Tangled: A Small Town, Brother's Best Friend Romance (Willow Springs Series Book 2)

by Laura Pavlov

  She laughed. “Trust me, he is not into her. Text me if you need me. And let Cade, Camilla, and Gray know Jett said he got us all clearance to come down on the field at the end of the game tomorrow.”

  “That was so nice of him to arrange. I’m excited to see him play. This is it if they don’t win, right?”

  “Yep. Fingers crossed they win, and we go on to the playoffs.”

  “I have one hundred percent faith in Jett,” I said. “I’ll shoot him a text wishing him luck tonight.”

  “Thanks. Love you. Good luck with River,” she said, leaning over to hug me.

  “Love you, too.” I waved as she closed the door behind her.

  River was meeting me and Leo at the party with a few of his friends. I wished I could say I was nervous or excited about it.

  But all I could think about was the boy I shouldn’t be thinking about at all.

  Gray.

  Chapter Twelve

  Gray

  I assigned Ricky to the door to help monitor who came and left the party tonight. The dude was a freshman but had proven trustworthy, so he’d somehow become my right-hand man at the house.

  “I’m on it, Gray,” he said, giving me a fist bump as my best friend came walking out from my bedroom where he was staying with Camilla.

  “So, this party’s going to go off, huh?” he asked, following me into the kitchen.

  Francie had left for the day, and I filled a red Solo cup with beer from the keg and handed it to him.

  “Yeah, it’ll be big. Which is why it’s good I’m not drinking right now. I’m the one the cops talk to when the party gets carried away.”

  “Proud of you, brother.” Cade held his cup up and tipped his chin before taking a long pull.

  “Surprisingly, I don’t miss it right now. I wasted a lot of time living in a drunken haze.” I laughed, but my words came from an honest place.

  He nodded. “I think it’s good to step away now and again. I might need to think about that too. Camilla’s been giving me shit about how much I drink with my fraternity brothers when we have parties.”

  “I like her. She’s good for you.” I pulled out a chair and he did the same. It wasn’t always easy to find a place to have a conversation in this house, but there was a quiet before the storm.

  Tonight would definitely be the storm.

  “Yeah. She’s amazing, right?” He set his cup down and shook his head. “Although she asked me if you and Gigi ever dated.” He barked out a laugh and my chest squeezed with guilt.

  “What? Why would she think that?” I pushed to my feet to grab a bottle of water from the fridge because I couldn’t look at him right now. Cade knew me better than anyone.

  “I know. Ironic, right? My mom and Gigi are always claiming girls are more tuned in to things, and Camilla pulls this out of her ass. She said she picked up on some kind of bullshit sexual tension. I nearly fell over laughing at the thought. Gigi hates you and you love bugging her. That’s how it works. Talk about reading the situation wrong.” He chugged the rest of his beer.

  “Yeah. I guess she missed the part where everything I say annoys the shit out of your sister.” It was the only thing I could think of to say that wasn’t a blatant lie.

  “Exactly. And I had to remind her that you’re my brother. You’d never go there. Jesus, dude, your dick has seen more action than I care to speak of. Gigi is definitely off-limits. Camilla gets it now.” His words stung, but he was right. I’d been a player back in high school and my first few years of college and so had Cade. But I understood why he wouldn’t want me near his baby sister. Hell, even I knew I wasn’t good enough for her.

  “I hear ya. But look at you. You fucked around for a long time before meeting Camilla, and here you are acting all grown up and shit.”

  “I’m lucky. She knows who I was, and it took her a while to come around and trust me, but we got there. Do you think you’ll ever want that? Gigi mentioned something about her sorority sister.” I was thankful the conversation had shifted away from me and his sister, and I wanted to keep it there.

  “Nah. She’s a lot. Not really my type.”

  “Is this the one you banged over the summer?” He raised a brow with a smirk, and I rolled my eyes.

  “Hey pot, this is kettle. You’ve never slept with anyone you regret?’

