“I know.” She lightly brushed her fingers across my jaw line. “That’s why I thought we could pick up where we left off.” Realizing her intent, I took a step back and hit the tree I had taken a piss on. “Ah, you’re so cute,” she smiled devilishly.
Seeing Harper again had completely thrown me off my game. My brain was foggy and my words were sluggish. “I’m kind of here with someone,” I finally managed. I really didn’t want Carly to see me talking to Harper; I was pretty sure she’d get the wrong idea. Harper was all over me. There was a time when we were dating that I wouldn’t have minded—I would’ve welcomed it because that meant getting some ass that day, but I wasn’t that guy anymore and Harper and I hadn’t been a couple in a long time. I needed to make sure she understood that nothing was going to happen.
“Harper—”
Her seductive ways were challenging my every thought and move. “I don’t see anyone,” she interrupted, scanning the grounds. “All I see is you, and I wouldn’t mind unzipping those pants again,” she grinned, pointing her finger directly in my face and touching my lip.
Before I could react, she was on me. She pressed her lips to mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. I wanted to resist, I really did, but I was drunk for the first time in a year and I gave into temptation. I followed her lead. I moved my mouth against her familiar lips and placed my arms around her waist, pulling her snug against me.
Approaching voices interrupted my trance. Suddenly, I jerked away, as if I’d been burned with scalding water. Carly, Nathan, and Becca were headed in my direction. They stopped dead in their tracks. What had I just done? I could see the hurt and anger in Carly’s eyes. The same eyes that only a few minutes ago sparkled liked diamonds. Her jaw was set in a hard, firm line. Fuck!
“Are you done?” she snapped, fire blazing in her deep brown eyes. “It’s time to go.”
“Girly, please let me explain—” Girly? What the fuck was wrong with me? I was digging my own grave, one shovelful at a time.
“There is nothing to explain.” She stared at me and I suddenly felt cold. I resisted the urge to rub my hands over my bare arms. “We’re not together, so you can make out with anyone you want. I don’t care what you do. But if you still need a ride home, I’m leaving.” She jabbed a finger at my chest. “And don’t ever call me Girly again. Got it?” I nodded.
She hadn’t taken more than two steps before spinning back around to face me. “And the answer to your earlier question is—no! I don’t want to go out on a date with you. Ever.”
She walked to her car and I followed, feeling like a scolded puppy returning to his crate with his tail between his legs. Becca’s eyes were like daggers, cutting me deeper and deeper with every glance. I knew she wanted to kill me for fucking with her best friend’s head and leading her on. Then there was Nate, who looked sympathetic, but I could tell he thought I was the biggest dumb-ass he’d ever met. And sadly, I was. Once again, I’d ruined a perfectly good night with Carly, and this time it didn’t look like I’d get a chance to make things right.
Chapter Seven
Carly
Since I’d agreed to be the designated driver, I had little choice but to give Gavin a ride home. I felt like shoving him out the car door as I drove past his house. It would serve him right for being such a jerk—again! But lucky for him, he was sitting in the back next to Nathan.
How could he do this to me? One minute he was flirting, asking me out, and the next he was making out with another girl. I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles white. The problem was, if I lost focus of how pissed I was, I’d burst into tears, and there was no way I was going to let Gavin see me cry.
You could hear a pin drop the entire ride home. The only sound in the car was Becca frantically searching for a suitable song on the radio. Every song was either about love or heartache. I pushed down on the gas pedal and sped through more than one yellow light. This ride couldn’t end soon enough.
Finally, I pulled into their driveway. Gavin said goodbye and climbed out. I stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge him. Becca walked Nathan to the front door and returned several minutes later.
“We need to do something fun,” she said, closing the car door. “He’s an asshole and we need to erase him from your mind. I can’t believe he had his tongue halfway down that skank’s throat. I tried to take a swing at her, but Nathan stopped me. I swear, if I ever see her again, I’m gonna kick her ass.” Becca pounded her fist into her hand. I smiled through the tears I’d finally let fall, grateful to have such a loyal friend.
