by M. A. Foster
“No I won’t.”
“Trust me. You will.”
THE WAITER LINGERS a little too long, gawking at Jay as he recites the dinner specials.
Yeah, yeah, dude, I get it. She’s pretty. Now let’s move this along, I’m starving.
Of course, Jay is completely oblivious to this guy’s attempt at flirting.
Uncle Marcus was smart to keep Jay under his thumb. I can’t imagine what it will be like when Willow is a teenager. Maybe I’ll just homeschool her like Marcus and Emerson did with Jay and keep the mean girls and assholes like me away.
I’ve seen firsthand what teenage girls are capable of. Talking shit behind the other’s back, spreading rumors, constantly trying to tear each other apart over nothing, out of pure jealousy.
I’ll admit, I’m worried about the kind of reception Jay will get from the girls at school. Jay is shiny and new, aka fresh meat. She’s pretty, smart, and talented. The one thing she has on her side is that she’s a Mackenzie. The guys are definitely gonna be lining up, and I’ll be sure to shut that down first thing Monday morning in the locker room. My teammates always have my back.
Ashton and her little bitch crew are gonna have a field day with her. Maybe not so much Ashton because Jay’s not a direct threat to her and she knows better, but Reagan? I haven’t forgotten about the way she was looking at Jay at Brad’s party. When Reagan realizes—if she hasn’t already—that Jay and Zach have a history, she’s gonna start shit. I just know it.
Hopefully she took my warning seriously because I was dead-ass serious.
“Why is that girl glaring at you?” Jay asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“What girl?” I jerk my head over my shoulder.
“Don’t look,” she growls under her breath, but it’s too late.
I find Claire glaring at me from a table on the other side of the room. She’s with her parents, but that doesn’t stop her from flipping me off.
I laugh and shake my head. “She fucking hates me.”
“Oh my God.” Jay laughs. “Did she just flip you off? I think I might love her.”
“Hey now.” I toss my napkin at her. “You’re supposed to be on my side. We’re family, remember?”
“Did you break that girl’s heart?” She snickers, tossing my napkin back at me.
That’s exactly what I did.
I wish I could tell Jay the truth, that I broke up with Claire because Willow was more important than having a girlfriend. But it’s not that easy. I’ve come close to telling her so many times but I just can’t. Not yet.
It’s not like I’m ashamed. I just don’t feel like answering the hundreds of questions she’ll ask.
“I saw the way you were looking at Harper earlier,” she continues. “Leave her alone.”
Not gonna happen. “Why?”
“There’s something about her, Cole.”
There is something about Harper. Which is why I can’t leave her alone.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I don’t know. She’s nice but she’s guarded. She reminds me of my mom.”
Hmm. She might be right. Emerson is the bomb and secretly my hero. If you don’t know her, she comes off as unapproachable and a bitch with a capital B. And rightfully so. She was married to one of the biggest rock stars on the planet. It takes a strong woman with a thick skin and a spine of steel to live that kind of life for over twenty years. And the “Bitch” in her has come out on many occasions.
“Hey,” I say, changing the subject. “I meant to tell you, after you left Brad’s, I met this girl named Olivia.”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course you did.”
I grin. “Smartass. She was hanging out with my friend Carter, if you must know.”
“Carter’s a hottie, by the way.” She winks. “You never told me you had such hot friends.”
I shake my head. “Anyway, Olivia was telling me that she’d been awarded a scholarship for the Project Mayhem class.”
“Really?” Jay beams, her eyes shimmering with pride.
“Yeah. Too bad you didn’t get to meet her yesterday, but I guess you’ll meet her soon enough. She seems really nice, too. Carter seems to think so.”
She narrows her eyes at my not-so-subtle hint that Carter is off limits. “I can’t wait to meet her. And I can’t wait to see how everything turned out.”
“Are you nervous?”
She shrugs. “Yes and no. I’m nervous but excited at the same time.”
“I’m glad you’re here, Jay.”
“Me, too.”