  “I’m just giving you shit. I’ll be your wingman tonight if you need me.”

  “Thanks. Glad you’re here, brother.”

  We sat there shooting the shit for an hour before it was time to get things going. Cade and Camilla helped me make a run to the liquor store for a few more things we’d need, and before I knew it, we had a house full of people.

  Drunk people.

  There were a few fights that Ricky had caught before they escalated and he’d come to get me, and we were able to shut it down before anyone got hurt.

  I’d selected a few brothers to be sober for the night to help me with security and monitoring the party. That piece of shit Jaden, who was on a slippery slope as it was at the house, was my first pick after Ricky. For very different reasons. I’d put him in charge of making sure my best friend and Camilla were catered to. He bitched about it, but I was ready to kick his ass to the curb and I think he sensed it, so he did what he was told. It wouldn’t hurt that kid one bit to have a sober night where he actually did something to help his brothers.

  I walked over to check with Ricky and my head turned to see Cade spinning his sister around as she’d just arrived. Leo stood beside her. My jaw dropped open as I took in her outfit. She wore a black top that dipped so low in the front there was no fucking way she was wearing a bra. Her black skinny jeans hugged her ass perfectly, and my mouth went dry. I stalked in her direction, closing the distance between us with just a few steps.

  “Are you okay with her dressing like this?” I hissed.

  Cade barked out a laugh. “She looks like everyone else here.”

  “I think she looks amazing,” Camilla said, wrapping an arm around Gigi.

  Christ, has everyone lost their minds?

  “What is your problem?” Gigi snarled, tipping her chin up at me.

  “Hey, Gray,” a voice said beside me, and a hand rubbed down my arm. I turned to see the chick from Gigi and Addy’s dorm.

  “Hey, uh, Brittany?” I said, but my gaze didn’t leave Gigi.

  “It’s Bailey. Great party, boss.”

  Boss? Where did people come up with this shit?

  “Thanks,” I said, glancing at her hand that was resting on my arm and she smiled.

  Not happening, sweetheart.

  I let out a long breath, and for the first time in a few months, I actually wanted a drink. I wanted to forget that Gigi Jacobs’ nipples were currently sharp enough to cut glass and staring right at me.

  Taunting me.

  Just then, a dude with blonde hair, and an I-just-got-high swagger walked over and handed Gigi and Leo each a red Solo cup.

  “What’s in the cup?” I crossed my arms over my chest, forcing Bailey to release me from her grasp.

  Cade was in a conversation with Leo, and I wanted to slap him upside the head at his lack of concern over the situation. I didn’t miss the way Camilla studied me, her gaze ping-ponging between me and Gigi.

  “Uh, just beer,” the dumb shit said.

  Yeah, go get your surfboard and your edibles and get the fuck out of here.

  He was eye-fucking her and that shit was not going down on my watch.

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t know I needed your permission to have a beer?” Gigi glared at me, before whipping her hair in the douchebag’s face to get her brother’s attention.

  “Cade, this is River.”

  You’ve got to be shitting me. Of course, that was his name. River needed to flow his ass right out of here.

  “
Nice to meet you,” Cade said, fist-bumping the moron.

  Am I living in an alternate universe?

  We’re okay with this now?

  “You all right?” Camilla asked, moving to stand beside me, as Bailey got the hint and started talking to someone else.

  “I’m fine. Are you having fun?”

  “I am. Thanks for giving us your room. I feel bad about it. I don’t think you should be sleeping on the couch. That’s not right.” She smiled, and I saw something there. It was mischievous and she glanced over at Gigi before turning back to look at me with one brow raised.

  “I’m fine.”

  “I’m sure you are. But just so you know… Cade can be stuck in his ways. He gets worked up, but he always gets over things.”

  He would never get over me and Gigi. I had no doubts about that.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, trying to hide the smile on my face because I was somewhat fascinated by how quickly she’d recognized the battle going on between Gigi and me. That it was more than annoyance and irritation.

