by Molly E. Lee
“Losing a game of pong is what he needs,” I said, laughing. “Maybe he’ll dig himself a deeper hole tonight.”
“Do you play?” Katy asked, resting her hand on my forearm.
I shook my head.
“Why not?”
“Coordination issue. I always end up with too many drinks.” I tried to joke, but the beer was doing little to smooth out the nerves that were twisted in my gut and even less to stop the undeniable urge I had to get back to the living room and see what Braylen was doing. Just because I wanted to protect her, not because of any other reason.
Keep telling yourself that.
“So,” Katy said, playing with the edges of my shirt as she moved closer to me. The way she kept finding reasons to touch me, and her giggly attitude, I assumed the game of Kings had more of an effect on her than I’d originally thought. “Is my being with Don really the only reason you didn’t try to get with me sooner? Or was there another reason?”
I tilted my head. “You being in a relationship isn’t enough?”
She shrugged. “I just wondered if someone else was stealing your attention.”
It took me a minute to realize what she was getting at. “You mean Braylen?”
She nodded quickly, her eyes looking unsure for the first time all night. “Yeah. What’s the story there?”
“She’s my best friend.”
“Okay.” She grinned. “Just checking.”
Everyone kept mistaking my relationship with Braylen…and for a split second, if I gave my mind enough space to ponder it, I did, too.
Chapter Nine
Braylen
“Be right back,” I said to Randy as I headed to the bathroom across from where we’d been chatting.
Acid rolled up my throat the second I opened the door; an absolute horrendous smell filled the tiny bathroom.
“What in the absolute hell?” I asked aloud as I spared a glance toward the empty toilet to see if Hendrix had brought some dead animal inside and hidden it in here.
Darting out of the room, I covered my mouth as I coughed.
“Damn, Braylen,” Don said as I barreled into him in the hallway. “What did you eat?”
I glared at him. “I didn’t do that!”
He held his free hand up to stop me, his other hand still secured around my waist from when I’d run into him. “Sure, sure. We all know you love to chow down on your fair share of a dozen tacos. You should look into it as a career. You know, do it competitively.”
I shoved against his chest. “Get off me, asshole.”
“Whoa, feisty. Maybe I haven’t given you enough of a shot.” His hand traveled lower and I raised my knee, ready to hit him in the junk in two seconds if he didn’t let me go.
“I’ve never looked for a shot with you, Don.” I lifted my knee higher.
But I didn’t have to finish the move. A massive blond haired bear came up behind Don and jerked him backward.
Don immediately went on the offense, his fists raised, until he got a good look at Randy…and had to keep looking up to meet his eyes.
“Explain to me again how you’re a douche,” Randy said, making Don tilt his head.
“What?”
“Tell me how you’re a douche.”
Don dropped his hands, staring dumbfounded at the huge wall of muscle that was Randy.
“That’s the only way I’m not crushing you right now,” Randy continued. “If you convince me you’re nothing but one-hundred percent douchebag and couldn’t help the words that came out of your uneducated mouth.”
I raised my eyebrows, stunned by Randy’s shift in speech—he’d hollered like Tarzan earlier as he jumped off the balcony and into the pool. How could he flip the mood switch that quickly? Whatever the strategy, it worked, because Don was speechless.
Which clearly wasn’t what Randy was looking for. He shifted, moving closer to Don with his hand clenched into a fist.
“Stop,” I said, grabbing Randy’s hand. “He’s not worth it.”
Don’s shoulders dropped, the relief evident on his face. Typical bully was always ready to start something but never see it through.
“You’re lucky she’s so wonderful,” Randy said, pointing at me. “Steer clear of me tonight just in case.”
Don flipped Randy off the second his back was turned but I didn’t bother to mention it.
“You okay?” Randy asked after I’d found a safe bathroom. He placed his hand at the small of my back as he guided me out of the house. We took a seat on the empty wooden bench that rested on Lennon’s front porch.
