by Lynn Stevens
I waved back at my new friends and strolled up to the counter where good old Heather was waiting. She picked her skates up, smiling at the guy behind the register. She was pretty in an unconventional way. I remembered the night of Vicky’s failed dinner party. Adam and Heather had shown up with Vicky and Daniel as a buffer for Vicky’s overbearing mother. I’d noticed him right away and judged her too fast. But the way he’d looked at Heather, I knew my flirting was pointless. Still, that didn’t stop me. It made Heather uncomfortable, and that was one thing I’d always been good at doing. So, I’d flirted, then I’d helped Vicky give Heather an impromptu makeover before dinner. With a little better-quality product, Heather had looked like a fresh-faced runaway model.
She turned toward me, and her face dropped.
“Heather, right?” I asked, holding out my fingers.
“Yeah.” Her gaze dropped to my outstretched hand then back up at me.
“Don’t be rude.” I wiggled my fingers. “People are watching.”
“And I don’t care what they think.” She turned and walked as far away from Cal’s party as she could get.
“What was that about?” Adam asked, snaking his hand around my waist.
“Nothing,” I said. Truth be told, I admired her boldness. It was refreshing compared to the usual backhanded bitchiness that I saw at school. I stepped away from his grasp around me. Maybe I needed to show Adam I wasn’t as into this as he wanted me to be.
We got our skates and joined the party. I found a single seat near Cal. Adam shook his head, sitting near Daniel and Vicky. I tightened my laces, laughing along with the guys around me. People started gravitating toward the rink. Cal stood and I put my hand on his arm.
“Wait for me,” I said sweetly. “I’m not too steady on these things.”
Cal raised his eyebrows, but he sat back down. I wasn’t lying. Roller skates and me, not a good combo. I stood, not exactly gracefully, and laughed like it was the funniest thing on the planet.
“You okay?” Cal asked.
“Not really. Will you help me?”
He glanced over to Adam who wasn’t even looking our way. “Sure, I guess.”
I held on to his arm as we made our way the five feet to the rink. This wasn’t a good idea. Not the flirting with Cal part, but the roller-skating part. We rolled slowly, my feet swerving dangerously in and out.
“You and Adam fighting?” Cal asked as he caught me before I fell.
I closed my eyes, not really sure I wanted to answer.
“Look, if you guys are, fine and dandy. Just don’t use me to get even with him.” Cal started to let me go, but I grabbed his arm.
“Please don’t,” I begged. I wanted to see where Adam was, but I didn’t dare look anywhere other than at Cal. “We’re not... fighting exactly.”
“I call bullshit.” He put his arm around my waist as I started to fall back again.
“It just seems like she’s wherever we go,” I said for lack of a better story. And for a bit of the truth. “I don’t think it’s over between them.”
Cal snorted. “Yeah, I get that. They were tight.” He steered us to the wall along the far corner. “But I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He’s over Heather. Trust me.”
I shook my head. It was crap, and I knew it, but I didn’t like how what Cal said gave me hope. The rest of the rink flew around us. Guys skating backwards, holding hands with girls. Girls twirling before jetting off. Cal and I hadn’t even gone around once.
“You trying to take off with my girl,” Adam said behind us. I glanced over my shoulder. His mouth curved, but his eyes were drawn in tight.
Cal laughed. “Nah, she just wanted a real man to teach her to skate. Guess she heard you prefer to fall than skate.”
Adam reached out to smack him, but Cal took off, spinning in three quick circles before disappearing in the crowd. “What a dick.”
“From what I see, he’s not the dick,” I said, pushing off the wall and losing control almost immediately. My feet went out from under me. Strong hands wrapped around my upper arms, but it was too late. I fell back and landed on Adam’s crotch.
“Ow,” he grunted as my head slammed into him.
I rolled over. “Oh my God, are you okay?”
He lifted his head. “Remind me to wear a cup around you.”
I started laughing and couldn’t stop. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.” He grinned sheepishly. I had a feeling he meant he was sorry for earlier and chose to accept it.
