by Autumn Reed
Feeling more and more agitated, I briefly closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, but Liam wasn’t ready to let the topic go. “Tell me one thing—did he pay for lunch?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Yes, but . . .”
Liam chuckled. “Nope. Case closed,” he said in an annoyingly smug tone.
“I tried to pay. Besides, you guys buy me lunch or dinner all the time without it being a date.” I looked around the room, hoping at least one of them would back me up.
Knox gave me a sympathetic look, and when he spoke, his tone was gentle. “Haley, the usual rules don’t apply with us. You can’t go around with other guys like you do with us.” He paused as he shifted some boxes around. “Just be careful; things get complicated with office romances.”
I sighed. I knew things were different with my guys, but I didn’t like feeling attacked. Hoping to deflect their attention, I said, “Well, even if Tyler is romantically interested in me, I’m not the only one with an office admirer.”
Liam waved a hand through the air. “I already know that Vanessa fancies me.”
I grinned smugly and shook my head. “No, not you, Liam. Chase.”
Chase looked up from his task, surprised but silent.
Theo walked closer to the kitchen. “Do tell, Haley. Been talking around the water cooler, have you?”
“No. Do we even have a water cooler?” I furrowed my brow as I shook my head. “Never mind.” I wasn’t sure this was the right time or way to tell Chase, but it was too late to turn back now.
Knox, Theo, Chase, and Liam stared at me expectantly before I said, “Melissa likes Chase.”
Liam looked puzzled. “The chatty blonde who works next to you?”
Theo swatted Liam with the back of his hand and said, “Yes, dummy,” before he turned toward me. “Haley, that’s no secret; the whole office knows it.”
“What?” I quickly looked toward Chase, wondering if he already knew about Melissa’s crush. His embarrassed look and shrug of the shoulders confirmed that he did. So much for helping Melissa with Chase, I thought. He already seemed to know about her crush and either wasn’t interested or hadn’t yet made a move. I felt oddly relieved.
Suddenly, Theo said, “Holy knickerbockers, guests will be arriving in thirty minutes.” As he walked toward the stairs, he said, “I’m going to get ready.” He pointed a finger at me and grinned, “And you should too, Haley.” Like it or not, apparently I was attending the party.
Party in Style
I walked down the hall toward my bedroom, a sense of dread settling over me. It wasn’t the typical reaction to attending a friend’s birthday party, I knew. But considering this would be my first party of any type, I felt justified in my apprehension.
Plopping down on my bed, I evened my breathing and slowly counted to sixty. Once I was calmer, I attempted to evaluate the situation rationally. With so many people at the party, at least I had a chance of blending into the crowd. And, I would undoubtedly find one or more of the guys at my side most of the night. Maybe if I just showed up for an hour or so, I could disappear back to my bedroom without Theo noticing.
Aware that the party was starting any minute, I forced myself to get up and begin getting ready. Since I was wearing a revealing dress (well, revealing for me), I decided to leave my hair down. At least then my long hair would help cover some of my exposed skin. Thankful I hadn’t put my hair up today, I added a little product to tame the flyaways and moved on.
Standing in front of the mirror, I scrutinized my reflection. I wondered if I should wear makeup to fit in with the other girls. Sifting through a bag of samples that Theo picked up for me, I wished that Jessica was here. Despite her frequent lectures on the subject, I’d never had the inclination to wear much makeup and didn’t bother to learn the art of application.
Deciding that attempting it tonight would likely be disastrous, I gave up on the samples and stuck with my standards: mascara and berry-colored lip gloss. Pinching my cheeks Scarlett O’Hara-style, I laughed when my face took on a rosy glow. I can’t believe that actually works.
After slipping on the sapphire blue dress Theo—with his adorable charm—manipulated me into wearing, I had to admit that it was a perfect fit. The fabric followed the contours of my waist without being tight, and the neckline—while lower than I was used to—showed off just enough cleavage to draw attention without looking immodest. The dress hit me mid-thigh, thankfully long enough that I wouldn’t have to worry about flashing anyone.
