Fate (Choices #2)

by Lane, Sydney

  My mind wanders while I shave. I've never seen anyone cross that invisible line, but I've heard stories about brothers being blackballed for messing with another brother's girl. The thing is, I'm not sure what she means to him. He's interested, that's for sure. Hell, I don't even know what I want from her. She's hot. She makes me crazy. All I know is that when I look at her, something inside me changes. She's sweet, has a smile that lights up the room, and she's different from other girls I know. Special.

  And something tells me she wants this as much as I do. If she would just tell Declan she isn’t interested….

  A loud bang on the door jerks me back to reality. When I step into the hall in my towel, Seth is bouncing foot to foot. "What the fuck took you so long?" He pushes past me and slams the door. I chuckle and shake my head, walking back to my room. If I'd known it was him, I would have stayed in there longer.

  I rush to get ready, knock on a few doors to wake the guys, and start packing the Jeep. Surprisingly, Seth saunters down the stairs first. His eyes are fresh and alert, and he looks like he’s had a good night’s sleep. There may be hope for him yet.

  When he slings his bag into the backseat, I can’t resist asking, “So where is Seth and who the hell are you?” I can’t help but wonder what the hell happened to him.

  “Don’t worry, Bro. I’ll make up for it tonight.” He chuckles under his breath. “Matter of fact, I’m gonna get started early since I have the pledges ready to help today. They’ll be meeting us there.”

  “Yeah? Where are Declan and Eric?” It’s already hotter than hell out here, and I don’t want to wait much longer to head out.

  Seth gets that cocky look on his face that says he knows something. “I’m sure Eric is all wrapped up in Jenna this morning. Her car is still here. Dec says he’ll drive him up in a bit.”

  I shrug my shoulders, relieved that we won’t be riding together. “Alright then, get your big ass in the car. We ain’t got all day.”

  With the top down and music blaring, we hit the road. Sometimes, I think it’d be so easy to head for the mountains and just keep driving. No school, no worries, no women... Almost sounds too good.

  Seth talks the whole way there, bragging about his threesome with the two girls from the bar. I knew he would have to tell me. He couldn’t keep that to himself. Lucky bastard. And just so you know, that really is every man’s fantasy. If he says it isn’t, he’s lying. Two girls. All for you. Yes, please.

  We’re unpacking the car when Declan and Eric pull up. As soon as the car grinds to a stop, Eric jumps out. He’s shaking his head and mumbling something under his breath, and I wonder if he’s lost the bet yet. When Declan gets out, he’s smiling from ear to ear just like he always is. For just a moment, I regret kissing Quincy. I regret even meeting her. Then, the selfish bastard inside of me rears his head. Who am I kidding? Nothing could have stopped me from kissing her. Not guilt. Not honor. Not even brotherhood.

  “You all ready to get this show on the road?” Seth lets out a loud whoop, like the party is about to get started. Crazy ass doesn’t even realize how much work we have a head of us.

  “Since when have you ever been up for working on a Saturday morning, Seth?” I can’t help but poke at him. He usually sleeps until noon, rolls out of bed, and does it all over again.

  He snorts, “Oh, hell, no. We ain’t doing shit. We’re here to supervise.” As if on demand, cars begin winding up the drive and stopping in front of the cabin. I can’t help but smile as pledge after pledge steps out of the vehicles.

  Eric shakes his head in disbelief. “I’ll be damned.” In my haste to get out of town, I’d forgotten Seth said they were coming. Well, well. He has just earned his keep for the night.

  Declan and Seth get a few boys started clearing the land while Eric and I get the rest moving on collecting the wood for the bonfire. It's not long before the sun is blaring down on us, and we're all sitting around in lawn chairs.

  We're a few beers in when the guys start talking about getting tattoos. The day you get a tattoo, the day you mark your body forever…. It’s something you never forget. It’s almost a rite of passage. For some, it’s well-planned, an agonizing decision to finally find the courage to do it. But for others, it’s a whim, something done on a dare with alcohol-infused confidence. Something so permanent that even its removal leaves a scar.

  "Hey, Bro? You remember when we went to get ours?" Declan asks. He's already smiling. I'm sure he's thinking what I'm thinking. That was a hell of a trip.