“You guys need help?” Daniel said as he braked beside us. Vicky rolled up a second later, looking flushed and sweaty. If they hadn’t been skating, I would’ve assumed something more fun had been going on.
“We’re good,” Adam said. He held my gaze. “Right?”
“Yeah,” I grinned and felt a little shy. So not like me. “We’re totally good.”
I pushed myself off him and tried to stand only to fall right back on my ass. Adam laughed as he got up easily. He offered his hand. It was totally like an animated princess moment. The prince offers the fallen princess his hand and all is right with the world. Well, I wasn’t a princess and I didn’t need to be saved. I held up my hand. Slowly, I stuck my ass in the air, much to Cal’s amusement as he catcalled me for his present. I put my palms on the floor and stood up without any help.
Adam wrapped his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, “Please don’t do that again. I’ll help you.”
“Why?” I asked over my shoulder.
“Because every guy here was looking at your ass and you came very close to giving them a show.”
I shivered at the way his breath drifted over my ear. So many thoughts took over my mind, many of them rated R. One stuck out: he was jealous. But that wasn’t possible. There wasn’t any reason for me to think that. Adam was as close to a gentleman as any guy I’d ever meet. He was probably more worried about my honor or reputation than showing signs of jealousy. Still, I liked it.
I liked it a lot.
CHAPTER EIGHT
I was first at the courts. That wasn’t unusual. Tisha was always a few minutes late, and Vina was normally the last one to arrive. She enjoyed strolling onto the court and taking charge. I loved being there before everyone else. The solitude of warming up got me in the zone. The ball felt good in my hand. After last night’s roller skating, my legs hurt in ways I never thought possible. It wasn’t like I was out of shape, but I’d used muscles that I didn’t know I had. I made a mental note to add roller blading to my exercise routine. After I learned how to do it. I’d barely survived roller skating.
The ball rolled off my fingers as I shot from the free throw line. The swish of the net was music to my ears. I moved to the three-point line and took shots from the top of the key. Once my arms were warm, I ran the court. Twenty minutes later, neither one of my teammates had shown up. But Darla was stalking toward me like a cat chasing a mouse.
I was never going to be her mouse.
“Hey, Westbrook,” Darla said as she dropped her duffel on the edge of the court.
I nodded and dug my cell out of the pocket of my bag. Two text messages, one from each team member, both with excuses as to why they weren’t making it. Vina had the stomach flu. Okay, that I got. Tisha had to shop for a dress with her mom. That I didn’t get.
“Looks like it’s just us,” Darla said. She dribbled toward the basket and banked a shot. The backboard rattled from the force of the ball.
“Where’s the rest of your team?” I asked, dropping my ball on my bag.
Darla shrugged. “Guess they just aren’t as committed as we are. What about yours?”
“Sick and family obligation.” I stretched my arms above my head.
“Yeah, family obligations are tough.” Darla bounced the ball toward me. “Horse?”
“We might be here all day.” I dribbled toward the line for my shot. It went in smooth.
Darla caught it under the basket and dribbled over toward me. “Maybe. You got pl
ans tonight or something?”
She stood just past the three-point line and tossed the ball toward the hoop. Nothing but net. I grabbed the ball under the basket. “Yeah, having some friends over for a movie. What about you?”
“Working.”
I sank my next shot and waited for Darla to do the same before I said anything else. “Where do you work?”
“What’s it matter? You gonna grab all your rich friends and show up there?” Darla sneered and I missed, clunking off the rim.
“Is that what you really think of me?” I asked as the ball bounced away from us.
“You never invite Tisha and Vina over.” Darla shrugged. “And I heard what happened with Heather.”
I pinched my nose to stop from screaming. “I’ve invited Tisha and Vina over. They’re always busy or would rather play here.” I shook my head. “And there’s more to the Heather thing than you know.”
Darla raised her eyebrows. “Such as?”
“I was pissed at Adam for not warning me, so I was a little bitchy.” It wasn’t entirely untrue. “I can’t help it that she runs in the same circles.”
“Would you invite me over?” Darla jutted her chin high, as if preparing for total rejection. “With your rich friends?”