“Thanks. But don’t bother. He’s not worth it.” I backed out of the driveway and headed home, accompanied by The Fray playing in the background.
“You’re right, he’s not. You deserve better,” she declared, emphatically. “I loved the way you told him to piss off. I didn’t think you had it in you. Or wait, I did, considering the summer oath you took to finally speak your mind and to stop letting people walk all over you. I have to take some of the credit here. It’s obvious you’ve been paying attention to my advice. You didn’t seem to have any trouble telling Gavin how you felt.”
Becca was right. I’d told Gavin exactly what I thought of him and it was liberating. “I’ve never been so angry. I didn’t even stop to think about what I was saying; the words just spewed out of my mouth. Something about Gavin made it easy. Maybe it’s because he’s always pushing my buttons.”
I felt Becca’s eyes studying me. “Hmm, and here I thought it was because of me.”
Glancing over, I saw that Becca was wearing an all-knowing grin. “What?” I asked, confused.
“Nothing.” She pulled out her phone. “I was just thinking we should text Drew and see what he and Lucas are up to. It’d be fun to hang out with them. It’s too early to call it a night.”
I was too wound up to go to sleep, and the four of us hadn’t hung out since summer started. I still owed them one for blowing off Lucas’s end-of-the-year bash. My dad was on another trip, so it wouldn’t matter how late we stayed out. “Sure, why not,” I readily agreed.
Soon, I was pulling into my driveway just as the boys were coming out of the house. Drew was dribbling a basketball, while Lucas carried a bottle of Southern Comfort. Lucas, his brown hair buzzed, was as tall as Drew, but leaner.
I climbed out. “What’s that for?” I said, pointing at the bottle.
“Becca said you had a bad night, so we’re going to fix that,” answered Drew, flashing his infamous shit-eating grin.
“With a basketball and a bottle of SoCo?” I hardly understood how playing basketball and getting drunk could solve my problems.
“Damn straight,” shouted Lucas, raising the bottle in the air. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he’d already drunk more than his fair share. It was summer, and my brother and his friend were known partiers. I wasn’t normally a big drinker, but their energy was contagious and I already felt better just being with my friends.
Becca looped her arm through mine. “Come on, guys, what are we waiting for? Let’s get this party started,” She said.
We headed toward the park. It was a short walk from our house, and no one would care that we were there after hours. I laughed the whole way, watching Drew and Lucas act like idiots.
Once inside the fence, we went straight to the basketball courts. We decided to play horse, like we used to do when we were kids, only with a twist. Every time someone got a letter, they had to take a swig. Becca and I didn’t stand a chance of staying sober. Drew and Luke were the top two scorers on the basketball team, which was probably why they kept saying how much fun this was going to be.
I went first, choosing to stand directly in front of the net. My philosophy was simple: the closer, the better. It was an easy shot. I threw the ball and held my breath. It hit the backboard, but missed the rim completely. Drew and Lucas broke out in hysterics.
“Shut up, or I’ll shove this ball up your ass,” threatened Becca.
“Promise?�
�� asked Drew.
Becca gave him a dirty look, and then concentrated on the hoop. She held the ball in both hands and tossed it. She missed by a mile.
Lucas went next, making an impossible shot that Becca and I both missed. Lucas handed us the bottle. Drew sank his first shot and Becca and I took another swig.
The entire game hardly varied. Lucas and Drew made all the baskets, while Becca and I passed the bottle back and forth. I think Becca and I only managed to sink three baskets each. Twenty minutes and five swigs later, I’d forgotten all about Gavin Johnson.
Needing a break, Becca and I sat down on one of the nearby picnic tables. Drew and Luke ran up and down the court playing one-on-one. They were so into their game that I think they failed to notice we’d walked away.
“I’m buzzed,” I said, leaning my head on Becca’s shoulder.
“Me too, babe.”