“Yeah.” I lied. Don hadn’t gotten to me, but all the combined events of tonight had definitely made me a mess. “Thanks for that. Don has been an asshole since kindergarten.”
“I heard they’re born that way.” Randy laughed. “So, clock is ticking. How you feeling?”
“Bleh,” I grumbled, dropping my face in my hands.
He patted my back. “Don’t despair. I have an idea.”
“Does it involve me teleporting home and forgetting this night ever happened?” I joked, glancing up at him.
“Better,” he said. “You go upstairs, pick an unoccupied room that offers you a little privacy, and I’ll find Fynn. Tell him you need to talk. He comes, you confess your love and you spend the rest of the night living out your happily ever after.”
“What?” I blurted, my eyes popping.
He laughed, shaking his head. “You look like I just asked you to jump off the roof with me.”
“That seems like a more realistic plan coming from you.”
“True.” He tilted his head. “But come on. You clearly need to be locked in a room with him where no one—or no dog—can interrupt you. Make the universe give you your moment.”
I pressed my lips together. Could I be that girl? Could I be brave?
“Braylen.” Randy cocked an eyebrow at me. “No guy in history has a sex dream about someone if they aren’t interested in them that way.”
My cheeks flushed, the memory rushing hot through my blood at Fynn’s admission during the drinking game. “You’re just saying that,” I said, shaking my head.
“I’m a guy.”
“Yes, I can see that.” I laughed.
“I know these things. Trust me, Bray. He’s into you. He may not realize it, but he is.”
“Really?” My voice was barely a whisper.
He nodded. “Trust me.”
The idea that Fynn may be harboring even a slight attraction to me gave me the last nudge I needed, and maybe, if I could get him alone, the universe would give me a pass long enough to tell him the truth. Then, it would be out of my hands, and at least I’d know one way or the other.
“Okay, I’ll give your plan a shot.” I said, standing. “Thank you.” I hugged him. “I’m so glad you nearly killed me on the stairs.”
He laughed. “Only for the best girls.”
I smiled at him, trying not to show my nerves as we walked back into the house. We made it to the second-floor landing—Randy wanted to see which room I picked before he told Fynn—when a short redheaded guy smacked him on the shoulders.
“Duuudde!” The redhead shouted like he was talking to Randy from across the room. “Someone gave Tanner a taser!”
“Oh fucking hell,” Randy raked his hands through his hair, glancing down at me. “He’s my little brother. He does videos with us.”
I nodded.
“I’m Cadon,” the redhead said, waving at me and smiling the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “I do videos, too, but I’m strictly wheels stunts. I’m not dumb enough to play with electricity.”
“But Tanner is. Damn. Idiot!” Randy screamed like he hoped the Tanner in question would hear him and tremble in fear. He turned to me, whispering in my ear. “Try for the master bedroom on the third floor. I doubt anyone has claimed it out of fear of Lennon’s wrath. I’ll tell him you’re waiting after I handle this.”
My stomach sank and flipped and soared. It kind
of made me want to puke and squeal at the same time. This could be it. The final shot of the night.
“This won’t take long,” he assured me. “You’ll do great.”
Cadon pointed down the stairs, flashing me an apologetic look. “Randy is bigger than me. He can handle Tanner easier.”
“No worries.” I patted Cadon on the back before he led Randy down the stairs and past the crowd playing beer pong. Sighing, I climbed the stairs until I reached the third floor.
It was just as quiet up here as it had been at the beginning of the night when I’d sought out Katy. That felt like a lifetime ago. So much had changed. Fynn had what he wanted—which was Katy—and I…well, I was about to try and rip the Band-Aid off that held all my feelings for him inside my heart. Sure, it was probably delusional to think this time I’d actually squeeze the words out, but I was finally willing to try anything.
Chapter Ten
Fynn
“Yay! Fynn, did you see that shot?” Katy squealed as she bounced up and down.