  More than playful banter.

  So much more.

  “Sure, you don’t. FYI, I heard River saying he’d walk her home after the party.”

  My hands fisted at my sides. “The fuck he will. And only because I don’t trust him. I’m surprised Cade’s acting all friendly with the asshole.”

  “Cade is four beers and three shots of whiskey deep and Gigi blasted him for being overbearing before we even arrived here, and she’s right. You two need to back off, unless you, in particular, have reason to be bothered by it.”

  “I don’t. I’ve just always looked out for her, that’s all.”

  “Well, then, River appears to be a nice guy and she seems to like him.”

  “She does not,” I hissed. She only acted that way to aggravate me, but how in the hell was I supposed to explain that to Camilla.

  Gigi’s head fell back in laughter as she and Cade listened to River as if he were the wisest person they’d ever heard speak before. What could he be sharing? How to roll a joint in record time, or what his favorite jellyfish looked like? Give me a break with the overzealous laughter. I glared at her and she refused to look in my direction.

  “There you are,” Lila said, slipping her hand around my waist as she sidled up against me. Her tits were pouring out of her low-cut top. Lila was voluptuous, to say the least.

  Gigi’s head whipped around in my direction and her gaze locked with mine.

  Yeah, I can dish it out just like you, G.

  I introduced her to Camilla, and her hand slipped inside mine. Fingers intertwined.

  We all made our way over to Cade, and I introduced Lila to the group.

  “Big daddy, Gray, this party is lit,” Leo said, and everyone laughed at his slurred words.

  Gigi sipped her beer and refused to look at me. The surfer boy stoner fist-bumped me like we were buddies.

  We were not.

  “Sweet party, dude,” River said.

  I nodded and my eyes zeroed in on his hand resting on Gigi’s lower back.

  “Thanks. Would you like a tour of the house? We have a cool rooftop terrace,” I said, desperate to do anything to get him away from Gigi. She narrowed her gaze at me, silently asking what I was up to.

  “Really? Fuck, yeah. I didn’t pledge because I’m not big on commitment,” he said, and I had a hard time hiding my smile.

  Commitment-phobe. Strike one, asshole.

  “I hear ya. Yeah, come on.” I turned to lead him away and he didn’t let go of Gigi’s hand. She looked up at me as if she dared me to do something about it.

  “Stay with your brother. It’s cold outside and I’m taking him to the rooftop.” My gaze purposely zoomed in on her nipples that were once again aware of my attention.

  She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest after she slyly flashed me the bird.

  I couldn’t help but laugh as I walked away with the douchebag on my heels. I didn’t mind at all. Leo joined us on the bullshit tour.

  “You don’t like him, do you?” Leo leaned in so only I could hear him, while River walked across the terrace and looked over the edge once we were outside on the rooftop terrace.

  “He annoys me, but that isn’t saying much because most people annoy me,” I said with a shrug.

  “I hope I don’t.” He laughed, and his drink sloshed over the sides of his cup.

  “Oddly, you don’t.” Leo was becoming one of my favorite people. He had Gigi’s back and I saw that the first time I met him.

  And that fact that he wasn’t trying to get in her pants didn’t hurt either.

  “Do you mind if I vape out here?” Surfer-douche asked.

  “Not at all. Take your time.” I crossed my arms over my chest. The longer I could keep him out here, the better.

  Leo laughed. “You’re a man with a plan, aren’t you?”

  “No idea what you’re talking about,” I said with a chuckle.

  I shot the shit with Leo for the next hour while surfer-douche got baked off his ass.

  “Dude. Thanks for bonding with me up here. Spiritual, man. This whole experience has been—real. I haven’t had a lot of real since I came to school. But I feel you both now.”

  Feel your ass home, River.

  He’d clearly been drinking the hard stuff because he pulled me in for a hug and he reeked of bourbon.

