I can see Hunter and Oliver in a heated discussion from my seat down the driveway. There’s something not right about this situation. Ever since Hunter moved into the guest house, she couldn’t care less what I do.
Oliver stomps back to the truck and I take a breath. I’m fully prepared for him to hit me. She is his sister after all.
He climbs inside and cranks the ignition without a word. His silence makes me even more nervous as we start down the road. We make it across the bridge to Cherry Grove before he speaks.
“You know that was fucked up, right?”
I nod when he glances over at me. What comes next surprises me more than anything. Oliver never misses a chance to call someone out for being a pussy. The fact that twenty minutes ago I was full on crying in his driveway gives him all the ammunition he needs to call my manhood into question.
He reaches over and turns the knob on the radio down to an inaudible hum. “When I was about your age, I lost my shit too. I did the stupidest fucking thing imaginable and fell for my best friend.” His hands grip the steering wheel tighter. “The worst part is, she loved me too. She loved me and I couldn’t say it back.” He pauses and glances over at me again. “That makes me a pussy.”
I laugh a little. “I would never call you that, dude.”
Oliver smiles. “My point is, even though what you just did was highly irrational and somewhat desperate, at least you had the balls to tell her how you feel. Sometimes you wait too long and then you never get that chance.”
I bite my lip and stare out of the window at the fields rushing past us. “Doesn’t matter though. She may tell me she loves me, but I don’t believe her.” I turn to him so I can see his expression with my next statement. “I think she’s seeing someone else.”
Oliver laughs again. “No, you put an end to whatever was going on with her and Dylan. I haven’t seen him around since her party.”
“I’m not talking about Dylan. I’m talking about Hunter.”
His face scrunches up like it’s the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said. “No way. I think I would know if there was something going on between them. Elle tells me everything and Hunter is my best friend.” He stops for a second and shakes his head. “Besides, she promised.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Promised you what?”
His mouth opens, but he remains silent for a moment. “Um, it was nothing.”
My stomach rolls. I can tell when Oliver is lying. He’s worse at it than his sister is. “Come on, man. I have a right to know.”
He sighs. “They were acting kind of shady a couple months ago and I asked her if anything was going on. She promised me they were just friends and I haven’t seen anything else to make me believe otherwise.”
“Maybe they’re just getting good at hiding it.”
“Trust me,” he says before giving me a pointed look. “I know my sister. There’s no way she’d be able to keep something like that from me.”
The urge to argue further is strong, but I keep my mouth shut. I’m lucky he’s being so chill with me considering the scene I just caused in their driveway.
He pulls into the parking lot of our local diner and lets the truck idle for a second before turning to me.
“As much as I get what you’re going through, if you ever step out of line with her again, it will be the last thing you do. I’m not fucking around either. I like you, Judah, but Elliot is the most important person in my life and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe.”
I hold my hands up. “Ollie, I swear. I would never hurt her. I drank way too much and I know I was pushing it and I’m sorry. I’ll apologize to her the first chance she gives me.”
He nods before reaching for the door handle. “Okay, then. Let’s get some food and sober you up a bit.”
I exit the truck and fall into step beside him. Before we get to the entrance, I hold out my hand to stop him. “Maybe it’s not too late for you either.”
His eyebrows pull in as he looks over at me. “Too late for what?”
“The girl. Whatever happened to her?”
Oliver’s teeth clench and his eyes drift around the parking lot for a moment. “Not everyone gets a second chance.” He clasps me on the back and pushes me forward. “I’m fucking starving. After we eat, I’ll tell you the rest of the story. Some people don’t deserve redemption, and I think I’m one of them.”
Oliver’s words play over in my head as I type a message back to him. I’m going home next weekend so we’re arranging times to meet up. The reason behind him confiding his secret to me is still unclear. I don’t know if it’s because he felt sorry for me or that he really does trust me.
“Judah!” Preston calls to me from across the room. He flashes me a megawatt smile as he weaves his way through the people crowding his apartment. I laugh as I take in his hot pink T-shirt and faded jeans. He always likes to stand out, no matter what the setting is.
He hands me a beer before throwing his arm around my shoulder. “Look around, player.” He waves his free hand over the room. “There’s a roomful of smoking hot girls just waiting for the chance to get with you. You’re standing over here, by yourself, looking all bored and shit.”
I shrug him off with another laugh. “I’m cool, man. It’s been a long week.”
He tilts his bottle against mine. “Drink up. You’ve been off your game lately.”
After taking a long, welcomed drink, I let out a scoff. “My game? I haven’t been with a girl for a while.”
“Exactly. What are you waiting for?”
Leaning back against the wall, I shrug. “I don’t know. Something.”
“Something, huh?” Preston gives me a once over and then motions for Holden to join us.
Holden whispers to the girl hanging off of him before crossing the room toward me. A smirk spreads on his face when he notices the bottle in my hand.
“That didn’t take long.”
“Don’t start with him, man.” Preston gives him a shove and turns back to me. “He needs to loosen up or we’ll never win that bet.”
A laugh bursts from my lips before I take another drink. “That’s never going to happen. That girl wants nothing to do with me.”
Preston runs his hand along his jaw. “Well, Judah, that’s kind of the point.”
I’m about to protest his misguided assumption when the sight of Mackenzie entering the room nearly knocks me to the ground. The tiny skirt she has on accentuates her long, slender tanned legs. Although she looks beautiful, that’s not what I notice the most. It’s the guy she’s clinging to. He looks like a real life Ken doll. Blond hair, green eyes, flawless smile—almost like he’s airbrushed. I’ve seen him a time or two around the building, but I’m not sure of his name.
I nudge Preston with my elbow. “Who’s that guy?”
“What guy?”
“The one standing next to Mackenzie,” I say dryly.
He smiles again as his eyes lock on her, still lingering in the foyer. “Oh, so that’s your secret tutor.” He elbows me in the ribs. “She’s cute. Kind of familiar looking, but very nice choice, brother.”