I laughed at how ridiculous she sounded. “If I thought for one minute that you’d actually come to my house, I would.”
Darla shook her head and snagged the ball. She didn’t say a word as she walked off the court. She put in her earbuds, bobbing her head to whatever music she heard. I wondered what she listened to. She dribbled the ball on the asphalt of the bike path and disappeared around a corner.
I hated to admit it, but what she said bothered me. Tisha and Vina were my teammates, not my friends. I trusted them on the court. They didn’t want to hang out anywhere with me. If I was honest, I didn’t know that much about them. I grabbed my bag and headed to the parking lot, texting Vina and Tisha to invite them to movie night.
Their responses came back within minutes, both declining. We played ball together. We did not socialize. I knew that. Darla got into my head. She wanted to remind me that I wasn’t friends with them. On a whim, I texted Darla. There was no way she’d accept the invite.
I get off work at 8p. Be there by 9?
She actually agreed to come over? I couldn’t hesitate. That’s fine. We’ll start the movie when you get there. See ya then.
A thumbs up emoji was her response.
Huh. Maybe she wasn’t trying to get in my head.
Joanne went all out for snacks. It was almost eight-thirty and my friends would be buzzing to come in soon. I glanced at my text messages again. Nothing from Adam. We hadn’t talked since the silent drive home after Cal’s party.
The front door opened. “Joanne, can I get some help?”
What is Angela doing here? I shook my head at Joanne. She was in the middle of icing the cupcakes. I swiped a carrot and dipped it in the ranch.
“Joanne, get your lazy ass out here and help me,” Angela bellowed.
“What a bitch,” I muttered as I slid off the barstool.
“Language, Rachel,” Joanne chided gently. She put her piping bag on the counter, but I waved her off.
“I’ll see what the witch wants,” I said.
Joanne smiled and went back to making the cupcakes look professional from a high-end bakery. “Be pleasant.”
I snorted. I’d be as pleasant as Angela. By the time I got to the foyer, her face was red with anger. Several shopping bags filled the space around her feet and the front door hung open.
“Where’s Joanne?” she snarled.
“Icing the cupcakes.” I kept my voice innocent and nonchalant despite the sincere desire to snarl back at her. “She is the cook.”
“She’s useless. I’m going to talk to Eliot tomorrow.” Angela brushed fake lint off the arm of her suit jacket. The woman never wore anything else. Even in the intense St. Louis heat.
“No, she’s not,” I said, biting my tongue from saying more. “What’s all this?”
“Your father needed a few things.”
“On a Saturday night?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“I’m just dropping them off, Rachel.” She picked up four bags and headed toward the stairs.
I grabbed the other four and followed her up to Dad’s suite on the east side of the house. Mine was on the west side. In between there were three more bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house was too big for us, but I knew it was never supposed to be just us. Dad wanted more than one kid.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked. His calendar had been so full this summer, I’d barely seen him.
“New York. He’ll be back Monday.” She dropped the bags on the floor. “Why is Joanne baking cupcakes?”
I set my bags beside hers. “Movie night with my friends.”
Angela’s head shot up and a sneer curled her lip. “Does Eliot know you’re having a party?”
“I’m seventeen, Angela, and this is my house. Dad knows I have my friends over. He knows I have movie nights.” I rolled my eyes. “If he has a problem with it, he’ll let me know. So, get out.”
“Excuse me?” She put her hand on her chest as if I’d offended her.
“I’ll put this stuff away for my father,” I said with a fake smile. “You can go, take tomorrow off. I’m sure Daddy wouldn’t mind.”
“Rachel, you don’t want to get me on your bad side,” Angela said, matching the sugary tone of my voice.
“Angela, you’ve been on my bad side for years.” I pulled out my phone and sent Dad a text. Angela’s here. Please tell her to leave. It’s movie night and she’s going to ruin it. Also, I love Joanne. Please don’t fire her because Angela doesn’t like her.