LEXI AND EVAN are waiting for us at the entrance of Mac’s. Jay makes her way over to Lexi and the two begin chatting like old friends. I love that they instantly clicked. Lexi is probably the best friend she’ll have here.
“Just a heads-up.” Evan’s eyes flick to Lexi and Jay. “Zach, Brad, and Justin are upstairs.”
My brows furrow in confusion. “So?”
He looks over to Jay again.
“She’s cool,” I tell him.
Evan nods but seems a little wary of Jay. He’s a broody motherfucker on most days and gets a little weird when outsiders are introduced into our little circle. He especially doesn’t trust other girls around Lexi. Can’t say I blame him after what Ashton did to her.
Lexi and Ashton used to be best friends, until Ashton made the cheer team and ditched Lexi for her new cheer friends. To make matters worse, Lexi’s dad is dating Ashton’s mom and moved her and Ashton in with them in. From what Evan says, Ashton’s mom treats Lexi like shit.
Sounds like a Cinderella story.
Yes, I’ve seen the movie. I have a daughter.
We make our way up to the second floor of the bar which is a game room complete with pool tables, dart boards, and video arcade games.
I see Zach and Brad near the pool tables.
“Yo!” I throw my arms up in the air, drawing everyone’s attention. Who cares? My dad owns the place.
Bending at the waist, Brad lines up to take his shot and I give the end of his pool stick a little tap, making him miss.
“Dude, come on,” he growls, then tosses his cue on the table. “I’m done.”
“I thought you were going out to dinner?” Zach asks as he tosses his stick on the table beside Brad’s.
“We did,” I reply, turning my attention to the group of college girls sitting at the high-top table in the corner, winking at them. “Jay wanted to see Alex and Dylan play tonight.”
Jay comes to stand beside me and immediately zeroes in on the girls. She doesn’t even say hi to Zach, much less spare him a glance. I laugh to myself. Poor Zach can’t catch a break. “Lexi and I are going downstairs to get a table,” Jay says to me.
“I’ll be down in a few,” I tell her before returning my attention to Zach, whose eyes are locked on her as she walks away.
I grin and wait for him to snap out of it. “I told her yesterday that you two need to kiss and make up.”
“Oh yeah? What’d she say?” he asks.
“Something about punching you in the throat.” I chuckle before walking over to the railing overlooking the bar.
It’s Saturday night, so naturally Mac’s is packed. Alex and Dylan are setting up the stage for their set. Alex spots Jay and points to an empty table in the front that he without a doubt saved for her. Jesus. Another wave of guilt settles in the pit of my stomach like a lead weight. All these secrets, these skeletons—we’re running out of space in the Mackenzie closet.
Since the moment Alex entered Jay’s life, they’ve been close. Like brother and sister, ironically, bonding over their shared love of music, inherited from their father.
Alex adores Jay, and he’s had to jump through hoops to be in her life. Uncle Marcus didn’t make it easy, though. He was very protective of Jay, even from Alex, though Alex didn’t seem to be put off by it. He’s done everything Marcus asked of him and then some. I just hope it doesn’t backfire on him when Jay finds out the truth.
SATURDAY NIGHTS AT Mac’s are insane. One of the servers called out sick, so Alex asked me if I’d fill in.
I spot Jay making her way over to the table Alex reserved for her close to the stage. With her is a girl I recognize from school, Lexi Davis. As the two of them settle at the table, I make my way over to take their orders.
“Hey, Jay. You want a sparkling water?” I ask, remembering what she had at lunch.
“Yes, please. With a glass of ice and a lime.” She waves from Lexi to me. “Do you two know each other from school?”
Lexi smiles. “Yes. Harper, right? I think we were in Mr. Fritz’s fourth-period math class together last year.”
“Yes, that’s right.” I nod and smile in return. Lexi and I hardly said two words to each other in Mr. Fritz’s class, though I wouldn’t say she’s unfriendly. She just kept to herself as I did. “Would you like something to drink?”
“I’ll have what she’s having,” Lexi answers, jerking a thumb in Jay’s direction.