“Nice!” I called back.
I hadn’t seen the shot, hadn’t seen much of the beer pong game, actually.
While it was awesome that she played and was quite good, it wasn’t exactly something that held my interest. I didn’t fault her for it though, and I didn’t mind waiting. We didn’t have to like all the same things to be compatible. Katy had convinced me to play despite my admission that I sucked at the game, but after one failed shot she’d replaced me with Donna, and I’d taken up my good lean against the wall, content to watch.
A smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Braylen always said I liked to be in view of the entire area because I was always looking for my next shot. Not that I had my camera on me, but she was right. There were at least six stories happening around me—including a few new romances I was sure Gordon would love to bet on the longevity of—and I could find a way to capture them all. It was second nature.
I glanced down at my cell, noting the time. I had an hour and a half left till midnight when I’d need to head to my car and retrieve the camera I usually wore around my neck. I hoped Lennon would make it back for his own show, not only because he could play the hell out of a guitar, but because I knew having shots of him and the band would be great for my portfolio. There was no doubt in my mind that Lennon would become a huge celebrity rock star, possibly sooner than even he expected, and I would get to say I captured his band first.
Win-win for me. Plus, Braylen loved his music and I liked listening to her attempt to sing the songs the way he did—she wasn’t musically inclined, but that didn’t stop her from blaring the words at the top of her lungs and dancing around her room like a maniac. She hadn’t lied when she’d said his band was her favorite.
“What are you grinning about?” Katy wrapped her arms around my neck and I blinked a few times, only now noticing that new players were at the table where Katy and Donna had just been.
“You winning, of course,” I said, holding back a cringe and praying that they’d won so I didn’t look like an idiot.
“You’re too sweet!” she said a little too loudly and I wondered how much she’d had to drink in the last hour. She seemed pretty stable, just borderline tipsy, and I made a mental note to grab us waters to slow the pace down.
Couldn’t really be judgmental. Not when I’d been throwing them back in an attempt to sort my head out. Hadn’t helped. Distraction was key. And Katy was one hell of a distraction.
“Come on,” she said, tugging me off the wall. “Rumor has it a few guys are competing to see who can stay standing the longest while getting tased.”
“You’re joking,” I said as she pulled me out the back door, past the patio, and to a grassy area outside Lennon’s house.
“Looks like it’s true!” She clapped her hands together and stopped in a crowd of people who stood around Randy and two of his buddies. I searched the area for Braylen, since she’d stuck close to his side all night, but didn’t see her. Maybe she’d found Zoey and decided to spend the night with her. Something about that idea had me smirking and relaxing at the same time.
“Tanner, man. Give it up,” Randy said, his hand extended toward a shorter guy with blond hair. They looked like they could be brothers. “Just give me the taser.”
Tanner spun on him, pointing the taser at his chest. “Try me, bro!” He took a huge gulp out of the cup that occupied his other hand.
I laughed, the idea of Randy getting tased too amusing to resist.
“Tanner, give me a try,” a redheaded guy to his left asked, his hands outstretched to take the taser.
“You got it, Cadon,” Tanner said just before sticking the end of the taser against the bare arm of the redhead.
His back went statue stiff like a rod had replaced his spine, his teeth clenched together and his eyes wide with panic. Tanner laughed, as did half the crowd watching, until he yanked the taser back.
Cadon dropped to his knees, clutching his side and coughing. “Not…what I meant!”
“You asked for it, dude!” Tanner threw his hands in the air and screamed, enticing the crowd to do the same—which they did. I would’ve been mildly entertained if Cadon had in fact been a willing participant in the stupidity. Hell, I liked the epic fail YouTube videos as much as the next person—except the skateboarders with broken bones, those made me sick every time—but still, Cadon was just trying to help his drunk friend, and he’d gotten electrocuted as a result. Not cool.
“Nice company you keep,” I said, motioning toward Tanner as I looked at Randy.
