone, setting up who knew what kinds of others deals. He was either getting nuclear launch codes for a cartel or arranging a cupcake delivery for a children’s hospital. His fixing and finding skills didn’t know good or evil, only the challenge of making things happen.
“What’s the point of having all this CPA money if I don’t splash it around?” He brushed his hand against his palm, like he was doling out hundreds at a strip club.
I laughed, looking over his shoulder. “Baller.”
He smiled and grabbed my shoulders, turning me around.
Breaking free from the flow of the crowd, Zara rushed toward me with her heels in her hands. She was in jeans, and a t-shirt, but, damn, it looked nothing like that simple outfit would have on anyone else. The front of the t-shirt was slit to just between her breasts and stitched back together with black thread or a cable or something, which made it impossible not to look at the swell of her breasts from my height.
Our group had kept it low key. Jeans and button-downs with rolled up sleeves, or a t-shirt in August and Jameson’s cases, but her jeans hugged her body in a way that made the thought of cupping her ass while peeling them off—with my teeth—unshakable.
“Sorry, I’m late. The bus broke down and I had to run a few blocks.” She waved to the rest of the guys and walked straight up to me. Putting her hand on my shoulder, she leaned in.
My heart skipped a beat and started racing like I was running a 100 for pro scouts.
Her hand slid down my arm and she ducked her head.
I sucked in a breath, not sure what the hell was going on.
It wasn’t until the first teeter that I snapped out of my ice-block impersonation.
She brushed off the bottom of her feet and used me as her steadying post to slip one and then the other shoe on. Flipping her hair back, she grinned up at me, slightly out of breath and with a glowing sheen of perspiration.
“There. I’m ready.”
“Awesome. And your outfit looks amazing.” Why did I sound like I’d run from a broken-down bus to get here?
“Thanks, you guys clean up nice too.”
She brushed her hair back from her face, still taking those heavy panting breaths you need after maximum exertion. The kind of breaths that kept my thoughts drifting to where else her hands might be when she was slightly sweaty and out of breath.
“Hunter, we’re ready.”
He nodded and approached the door, which swung open just like it had for everyone else who’d approached it. And we were in without a hitch.
“How’d you get these tickets again?”
Hunter laughed and waved his phone as though it explained anything. “I know people.”
We walked down the aisle of the floor seating area to find our seats. They were numbered oddly down here and were only folding chairs on a rough mat laid over the cables and other tech needed for the concert.
There was a team of people behind mixing and lighting boards on a platform raised a little over our heads.
“This is the most amazing thing ever.” Zara held onto my arm, not wanting to get lost in the milling crowds of people, looking around at the lighting rigs and scaffolding along the sides of the stage. This close, we’d be able to see every droplet of sweat from Without Grey.
Everest walked toward his seat, but he flicked the antique lighter that was always with him open and closed against his pant leg. He’d paid extra attention to his always-perfected appearance tonight. Had he used tweezers and an oversized mirror to get each piece of hair perfectly placed on his head?