“Sure thing. Be right back.”
When I return to the table with the drinks, Cole is there with his friend and Lexi’s boyfriend, Evan Martinez. Ashton Grant, head cheerleader, is perched on Cole’s thigh, and half of Ashton’s mean-girl cheer squad, namely Hannah Scott, Piper Page, and Brooklyn Manning, take up the remaining seats.
“Hey, everyone,” Alex says into the microphone. “Thanks for coming out tonight. I want to introduce you to a member of the Mackenzie family. Come on up here, Jay.”
Lexi nudges Jay’s shoulder. “Go.”
“Go, Jay,” Cole urges.
“Fine,” she says, pushing her chair back from the table before heading to the stage.
“Why is she going up there? Can she even sing?” Hannah asks in a snotty tone.
“Shut up, Hannah,” Cole snaps. “Can you sing?”
“Do you guys want something to drink?” I ask, and I’m rewarded with a scowl from Cole.
“What are you still doing here?”
I return a scowl of my own. What is his problem? “Someone called in sick,” I start to explain, but Alex speaks up again and Cole’s attention returns to the stage.
“Everyone, this is Jay,” Alex says into the microphone, earning a round of applause and a few wolf whistles. He says something to her, but I can’t hear over the noise in the crowd. She replies before going over to the side of the stage and grabbing a tambourine.
“I’ll take a Coke,” Evan says, just as Brad Manning, Justin Phillips, and Zach Easton arrive at the table.
“Anyone else?” I ask, and in return I get the usual “I’m good” or “no thanks” before I turn and head to the bar.
The sound of a tambourine mixed with the strumming of Alex’s guitar drifts from the speakers and the girls start screaming, jumping from their seats and rushing toward the stage as Jay croons Adele’s “Send My Love.”
Damn, that girl can sing.
“Wow,” I say mostly to myself as I reach the bar.
“She’s incredible, isn’t she?”
I startle, looking over to see Max leaning against the bar. Beside him is the big guy from earlier—Bass, I think.
“She is,” I agree, leaning with my back to the bar. “Her voice is beautiful.” I gesture to the stage. “And she performs like a professional.”
Max and Bass exchange a look before they both chuckle. “She had a good teacher,” Bass tells me.
Max jerks his chin toward the table. “Those girls being nice to her?” he asks, prompting Bass to look over at me with his brows raised.
“She seems to get along with Lexi just fine.” I shrug. “I don’t think you have to worry about the other girls. Seems Cole’s got that covered.” I offer him a tight smile.
Max nods before returning his attention to the stage. “If you see or hear those girls giving Jay any trouble, let me know, will you?”
“Sure.”
“Don’t let them give you a hard time either,” he adds.
I snort. “I’ve been going to school with them for the last two years. They don’t bother me.”
Max chuckles, Bass smiling beside him. “That’s good.”
I return my attention to the stage but I feel eyes on me. Like a moth to a flame, I slide my gaze to the table to find Cole watching me.
“Crap.” I turn to the bartender. “I need a Coke, please.”
“THIS SONG SOUNDS familiar,” Zach says.
“It’s Adele. They play it on the radio like twenty times a day,” Hannah replies with an eye roll.
Zach gives Hannah a look as if to ask ‘why are you here?’
“So does Brooklyn,” Brad adds. “She’s got it on replay. I heard it four times in a row in the car the other day.” Brad looks over at Zach with a smirk and says, “Your goddess has a set of pipes on her.”
“His what?” Justin chuckles.
Zach says, “Nothing,” at the same time Brad says, “I meant the goddess. Not his goddess.” He smacks himself on the forehead.
I lean with my forearms on the table. “You ain’t heard nothing yet. She’s really good,” I tell Brad, then turn to Zach and mouth, “Goddess? Really?”
Zach just jerks a thumb in Brad’s direction.
I shake my head and look toward the bar to see Harper talking to my dad and Bass. I wonder if Jay knows Bass is here.