I didn’t get a response, but Angela’s phone rang. Her face turned into a cherry tomato that had been on the vine for too long. She spoke so quiet I couldn’t hear a word. Less than a minute later, she was strolling out the door and down the steps. I smiled.
My cell rang a few minutes later.
“Hey, Dad,” I answered.
“Rachel, Angela was just doing her job.” Dad sighed into the phone.
“On a Saturday night?”
“Why can’t you get along with her?” He sounded so tired.
“She wouldn’t leave and acted like I was doing something wrong.” My blood boiled. I was so not at fault here. “You know I have movie nights with my friends. And she’s not my mother.”
“I know,” Dad said softly. “I’ll talk to her about your personal space.”
“And don’t listen to her about Joanne.” I almost sounded like I was whining now. “She’s the best and Angela doesn’t like her because of me.”
“I doubt that,” Dad said. His voice was far away as if he’d moved the phone away from his mouth. “Look, Ace, I have to get back to dinner. There’s a lot going on here.”
“Yeah, okay.” I sat on his bed. “I miss you, Dad.”
“Miss you too, Ace. I’ll see you Monday.”
He hung up. Tears welled in my eyes, but I shook them away. Whatever deal he had going on would be over soon, and I’d have Dad back.
I glanced at the time on my phone. It was quarter til nine. Showtime. I ran to my room and checked my makeup and clothes. The simple denim shorts and sleeveless button-down shirt in blush was sexy and subtle. I left my shoes off. This was my house after all. Why wear shoes? I ran down the back stairs and into the kitchen.
Almost everyone was here. Except Adam.
CHAPTER NINE
The gate buzzed twenty minutes later. Joanne answered it with a raised eyebrow toward me. I couldn’t hear who it was, but by the look on her face, it couldn’t be Adam. She knew he was coming. A few moments later the doorbell rang. I hoped Joanne was wrong and that it was Adam. Silly me. When I opened the door, Darla stood under the porch light with an expression of utter defiance.
“Hey.” I failed to hide my shock judging by the eyeroll she gave me. I’d totally forgotten about
her. Maybe I was as horrible as she thought. I recovered myself and smiled. “Glad you could make it.”
She offered a six-pack of generic cola. “You’re surprised?”
“No, it’s not that,” I said, taking the soda and ushering her inside. Well, it wasn’t all that. “My boyfriend’s late.”
“Adam Marshall? He’s not usually late to anything.” Darla’s gaze shot to the mural on the ceiling. She pointed and grinned. “That’s pretty badass, rich girl.”
“Thanks.” I motioned toward the back of the house. Everyone else was still hanging in the kitchen where the food was. “And don’t call me rich girl.”
“Why not? It’s true,” Darla said with a little added attitude.
“Maybe, but Logan’s parents are worth twice mine and Vicky’s dad’s a U.S. Senator.” I upped the wattage on my smile to full.
“So, I’ll be the poor girl?” Darla shrugged but couldn’t hide the nerves. I’d seen her nervous before a big game before, but nothing like this. Once she stepped on the court, she was all business. “Not the first time.”
“Come on, I’ll introduce you.” I led her into the kitchen.
Darla settled onto a stool and Logan was all over her in two seconds. Fresh meat and all that. Eva rolled her eyes and sipped her bottle of ginger ale. They hadn’t last long, not with Logan’s wandering eye. Eva had to have known what she was getting into with him when it started. Logan was not into commitment long term. I raised my eyebrows at her, and she shrugged a shoulder. Then she glanced at the clock. It was time to get the movie going, but I wanted to give it a few more minutes.
I left the room and checked my phone. Nothing. Not a single text or call.
“You okay?” Vicky asked, coming up behind me.
“Yeah.” I shoved my phone in my pocket then faced her. “Peachy.”
“He didn’t call?” She shook her head and pulled her phone out. After a few quick moves, her face turned red. “What a dick.”
“What?”
Vicky glanced at her phone, then handed it over. Adam’s smiling face filled the screen with Heather beside him. He’d changed his profile picture less than an hour ago. His status showed he was in a relationship with her. I choked back a scream. That son of a bitch.