  "Hell, yeah! How could I forget?" I had wanted a tattoo for a while, and I knew exactly what I would get if I ever went through with it. I wanted something that I would never regret permanently having on my body. I mean, I don't want to walk around with some chick's name on my arm. It just doesn't appeal to me.

  The pledges start gathering around while we take a break, curiosity on their faces. One thing I've found is that pledges love hearing stories about the older brothers. We pass stories down from class to class... some of them are legendary. Shaking my head, I remember some of the things I've seen and done. It's a miracle I've never seen the inside of a jail cell.

  Declan rubs his hands together, enjoying the possibility of embarrassing another brother. "We were on Spring Break in Florida, and we hadn't seen a sober moment in four days. We met this hot girl in a bar, and she was all into Eric. She had tats all over her body."

  "Down her arms, across her chest, behind her ear. Everywhere," Seth interrupts. He wasn't with us, but he's heard the story so many times that he could tell it himself. He's squirming in his seat, like a kid on Christmas morning.

  "So, she tells Eric she's a tattoo artist and he'd look badass with some ink under all of his pretty-boy clothes." This draws a few chuckles and snorts from everyone, everyone except Eric that is. "We were all razzing him about his baby face, and she offered to tattoo us all. So, here is this hot chick, offering to do our tattoos, and we're three sheets to the wind giving Eric hell. Somehow, we all ended up at the chick's tattoo shop at 2:00AM." The way Declan is spinning the tale, I feel as if I'm right there, right back in Florida. Eric's face reddens even as he smiles.

  "We all got the fraternity crest. Mine's on my chest, Declan's is on his shoulder, and Eric.... well, he passed out." I always knew I’d get something fraternity related. Brotherhood is the one thing that will never fail me.

  "Tell 'em, Eric. Where's your tattoo?" Seth goads him, but Eric just shakes his head and takes a long drink from his beer. "It's on his right ass cheek. Oh, yeah. Real badass tattoo, that is." We burst out laughing, and the memory of Eric waking up with a sore ass pushes me over the edge.

  "Hey, I'm going to be a lawyer, and my old man would have killed me if I came home with a tattoo." His excuse is lame, making us laugh even harder. "Besides, have you ever seen a reputable lawyer with tats all over him?"

  "No, I haven't," I agree with him. "But have you ever seen a reputable lawyer with an ass tat?" The idea of this pretty boy hiding a tat on his ass is hilarious. At a fraternity party last year, Seth yanked Eric's pants down so everyone got a good look at it. It was a fuckin' riot.

  Holding his stomach and trying to talk through his laughter, Seth delivers the punch line. "Hey, it gets even better. Brody got the girl." He's right. She went back to the hotel with me afterwards, and she was gone the next morning. What a night.

  Eric rolls his eyes and, smiling broadly, punches me in the shoulder. "Yeah. Brody always gets the girl."

  My laughter dies on my lips when I think of the one girl I might not get, the one that might not want me. I don't like how she can intrude on these moments with my friends, stealing moments that belong to me.

  I stand up quickly, surprising Seth, who looks up at me like I just slapped his momma. “Since we’re done here, I’m going hiking.” The tone of voice leaves no room for question. I'm going hiking. No, you’re not invited.

  I walk away as the guys’ banter fades behind me. Things are shifting, whether we are all a
ware of it or not. There is a rift between us, widening with each day. I'm on one side, and they're on the other. Is it real or something I'm simply imagining? Maybe it's just my own guilt staring me in the face.

  I'm so lost in thought that I don't hear the footsteps behind me. Seth claps me on the shoulder, "Mind if I tag along?"

  Yes. Yes, I do. Instead, I say, "Nah, man. Come on." We walk, without talking, for several minutes. I take a higher path, leading us further from the lake. Seth is panting by the time we hit the peak, and I consider giving him a hard time. But something isn't right. I've been so wrapped up in my own mess that I haven't really noticed that Seth has something going on.

  Just when I decide to ask, we halt, stopping in our tracks. Why have I never noticed this before?