I looked through my limited shoe collection and selected the cork wedges that Theo gave me as an off-the-crutches gift. Hopefully they would give the dress a more casual appearance, since I didn’t totally trust his word that I wouldn’t be over-dressed.
While checking my completed outfit in the full-length mirror, I heard loud voices and laughter from down the hall and tried not to panic. Clearly the party was in full-swing; now I just needed to work up the courage to walk out there.
But, that was definitely easier said than done. I felt practically naked in this dress even though logically, I recognized that I was appropriately covered. My self-consciousness about the dress itself was nowhere near the level of anxiety I was experiencing just having to face so many new people at once.
Lost in my thoughts, I jumped when I heard a loud knock at my door followed by Theo’s voice. “Haley, the party’s started! You need to get your cute butt out here.”
Knowing I wouldn’t get away with hiding any longer, I slowly made my way across the room and forced a smile as I opened the door.
Theo let out a slow whistle, his hazel-green eyes sparkling. “That dress is even better than I remembered. You look stunning.”
Pink filled my cheeks. “Thank you. You look great as well.” Theo always looked nice, but tonight I could tell that he put extra effort into his appearance. His russet colored hair was freshly clean and perfectly swooped into his distinctly Theo, retro style. And his outfit was flawless from head to toe—golden brown wingtip oxfords; rolled dark-wash jeans; a subtly patterned shirt with vest, tie, and even a tie clip. All that was missing was a hat, but it would be a crime to mess up that hair.
Theo grinned. “Did you expect anything less? Now let’s go out there and get you a drink.”
He tugged on my hand, pulling me out of the room. “I don’t know, Theo. I’ve never tried alcohol before.”
“I’m not going to force you, but if you decide you want one, I’ll make you something delicious. You will barely even taste the alcohol.”
We headed down the hall toward the living room and bumped into Ethan.
“Ethan, glad you’re here. Thanks for picking up stuff at the last minute.”
“No problem.” Spotting me, his trademark smirk appeared. His brown eyes seemed darker than usual as he slid them over my face then down my body. “My, my, Buffy. You clean up quite well.” Heat instantly crawled up my neck. Ugh. How many times would I blush tonight?
He slung an arm around Theo’s neck, whispering loud enough for me to hear. “I see what you meant about that being the good dress.”
Theo snickered and tugged on my hand, pulling me down the hall. As we reached the entrance to the living area, my steps faltered. The loft was rapidly filling in with people and most of them were already holding drinks. There was a buzz in the air as they circulated throughout the space and talked amongst themselves. Some sat on the couches or at the table while others stood at the kitchen counter or grouped together. Music played in the background and the lights were dimmed.
We stepped into the room but quickly stopped, our progress halted by Knox. Looking at Theo, he said, “There you are. Your guests having been asking for you.”
When Knox’s attention swung to me, he groaned. “Theo, are you trying to kill me?” He threaded his fingers through his hair, the usually fluid motion jerky with agitation. “With her in that dress, I’ll have to keep an even closer eye on her all night.”
Ethan chuckled while Theo just grinned. “C
hill out, big brother. Between the six of us watching over her, she’ll be fine.”
Knox grunted, “She better be,” and then stalked to the kitchen. I stared after him in surprise. He almost seemed upset with me, and I didn’t know why. Surely my dress wasn’t that big of a deal.
“Ignore him; you look perfect,” Theo said, as he led me by the hand through the crush of people; several stopped and gave him a hug or a pat on the back, and Theo briefly introduced me. I tried not to gawk at the guests as we passed by, but I was fascinated by their style, their vivacity. I tried to remain calm, reminding myself that I was blending in, apart from the obvious lack of tattoos.
Many of the guests were dressed like Theo, retro-flair with an edge; I loved the style—it was playful and flirty without being too suggestive. And Theo was right, I wasn’t overdressed. But even with all the skin I was showing, I was still quite modest compared to some of the other girls. There was no shortage of short skirts, low tops, and skin-tight dresses that left little to the imagination.