“Thanks for making me come out tonight, even though I suck at basketball,” I said. “It’s been fun.”
“Yeah, we need to do this again. This is the first night we’ve hung out with the boys. We can’t forget we promised to make this the best summer ever.”
“Except for what happened with Gavin,” I said bitterly. I guess he wasn’t completely out of my mind after all. “It’s been a great summer. I’m in a band. You’ve got a hot boyfriend. And our tans-and-cans mission has been a huge fuckin’ success.”
We laughed, the alcohol making us silly and loosening my tongue.
“Speaking of cans, I’m staring at one I’d love to sink my teeth into,” exclaimed Becca.
“What?” I was confused. I knew that she was talking about someone’s ass, but I didn’t know if she meant Lucas’s or Drew’s. I hoped it was Lucas’s because otherwise, things might get weird.
“Have I ever told you that I think your brother’s really hot?” Becca said. She undressed the boys with her eyes as they traded baskets. Luckily for Becca, Drew did her a favor, took off his shirt, and threw it in the grass. I never thought about him that way because he was my brother. I always thought Becca looked at him as a brother too.
“Gross. You did not just say that!”
Becca laughed even louder this time, drawing the boys’ attention.
“Come back out here. We’ll play teams,” shouted Drew, as he snuck one past Luke and dunked it. He ran over and pulled Becca up. “And I’m not taking no for an answer. You promised we were all going to hang out.” She howled with laughter as he threw her over his shoulder in one swift motion. Her earlier words echoed in my head.
The next thing I knew, Lucas had me by the hands and was dragging me to the court. “I’ve got my teammate,” he said.
“I’m too drunk to play basketball,” I protested.
“Think of it this way. At least now you have an excuse when you miss,” teased Drew.
“Asshole.” I really was getting better at speaking my mind.
We played to ten. Drew and Lucas scored all the points but the winning basket. Becca jumped and Drew lifted her in the air so she could lay it in.
“Cheaters!” I exclaimed, and flipped them off, making everyone chuckle.
We wandered over to the picnic table and sat down, talking and joking well into the night. It turned out to be one of the best nights of the summer so far. By the time we left, I could barely keep my eyes open and the bottle of SoCo was gone.
It was almost four in the morning when we finally stumbled through the front door. Becca and I headed straight upstairs to my room and crashed. She almost always stayed over when my dad was gone, especially since it was summer. Lucas was staying too, because no one was sober enough to drive.
The next morning I woke up with a killer headache and a dry mouth. Why did I drink so much? I hated this feeling. Being hungover sucked. Then I remembered … Gavin. I knew he’d been drinking last night, but there was no excuse for what he did. Seeing him kiss another girl, a pretty girl, had really hurt. She had long blond hair and a perfect body, the exact opposite of me. I sighed. If she was Gavin’s type, there was no way he’d ever be into me. I punched my pillow.
I was about to roll over and go back to sleep when Becca came bursting into the room carrying a large glass of water, two Tylenol, and crackers. “Here, take these. It will help.”
I eyed her suspiciously. “Why don’t you look hungover?”
“I took two when I first woke up, and now I feel fine.”
I sat up and grabbed the glass with shaky hands and quickly gulped the water. I wasn’t sure if my stomach could tolerate the Tylenol and the crackers, but I took them anyway. I doubted I could feel any worse.
“I’ll give you another hour to sleep this off. Then we’re going to the pool,’” she said as she left my room.
“I’m not going,” I shouted after her.
“One hour, that’s all you get.” Stubborn bitch.
I was too tired to argue. There was no way I was going to show my face at the pool today. I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Unfortunately, Becca made good on her promise, and by early afternoon I was stretched on a lounge chair, hiding under my darkest pair of sunglasses and a large straw cowgirl hat. My headache had dulled, but I was still super thirsty, like I’d gone for a long hike in the desert. Being in the direct sunlight was only making things worse. I’d just closed my eyes to try to sleep when Nathan came over and reminded me that we had band practice later. I wasn’t sure my head could handle Ed banging on the drums, but I agreed to be there. It was my own fault that I felt like crap.