  Stunned into silence, we simply take in the sight around us. Fall flowers are in full bloom, and the meadow below us is a rainbow of color. I'm not some sentimental girl, but I can certainly appreciate the beauty before us. Seth takes a deep breath and quickly lets it out. "Wow." For once, even Seth is speechless.

  I could stay here forever. It’s almost as if time is standing still.

  A glance at Seth finds him standing with his eyes closed, arms out at his sides, taking deep breaths, as if he's savoring the moment. "This is it, Bro." When he opens his eyes, he's beaming. "This is the moment when you realize that life is too short. No regrets."

  His words stun me. Not only did Seth say something philosophical, but I want to run, jump, and pump my fist in the air. This is what the world has come to. Standing on a hillside, listening to the craziest sonofabitch I know, and believing every word he says. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

  I turn and begin the walk back, but I have a renewed sense of myself. I'm going to live with no regrets. They aren't dating. She isn't his. Fair game. I'm going to take what I want. I don't know what I'll do with her once I have her, but this madness is going to stop.

  And I smile, really smile, for the first time in days.

  Chapter 12

  People begin arriving early, just as night falls and the alcohol is flowing freely. Standing on the porch of the cabin, I watch as the row of headlights approaches. Threads of laughter and chatter drift up to me, and the fire illuminates the night. As shadows dance across the field, my eyes flit over the crowd. Anticipation builds within me, a low, continuous buzz in the air. I take a long swig of my beer and saunter down the steps. It’s time to get the party started.

  “Hey, Brody!” Some girls I met at Players’ step in front of me. They've already been drinking, and by the looks on their faces, they're on the prowl. One girl steps forward, her breasts grazing my arm. “Thanks for inviting us! This is such a cool place.” She’s cute, but she’s not even on my radar.

  “Yeah, I’m glad you made it. Have fun and don’t forget we have a DD to take people back to town.” I pry the girl’s hand from my arm and take a step back, without her ever noticing what I’ve done. When I walk away, I can almost hear a collective sigh behind me. Easy is not so appealing anymore.

  Joining the party, I quickly get swallowed up by the crowd, the excitement drawing me in. The music is loud, drowning out some of the voices around me and giving me an excuse to ignore people without actually ignoring them.

  I’m not really looking for her, but it’s as if my eyes are drawn to her the minute she arrives. Jenna and Quincy walk into the clearance, and my body goes into overdrive. She has on one of those hot-as-hell dresses she wears, and I swear she does it just to get to me. She is trying to kill me.

  Eric intercepts them before they get too far. That lovesick fool has been waiting for Jenna to get here all day. I didn’t say anything, but his constant texting and checking his phone was pretty pathetic. Watching them kiss might be even worse. Once the reunion is over, Eric leads the girls toward the keg. I know this is a mistake because I’ve figured something out about Little Miss Perfect. She doesn’t drink alcohol. Most of the time, she declines drinks, even if she isn’t driving. If she does accept one, she carries it around all night or throws it away when no one is watching. It’s just something else about her that intrigues me.

  I'm on my way to rescue her when Declan beats me to it. I hear him say, “Here, let me get you a beer.” Always the gentleman. Stepping forward, I reach into the cooler at her feet and hand her a bottled water.

  “She doesn’t drink.” The look that passes over her face is almost laughable. She's shocked that I’ve noticed. Maybe it bothers her that I told him. “I made sure we had some just in case you came.” She looks up at me with those big, brown eyes, searching my face for something I won’t give her. Instead, I take her in from head to toe in one long glance. Her hair is braided again, making me hard the moment I look at it. Her pink toenails are peeking out of her sandals. She has the prettiest feet I’ve ever seen, so delicate that I wonder how they carry her around.

  Declan also looks confused. “Really? I didn’t realize.” He steps forward, putting his hand on her shoulder. “Sorry about that, Quincy. Thanks, man.” He’s smiling, but that hand... that hand touching the smooth skin on her shoulder is distracting me. If he would stop looking at her and look at me, he’d see the fire in my eyes. I have no idea why, but I have the sudden urge to hit him. And that’s funny since I’m the one trying to steal his girl.

  “Yeah, well, let me know if you need anything else. Have fun tonight.” I back away, hating my own weakness. It has thrown me a little to see them together, but it hasn’t changed my mind. The way she looks at me is different than the way she looks at him, and I know why.