We finally reached the bookshelves and I almost laughed aloud. The giant traveling trunk (the one I thought was a magician’s chest) was actually a bar cart. With the hinged top open and front panels dropped, the glassware and decanters were on display, glimmering in the mirrored lid.
Scanning the bottles of liquor, I was shocked by the sheer number of options. It seemed like it would take months to taste them all and years to try different mixtures.
Theo started collecting bottles and other ingredients. “So, Haley. What do you think?” I could tell Theo was trying not to pressure me, but he seemed excited to make something for me.
Knowing Theo wouldn’t steer me wrong, I relented with a smile. “I’ll give it a try.”
“Fantastic! I love mixing cocktails and trying to match people with just the right drink. Since this is your first, you need something light and a little sweet.”
I watched, fascinated, as he expertly poured, cut, squeezed, and shook the ingredients. Clearly he knew what he was doing. I should have been surprised considering he was just turning twenty-one, but somehow it seemed like a natural skill for Theo.
“Here you go. One mojito for the girl in blue.” He presented the glass to me with no shortage of flourish.
I took a tentative sip. It was pleasantly effervescent, and the mixture of lime and mint was refreshing. If I hadn’t seen him put the alcohol in it, I wouldn’t have believed it had any.
“This is delicious. Thank you.”
Theo’s delighted expression made me smile. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it. Just don’t drink it too fast.”
While Theo worked on another cocktail, I took tiny sips of my drink and let my eyes wander over the room. Liam and Ethan were in the kitchen helping Knox, a group of eager-looking girls standing nearby. My eyes roved some more before catching sight of Chase with a small group of guests dressed in what I assumed was normal college student attire. Friends from school, perhaps?
I continued my perusal, but when I noticed Jackson leaning against a wall across the room, I froze. He was surrounded by people but staring straight at me, his gaze unwavering. I studied the girls in his vicinity, but none of them seemed to be there with him. Did he not bring Penny after all?
When he continued to watch me, confusion washed over me. Did he think I was going to get into trouble? Was he upset because I was drinking? Neither seemed likely. Theo was only a couple of feet away from me, and if Knox hadn’t objected to my drink, I didn’t think Jackson would care.
I may have been imagining it, but something about the way he examined me was unexpected coming from Jackson. Is it possible he’s checking me out? Surely not . . . Just how quickly could alcohol take effect? Perhaps the mojito was clouding my judgment, but I doubted it considering the miniscule amount I had consumed.
Theo finished at the bar and led me toward the couch, forcing me to break eye contact with Jackson. I took a seat on one end of the couch, but before Theo had a chance to join me, a female hand shot out to catch his arm and pull him into her group. Sending me an apologetic look, he joined the conversation and was talking and laughing within seconds.
When Theo shifted, I got my first view of the mysterious female who was still grasping Theo’s arm. I wasn’t sure what to call her style, but she looked like an edgy, modern-day pin-up girl. Her patterned halter top and high-waisted black pants clung like a second skin. And I was pretty sure her dramatic red lipstick perfectly matched her ridiculously-high red heels.
Surprisingly feminine tattoos were visible along both arms and over her collarbone. And most notably, her glossy black hair hung down her back in loose waves like a raven-haired Veronica Lake. With her bangs pinned away from her face in a large roll and a large white flower placed on the opposite side near the hairline, she was undeniably alluring.
I hated to admit it, but she looked like Theo’s ideal match. Together, they were striking, glamorous even. I couldn’t imagine Theo keeping the existence of a girlfriend from me, but I got the feeling that she was either a close friend or something more. She seemed right at home at the party, even greeting new guests and refilling food and drinks.
She constantly watched Theo and her face lit up every time he addressed her. I didn’t notice Theo treating her any differently than the rest of his friends, but it was difficult to know for sure. What I did know was that watching them together made me uncomfortable. Out of all the guys, I was the closest to Theo since we spent so much time together at the loft. And seeing him in his world—with friends so different from me—was unsettling. In this picture, I was the one who conspicuously did not belong.