He raked his hands through his hair, the look in his eyes showing he was no more impressed with Tanner than I was. “He’s my little brother. My little idiot brother,” he said louder.
“I can hear you, jerk.” Tanner pointed the taser at Randy’s chest while he guzzled his beer so quickly the liquid dribbled down his chin.
Randy pointed a finger at him, standing up straighter. “Tanner, I swear to God if you tase me without me asking for it first, I will fucking kill you.”
“Mom wouldn’t let you,” Tanner slurred.
“Mom’s not here, dumbass.”
The notion seemed to sink into Tanner’s glazed eyes as they widened.
“Some show,” Katy said, gripping my arm.
I jumped at her presence, having totally forgotten she’d been standing next to me the whole time. Damn. I was so failing at the giving her all the attention thing.
“Let’s go,” she said, pulling me back toward the house.
For a moment I thought about stopping her and staying behind to help Randy out, but an image of him practically pinning Braylen to a wall kept me walking. He could handle his brother on his own. I thought I heard him call my name over the roaring laughter of the crowd, but I dismissed it and followed Katy inside.
She stood on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear. “You want to meet me upstairs in ten minutes?”
I arched an eyebrow at her.
She smiled, almost nervously. “Third-floor. Master bedroom.” She nodded at my shocked look. “I need to find Donna first, then I’m all yours.” She tapped the end of my nose with her finger. “No more interruptions. No more distractions. Just us.”
I watched as she swayed her hips through the crowd, searching for Donna until I couldn’t see her anymore. Walking slowly to the kitchen, I chugged a bottle of water and knelt to scratch Hendrix’s ears as he waited patiently near the fridge for someone to drop something. Sparks glared from the sliding glass door across the room, and I squinted to see Lennon’s crew jolting away from the white lights surrounding a massive amp. Lennon had warned them not to cross any wires. I shook my head, hoping they figured out the mess before the show.
“This is it, boy,” I said after I’d checked my cell for the hundredth time.
Ten minutes was up. After years of wondering what it would be like to be with Katy, I climbed the stairs at a slow, reluctant pace. The entire night had been leading to this—all the games, the chase, my
years of building it up in my head. Now or never, and yet, I thought I’d be more excited.
I licked my lips, my first kiss with Braylen freshman year flashing behind my eyes and sizzling in my blood for two seconds as I caught sight of the master bedroom. It had been fast, hot, and something I’d never been able to fully erase from my mind. I shook the memory away, forcing myself not to compare the past to the very near future.
Two steps and I would be there.
Chapter Eleven
Braylen
I waited in the master bedroom, contemplating how hilarious it was that Randy was now my wingman when at the beginning of the night I’d been Fynn’s. My night had officially been more confusing than jumping into a Doctor Who episode mid-season.
As I sat on the bed, waiting for Fynn to show or not show, the memory of kissing him pulsed hot in my veins—his lips, his scent, the nearness of his body as we filled the tiny closet at Zoey’s. It was nearly four years ago, but I swear the sizzle from his touch still crackled on my skin. The sensation was a craving that had never gone away, and I half hoped it never would. I’d lied when I told him it had been awkward—or more so, agreed with him that it had been. For me…it had been everything. Everything that led to this moment. Now all I had to do was pray Fynn cared when Randy told him I wanted to talk.
In a few minutes’ time, I’d either make the best decision of my life, or make the biggest ass out of myself possible. Blood rushed through my veins as butterflies flapped in my stomach. I stared out the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the moonlit lake, sucking in a deep breath to calm my nerves. I needed this. Needed to be put out of my misery one way or another.
Whatever happened next…it had to be better than holding onto the knife that continually twisted any time I laid eyes on Fynn and Katy.
Resolved, I sank deeper onto the bed.
Just as I relaxed the tiniest of fractions, a loud pop sounded throughout the house one second before all the lights went out, and left me sitting alone in the dark.
Chapter Twelve
Fynn