  You see, there is something I know about Quincy that she doesn’t even know about herself. She's dying to break out of her mold and live a little. I don’t know who she thinks she has to be so damned perfect for, but her eyes tell me she’s curious, that she wants to take a walk on the other side. I’ll be here waiting, and when she decides to jump the fence, I’ll show her what this side looks like.

  My buzz hits me hard, the beer and heat finally catching up to me. Pushing through the people, I realize that I don’t even know half of them. Normally, that wouldn’t bother me at all, but I find myself alone in the crowd.

  Standing next to the fire, I get that strange tingling you have when someone is staring at you. It’s one of those feelings you can’t explain but can’t ignore either. I scan the area, finding what I’m looking for. Directly across the fire, Quincy is sitting with Declan. He's talking to her, and she’s responding to him. But her eyes are on me.

  When our eyes meet, she doesn’t look away like I expect her to. The flames dance around her while my buzz consumes me. Declan reaches over and wraps her hand in his. She looks down, away from me, and when her eyes find mine again, they're wet with tears. What the hell? For the first time, I realize that I know nothing about Quincy Priest.

  A small hand lands on my arm, and I look down to find Corrine smiling up at me. I had almost forgotten that I invited her. “Hey, Brody, I made it!” She looks... wow. There aren’t words to describe how she looks. She's tiny, like Quincy, but that is where the similarities end. Her skin is sun-kissed, and her hair the color of straw. Her make-up is expertly done and her clothes chosen to accent her slightly curvy figure. I can’t help but smile back.

  “Yes, you did. You certainly did.” Slinging my arm around her shoulders, I pull her close, but she surprises me when she pulls away and shakes her head.

  “Brody, don’t you be pulling any of that Casanova shit on me. I’m not falling for it.” I laugh. Hard. That might be the funniest thing a girl has ever said to me. The smile on her face tells me I might be able to get what I want if I tried hard enough.

  But I like this girl. Even though I asked her to come for the wrong reasons, I’m glad she came. I invited her because I was pissed. I couldn’t stand the thought of watching Quincy with Declan all night. And maybe I was even jealous. God, I swear those are words I never thought I’d say. I’m jealous. Over a girl.

  I search Quincy out again, feeli
ng her eyes on me. I can’t read the look on her face, but I can tell she’s not happy. And it seems to be directed at me.

  Corrine is telling me about her trip up here. She brought two of her friends, and they managed to get lost on the way. I laugh and nod at all of the appropriate times, but I can’t pry my eyes off Quincy. Corrine has nothing on her. There really is no comparison. A quick jab in the ribs brings me back to Corrine. She narrows her eyes on me, and I feel a question coming that I don’t want to answer.

  “Wanna dance?” I ask, hoping her body will provide the distraction I need.

  “Only if you promise to be good.” Her eyes crinkle, and her smile is mischievous. She takes my hand, pulling me along behind her. Her hips sway seductively as she walks in front of me, and like any hot-blooded man would, I follow.

  “Oh, I’ll be good alright.” I use the voice that usually gets me what I want. I laugh when she looks at me over her shoulder and rolls her eyes. She isn’t anything like I expected.

  The music is slow, and the beat pulses through the night. Her body fits nicely against mine, but we have trouble finding a rhythm together. Pulling her close, I wrap my hand around her waist and adjust my movements to hers. She allows me to hold her close while maintaining a little distance. Her perfume drifts up to me, sweet and sexy, and I try to convince myself it’s better than vanilla.

  When she talks to me, I have to lean down so I can hear her. I try to listen, I really do, but I can’t stop looking for Quincy over her shoulder. Declan reaches for her hand, pulling her to her feet. My body involuntarily stiffens as they walk away, my mind at war with my emotions. A gentle tug on my arm brings me back to Corrine. She's still smiling, but I see the resignation in her eyes.

  “You know, Brody, I’m not the kind of girl you normally date.” Hell no, she’s not. And she should be proud of it. “I’m also not the kind of girl who’ll stay when I’m clearly not what you want.” She nods toward Quincy, and I know I’m caught.