  “Good to know. I need to get back downstairs.” I was getting text updates from Ricky every ten minutes and things were going strong at the party.

  Leo and River followed me through the house and River turned into a room where two dudes were playing Fortnite.

  The universe was aligning all the stars for me at the moment.

  “I’m going to hang here. I’ll see you downstairs.” His words slurred.

  Fabulous. He struck me as the kind of guy who could spend hours gaming.

  Leo and I made our way back to the group and I was happy to see Cade and Camilla dancing and having a good time.

  “Where’s River?” Gigi asked, looking bored as her gaze met mine.

  “Your boyfriend could give Snoop Dogg and Marth Stewart a run for their money when it comes to dipping in the herbs. He’s currently blitzed off his ass and playing video games. Sorry about that.” I tried not to smile but it was impossible not to.

  Gigi grabbed Leo’s hand, glaring at me as she led him out to dance with her brother and his girlfriend. I checked on a few things and gave into Lila who dragged me into the sea of sweaty college drunkards currently jumping up and down to techno music.

  We laughed and danced, and my eyes were never far from Gigi. The party started to weed out as people made their way home. Jaden did a decent job of cleaning up and making sure no one was driving. Ricky was helping people who were making themselves comfortable on the couch find their way out of there, and even called a few Ubers from their phones for them.

  “Love you, brother. And Camilla thinks you’re great,” my best friend said, pulling me in for a bro hug.

  “Love you, too, man.”

  “All right, we’ve had way too much to drink. Your house officially throws better parties than mine.” He slapped my shoulder and saluted me, as Camilla waved before leading him down the hall to my room. “Hey, make sure Gigi gets home okay, will you?”

  “Of course,” I said, and Camilla wriggled her brows at me behind Cade’s back.

  I rolled my eyes and turned to see River making his way down the stairs. “Hey, sorry. I passed out in one of the rooms.”

  “We were just coming to look for you,” Leo said.

  Gigi crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s fine. I’m going to head home.”

  “Can I walk you?” River asked. The kid was sloppy, and he was in no shape to walk anyone home, including himself
.

  “I’ll give you guys a ride,” I said, shaking my keys in front of me. “I promised your brother.”

  Gigi stormed out of the house in front of me and River stumbled behind her, completely clueless. Leo moved in stride beside me. “I don’t think she’s happy with you. She thinks you sabotaged her night with River.”

  “Thanks for the heads-up, bro. And I totally sabotaged it.” I shrugged. I had no shame. I didn’t want her wasting her time on a dude like that. I did what needed to be done.

  He barked out a laugh. “Well, at least you’re honest.”

  “I am that, my friend.”

  They piled in my truck and Gigi was tucked up front between me and Leo. Surfer-douche was in the back seat completely sprawled out and snoring before I even started the engine.

  “Where does everyone live?” I asked.

  Leo informed me that he and River lived in the same dorm right up the street from Gigi’s. Perfect. I would make sure ol’ River made it to his dorm safely.

  I pulled up and Leo helped me get River out of the back of my truck and he came to and thanked me for the ride. I nodded as they both walked inside the building.

  When I got back in the truck, I received the silent treatment, which didn’t surprise me. She’d moved across the seat as close to the passenger door as one could get. We pulled in front of her dorm and she turned to face me.

  “Are you happy with yourself?”

  “I actually am, thank you.”

  “What is your problem?” she asked, and my gaze moved down once again and stared at her tits. They were small, but perky as hell, especially in my presence.

  “My problem is the fact that your nipples are hard every time I look at them.”

  “Then stop looking at them.” She swung the door open and stormed to the front of her building. I thought about parking and chasing after her. Crashing in Addy’s bed so I didn’t have to sleep on the couch. But I knew myself too well. If I went to her room right now, there would be no way my mouth wouldn’t be on hers.

  The pull was too strong.

  My phone vibrated and I looked down to see a text from her.