I don’t like the way my stomach somersaults whenever I look at Harper, or that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since lunch.
I don’t like that I want her more than I’ve ever wanted any girl. Even Claire.
Harper turns to face the bartender, giving me a clear view of her perfect round ass and those long, smooth legs.
Legs I’d love to get between and—
“Why are you staring at our waitress?” Hannah’s bitchy voice pulls me out of my fantasy and back to the table where my friends are eyeing me skeptically.
Justin grins as he mouths, “I told you she was hot.”
Despite the family secrets, I’m always straight up with people. They might not like what I have to say, but at least I’m honest.
Pinning Hannah with a glare, I twirl my index finger, gesturing for her to turn away and mind her own fuckin’ business.
Hannah Scott is as vile as Reagan Vaughn is slutty.
I used to find Hannah’s outspokenness refreshing, especially since most girls are fake and would rather talk behind each other’s back. Before Hannah, Lexi was the only girl I knew who didn’t have a problem telling it like it is.
But the more I listened to the things that came out of Hannah’s mouth, I realized she’s not outspoken, just a horrible person.
Hannah goes out of her way to hurt people, and to me that’s a bully.
I hate bullies.
Without a word, Hannah quickly returns her attention to the stage. Smart girl.
I’ve noticed she’s lost a little bit of her edge since Brad dumped her for trying to bang his gay brother.
Not only is Hannah a despicable bitch, but she’s apparently missing her moral compass. Brad’s much better off without her.
The girls make their way back to the table. All except for Jay, who remains on stage with Alex to perform another song. He’s gotta be loving this.
Ashton drops back down in my lap and circles her arms around my neck.
“Ash.” I grab her arms and untangle them from around my neck. “Go sit in a chair.”
“Why?” she asks, clearly offended.
“Because we’ve had enough of the PDA,” Evan replies.
Her face screws up. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re hanging all over him,” Lexi adds with an eye roll. “We get it. He’s taken.”
What the—
“I’m not taken,” I declare, indignantly.
That pisses Ashton off. She jerks up from my lap and moves over to sit by Hannah.
Harper returns to the table with Evan’s Coke. “Can I get you guys anything?” she asks.
Hannah leans o
ver and murmurs something to Ashton, who barks out a loud annoying laugh.
“I’ll take a fruit punch or a Powerade,” Zach says.
“Same,” Brad says.
“Me, too,” Justin adds, and Harper walks off.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
“Hannah…” Ashton chokes out through a laugh “…was just wondering…” laugh “…if the carpet matches the drapes.”
Really?
Harper probably heard that.
“Actually,” a female voice starts. Harper. Yep, she heard. “There is no carpet. It’s all bare, sweetheart.” She winks, clicks her tongue twice, and walks off.
Ashton and Hannah gasp.
Brooklyn smiles.
Lexi snorts.
Evan chuckles.
Zach brings his fist to his mouth to hide his laugh.
Brad throws his head back and laughs out loud.
Justin lets out a low whistle.
And I’m over here with my jaw on the ground and my dick about to burst through my jeans.
Jay returns to the table. “What’d I miss?”
“WHAT’S THE DEAL with your girlfriend, Ashton?” Jay asks from the passenger seat as I drive her home. I guess Bass dipped out before she noticed him at the bar.
“She’s not my girlfriend. Why?”
“I hate to break it to you, Cole.” She laughs. “No matter how you define it, Ashton is definitely your girlfriend. And she’s kind of bitchy. Lexi told me that she and Hannah were being rude to Harper.”
I blow out a breath. That definitely wasn’t cool, but Harper was quick to sling their shit right back at them. I was genuinely impressed.
“Ashton used to be tolerable,” I admit. “She’s changed since the summer. I think it’s because we’re seniors now and she’s the captain of the cheer team. But seriously, she’s not my girlfriend.”
She crosses her arms and shifts in her seat to face me. “Do you hook up with other girls?”
I nod. “I have.”
“Does she hook up with other guys?”
I shrug. “Don’t know.”
“Would it bother you if she did?”