“So, Hollis,” Adam began before I could swallow. “What awaits you after high school?”
Was he genuinely interested? I wondered. Or was it just a way to avoid awkward silence?
Someone stumbled against the side of the railing, sending reverberations down to where we sat. “I don’t know,” I said, leaning forward. “I mean, I know what’s expected of me, but I haven’t made any definite plans. You?”
“I’m getting the hell out of here.” It didn’t surprise me. I knew—everyone knew—that Adam possessed too much talent to just waste away in our modest little city. He was destined for more, for bigger things, and I ached to have that same kind of calling. “I think Los Angeles is what everyone expects, but I want to go east.”
“New York?” I asked, trying not to let disappointment color my voice. In all the years Adam Oliver and I had attended school together, I had never once had a conversation with him the way I was now. I didn’t need to feel some misplaced sense of loss when there was nothing for me to grieve.
“Maybe not that far. I’ve got a kid sister and my gram to look after here.”
I knew better than to ask about his parents. His mom had died a couple of years back and everyone talked about his dad. In middle school, the stop sign at the crosswalk had been taken out by Adam’s dad one night when he’d had too many drinks. Being that Amber Lake was a smallish town, everyone knew who’d caused it. And Adam, being the son of the guy who had messed up, publicly, many times, had been the butt of many jokes.
I never engaged in that kind of gossip myself, but I hadn’t ever taken action to shut it down either. I felt shame, knowing how many conversations I had listened to and remained silent. Too afraid to rock the boat, to even so much as whisper my disagreement.
“You went quiet.” His voice was low and beckoning. I met his eyes, saw them searching mine. Much like he had when we’d he’d first greeted me that night, though with none of the contempt he’d held then.
I licked my lips, feeling my breath go heavy as he continued to stare at me. His arm was resting behind me, along the railing. If I leaned back just a few inches, I knew I would feel his arm on my back, the skin that was bared by this pathetic excuse for a tank top. But I couldn’t be that brazen, could I? I licked my lips again and this time, his eyes dipped to them and then slowly he looked back into my eyes. I took a breath in, feeling my chest lift and fall in an irregular cadence and every single inch of me came alive like a firework. He looked back at my lips and when he met my eyes again, the crooked smile on his lips nearly undid me. Holy Hannah. Was this sexual tension? I had never felt anything like this. I had little practice in romance, and even less in sexual contact of any kind. My inexperience caused a flurry of feeling to gather in my head: indecision, excitement, and impatience.
When we first sat beside each other, there hadn’t been anything intimate about our position. But at some point in our conversation, I had turned my body his way and he’d turned his way to me. In the few inches that separated our thighs rested his hand, close enough that I could feel the cool condensation of his glass wetting my jeans.
But then, in the lightest of touches, I felt his thumb graze my spine. And I did something unheard of for me, I leaned into it.
His head moved in closer—maybe not for a kiss, maybe just for conversation. But I wouldn’t ever know what his intention was, because seconds later, a guy double my size fell on top of me, spilling more beer onto my shirt as his beer poured over my head.
“Fuck, Conway!” Adam exclaimed, pulling Ben Conway off of me as I adjusted to the cool shock of the beer completely soaking my tank and dripping down my face. “Get a handle on yourself.”
Ben was obviously drunk, based on the way he swayed violently to the side, nearly falling over until Seth, the party host himself, righted him. “Fuck you, Adam,” Ben said, but the words were slurred together. He pushed back at Adam, but his hands had the effect of dead fish and Adam didn’t budge. He shoved Ben again, and he fell back into his crowd of friends.
I was completely still, feeling the sting of embarrassment on my chest and neck—all of which were visible in this tank. I could feel a dozen people staring at me, but the shock of being completely soaked rendered me unable to stand up and brush it off. I didn’t have a spare shirt, and I knew I must reek now. I wanted to go home. I couldn’t take the stares, the gossip that was already brewing.
Before I could say anything, Adam was draping his leather jacket over my shoulders and steering me away from the people on the deck. Even with the jacket as protection, I couldn’t seem to control my reaction. My eyes filled for a moment, even as I blinked the tears back.
“Asshole,” Adam said under his breath as we moved to the front yard, right by a tree that was illuminated by a flood light. “I’m so sorry, Hollis.”
“Why are you apologizing?” I said, my lips trembling from cold and humiliation. I couldn’t reconcile this Adam, this caring and sincere Adam, with the Adam I’d spoken to hours earlier. He’d switched so fast that even if I hadn’t just been doused in beer, I might still be a little shell-shocked.
I couldn’t even look at him. I knew my hair was soaked, my shirt was soaked, and I had no idea how I was going to sneak this by my parents. Beer dripped into my eyes and stung, so I squeezed them tight but then a tear slipped out. This was probably the most embarrassing moment of my life. And the one guy I had crushed on forever got to witness it and the impending emotional explosion. I turned away from him, my fingers pulling the leather jacket tight around me. I wanted to burrow in it, to hide from everyone. But the smooth leather smelled like him and I was brought momentarily back to what just had happened. “Here,” I said, reluctantly pulling the jacket off of me. “I don’t want this to be ruined.”
“Shut up, Hollis.” He took the jacket from me and then grabbed one of my arms and shoved it through the arm hole. “Think I give a damn about the stupid jacket getting beer on it? You’re shivering.”