Nathan went on break, so Becca followed him to squeeze in some make-out time. Left alone for a few minutes, I sighed and closed my eyes again.
I must have drifted off because the next thing I knew, Becca was talking to me. “I have just the thing,” she said, reaching into her bag and pulling out another magazine. “‘Top Ten Ways to Get Over a Guy. Number one: do something fun.’” She turned, and I could feel her eyes on me. “Hey, are you listening?”
“No, not really. I was sleeping,” I mumbled.
“Well, wake up. You need to listen to this.”
I flipped over and sat up. I really had no idea what Becca was talking about, but I was feeling a little better, thanks to my power nap. “Okay, what is it?”
“I found this article that lists the top ten ways to get over a guy, and I thought we should see what it says.”
“Why?”
Becca laughed. “Maybe you can fool yourself into believing that you don’t have feelings for Gavin, but you can’t fool me. I’m your best friend, Car, remember? He hurt you last night. And now we need to find a way for you to get over him.” I opened my mouth to reply, but then closed it. She continued, “Number one—it says to do something fun. We can check that off because we did something fun last night. We played basketball with the guys and got drunk.”
“Are you sure that counts? Because right now, I’m thinking it wasn’t all that fun.” Becca giggled.
“Ouch. Not so loud.” I put my hands over my ears. I didn’t want my headache coming back.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “You had fun and you know it. You didn’t think about Gavin once after we got to the park, did you?” I did a few times, but I didn’t want to admit it. My heart cracked a little at hearing his name. Crap. I have it bad.
I sat up and decided that maybe I should pay closer attention to what Becca was saying, since Gavin made it pretty clear he wasn’t interested in me. “What else does it say?”
Becca grinned and continued reading. “‘Number two—treat yourself to something you’ve been wanting. It will put you in a better mood, and let’s face it, you deserve it after everything you’ve been through.’” She waited for a response. “Hello? Carly. What’s something you’ve been wanting?”
I thought for a second. There was a pair of cowgirl boots I’d been coveting ever since our last trip to the mall.
Becca looked at me over her sunglasses. “What is it?” She really did know me.
I a
nswered. “I’ve had my eye on a pair of Lucchese cowgirl boots, but they’re way too expensive. They’re at least $300, and I’ve only saved half of that so far.” I thought they’d match the new style of music we’d been playing.
“Consider it done. We’re going to the mall when we leave here, and I’m not taking no for an answer. My parents gave me a credit card, and if I want to treat my best friend to a pair of boots to help her get over a guy who’s been a complete dickhead, then that’s what I’m going to do.” She wore a very satisfied grin. There was no arguing with Becca once she’d made up her mind, so I didn’t bother.
I continued listening to the checklist, picking up a few more tips, but most of it was common sense. The only one on the list I had a problem with was number ten—which said to find someone new. What if I don’t want to?
***
I slowly pushed open the door to Ed’s garage, hoping that no one would notice my lingering hangover. My headache was gone, but I wasn’t sure it would stay that way once Ed started banging the cymbal every time someone made a comment. Normally I found his enthusiasm endearing, but tonight, I was dreading it.
The guys were playing around and tuning their instruments but once I entered the garage, they stopped, turned, and stared. It seemed like they still weren’t used to having a girl in the band—or maybe it was my new boots that got their attention.
“Hey, guys,” I said. “Sorry I’m late.”
“No big deal. Just hurry up and get your cute ass up here,” yelled Ed, clanging the cymbal. I tried my best not to wince at the noise.
“We all just got here a couple of minutes ago. Take your time. We thought we would warm up with you on the fiddle, which only seems fitting with the boots you’re wearing,” Nate said, chuckling with the guys. All but Brady, of course. He scowled. It seemed like he wore a permanent scowl whenever I was around. I guess it was the boots that got their attention.
Summer Love (Senior Year (Vol. 1)) Page 7