Something brushed against my leg, startling me out of my gloomy thoughts. I looked down to find a beautiful golden retriever sitting at my feet, patiently waiting for my attention.
“Well, hello there. Where did you come from?” I reached out with both hands to scratch behind the dog’s ears and pet its soft coat. “You are so pretty and sweet, aren’t you?” I cooed.
Busy fawning over the dog, I jumped at the sound of Jackson’s voice right next to my ear. “Penny’s not bothering you, is she?”
Penny? Then it hit me. Oh my gosh, Penny is a dog. I almost laughed out loud at my mistaken assumption about Jackson’s girlfriend.
“Not at all, Penny is a perfect little lady. She’s yours?”
Jackson joined me on the couch, sitting close enough that we were almost touching. “Yes, I rescued her as a puppy almost three years ago. She’s the best.”
My heart started beating wildly in my chest. As Jackson continued talking about Penny, his already handsome face transformed into something altogether magnificent. For the first time since I’d met him, he regarded me openly and warmly, his smile relaxed and genuine.
With all the people and the talking, it was getting warm. But my drink was refreshing and after several more sips, I was more relaxed. I wasn’t sure whether it was the energy in the room or maybe the mojito, but my my body was tingling pleasantly.
“You should come running with us on the beach sometime. I’ve heard that you’re quite the runner.”
“Oh that’s right, Knox told me you live by the beach. That must be amazing.”
“It is. After living at Uncle’s, I loved the idea of a cozy bungalow. And, I can go surfing everyday, which is a major bonus.”
“Surfing, huh? I didn’t take you for the adventurous type, Jackson.”
His grin was slow. “Is that so? Well, you have a lot to learn about me, Haley.”
I glanced down at my glass and realized it was half-empty. Okay, this time I am blaming the mojito, because I could have sworn Jackson’s tone of voice was suggestive. Must. Change. Subject.
“I’ve never run in sand before, but I’d love to try.”
“It does take some getting used to, but I’ll make sure Penny goes easy on you at first.”
I laughed, “I’m looking forward to it. Running by the ocean always looks so fun in movies and on TV. Plus, I wo
uld accept pretty much any excuse to go to the beach at this point. Although I’ve been to the boardwalk and seen the ocean, I’ve yet to visit a beach.”
“Wow, the guys have been slacking. We will definitely have to remedy that soon.”
“Hey, Haley,” Knox suddenly interrupted. “How are you doing?”
I smiled up at him. “So far, so good.”
Jackson stood. “I’m going to get another drink. You want anything, Haley?”
“No, I’m good, thanks.”
Knox leaned against the edge of the couch right next to me. “Is your first party everything you expected?”
“I guess, although I hadn’t given it much consideration. It’s pretty tame so far.”
Knox scoffed. “Oh, give it time. It’s early yet.”
As if to prove his point, glass shattered from the direction of the bar. Knox lifted one brow, “And that’s my cue. Will you be alright by yourself for a minute?”
“Of course.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw five girls lined up at the kitchen counter taking shots and sucking on lime wedges. Did they just lick their hands? I had an inkling Knox was right . . . this party was just getting started.
Spinning
When I caught sight of Chase hanging out with the same group as earlier, I took a closer look. The group was a mix of guys and girls, and while Chase spoke occasionally, he definitely seemed to be doing more listening. Unlike most everyone else in the room, he was holding a bottle of water instead of a beer or cocktail. It didn’t surprise me; Chase struck me as a rule-follower, and he was only nineteen.
Realizing I’d finally finished my drink, I decided to force my way through the maze of people to the kitchen for a glass of water. Before I’d made it more than a few steps, I was stopped by a guy who reminded me a lot of Theo but with more tattoos and less freckles.
“Hello, there. We haven’t been introduced. I’m Devin.”