Tears spilled from my eyes. I wanted to snag Tori and run away from here, with my tail tucked between my legs. I would settle for melting into the giant pine tree at my back, but Adam had a firm grip on my elbows.
“Hollis,” he said, softer this time and clucked my chin up so he could look at me. I opened my eyes a moment and saw his concern. His eyes were twin black hole abysses, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He was so beautiful. Poetic, in the way he looked at me.
His hands slid to cup my jaw and he stepped closer. I couldn’t even focus on him, not when I was so worried about how I must have looked. His breath washed over my face, but not in an unpleasant way. He was close enough to kiss me. And that sent my heart into a gallop. “Are you okay?”
We stared at each other one long moment. It could have been romantic, the way he held me, blocking much of the floodlight with his body. This was the moment, the time for something to happen. A little lean in and he could kiss me.
A droplet of ice cold beer slid down my spine and I arched in reaction. This wasn’t a moment from one of my books, nor was it a moment from any of the fairy tales I heavily consumed as a child. Adam hated me. I was soaked in beer and too embarrassed to ever admit that the note he received was written by me. The moment was ruined. And I was grieving as much for that as I was the fact that so many of our classmates had witnessed arguably my most embarrassing moment ever. And I had done nothing.
CONTINUE READING
Acknowledgments
As always, the first line in my acknowledgments belongs to my family. I spent many hours, days, weeks missing out on time with you to nurture this baby. I love you all.
My boys, to whom I dedicated this novel—you are my light, my world, my everything. Writing Keane’s mom was a reflection of how I feel about you; how proud I am of you both and how desperate I am for you to stay little, a little longer. The time I get with you is precious but short and I endeavor to always be here for you, no matter what. I will love you for always, forever, even if you do decide to grow u
p. (But please don’t.)
To my brothers-in-law, Nick and Spencer, thank you for taking my kids when I would have had to solo parent, and giving them the memories I couldn’t while I was locked into my office.
To my people, the ones who were there during the process that was this book. My circle is small, but oh is it rich. I have so much more to say, but some things are private. To keep it brief:
Sona Babani, for keeping me laughing when all I wanted to do was cry.
Jade Eby, my beebee, for always being in my corner.
Whitney Belisle, for catching the things I always, always, always miss, for being the first person to love this story.
Talon Smith, for being my favorite little tatie tot, for always dropping everything for me, for finishing One Big Mistake first. You always lift me up.
Tiffany Silver, for helping me with my historical romance fix. Those novels helped me finish this book, which means you did too.
Christina Harris, for your help with the domestic violence legalities and the blurb.
Kristen Johnson, for the laughs I needed toward the end of this and your help with this blurb.
Lex Martin, for being one of my favorite people.
Debbie Snyder, for being my only friend in Idaho and my forever Costco date. Let’s be indecisive together forever.
Thank you to KP! The extra thirty thousand words in this book are thanks to you.
Thank you to my Barbetti Babes—for your endless love and support. You’re always there and I appreciate you all so, so much.
I have one million bloggers to thank, for going out of their way to pimp my books AND me! I value your support and your time, so I thank you for all the times you shared my books with your followers. I know many of you also gifted copies of my books to your friends and/or hosted giveaways for my books. I truly thank each of you. I am AWED by you. You give so much of yourself for authors like me, and I hope you know that you are so deeply appreciated.
To some of my favorite bookstagrammers who are always in my corner: Christina @christinaschronicles, Giovanna @_giovanna_conte_, and Annie @emotionallyunhingedromantic; thank you for inspiring me so much, for encouraging me all the time, and for always sharing my stuff. It means more than I can say.
Thank you to all my readers. One of the best things about being an author is the relationships I form with the readers who reach out. I love getting to know you on my Facebook fan page, in my reader group, on Twitter or Instagram or email and, if we’re lucky, in person at a signing or at an Applebees or on a London train or wherever we both happen to be. You rock my world.
Finally, thank you to my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, for giving me answers before I even ask the questions and restoring my faith over and over again. Mark 11:24
More Books by Whitney Barbetti
All books are available on Amazon
STANDALONES
One Little Lie
Adam & Hollis
The Sounds of Secrets
Samson & Lotte
The Weight of Life
Ames & Mila
Hooked (dark romcom)
X & Lucy
Ten Below Zero
Everett & Parker
The Mad Love Duet
Six Feet Under (Book One)
Six & Mira
Pieces of Eight (Book Two)
Six and Mira
The Bleeding Hearts Series
Into the Tomorrows (Book One)
Jude & Trista
Back to Yesterday (Book Two)
Jude & Trista
The He Found Me Series
He Found Me (Book One)
Julian & Andra
He Saved Me (Book Two)
Julian & Andra
About the Author
Whitney Barbetti is a mom to two and a wife to one, living in the northwest United States, where she spends her days writing full time and keeping her boys from destroying her house. She writes character-driven new adult and contemporary adult romances that are heavy on the emotional connection. You'll most likely find her curled up with a good book and a giant glass of wine, with Queen playing through her headphones.
whitneybarbetti.com
If you would like to be notified as soon as the next book releases, please subscribe to Whitney Barbetti’s newsletter at http://www.whitneybarbetti.com/signup/
You can also join her Facebook reader’s group for book discussions, giveaways, and sneak peeks at upcoming releases: https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbettisbabes
One Big Mistake: a friends to lovers rom-com Page 34
