Evolve Series Box Set

by Hall, S. E.

  Zach’s done laughing, his eyes wide in realization. “Oh shit, you’re right, babe.” He actually passes us in his hustle to the kitchen.

  Sawyer’s gonna be disappointed, cause all we walk in on is an amicable conversation. Whitley’s perched on a barstool, giggling, along with Laney, Dane, and Tate, at something Bennett just said.

  “There you are!” She turns and smiles at me when I walk up beside her. “Where you been?”

  “Don’t ask,” I mumble, bracing my forearms against the back of her stool to stand behind her.

  “Evan, have you met my brother?” Dane asks.

  “Not officially,” I say, offering my hand to Tate. “Evan Allen, nice to meet you. Good to see you doing so well.”

  “Nice to meet you too,” he says as he shakes my hand. “Thanks for getting my girl there that night.” He wraps his arm around Bennett’s waist, pulling her in to kiss her temple.

  “Not a problem.” I give Laney’s pretty redheaded roommate a smile.

  “So,” Laney clears her throat, her eyes darting to each person before landing on mine, “what’s everyone feel like doing? And P.S., I’m so glad we did this. I’ve missed you all.” She’s staring at me, her eyes begging me to return the sentiment.

  “Oh, I know!” Bennett pipes in exuberantly, which is how I think she says everything. “How about charades?”

  Collective groans.

  “Well fine, nobody else suggested anything.” She sticks her tongue out at the group.

  “Strip poker?”

  Any guesses who said that?

  “No, Sawyer!” Dane, Zach and Tate all yell simultaneously.

  “You are never seeing our women naked. Ever. Give it up,” Tate finishes.

  Whitley very shyly and almost not at all, raises her hand.

  “Whitley?” Tate points and calls on her with an amused look.

  “I saw a lot of people play this game at a party once, and they seemed to be having fun. It’s where you line up and drink your beer then flip your cup over on the table.”

  “Flip cup! Hell yeah!” Sawyer whoops and bends across the bar, giving her a high-five. “Atta girl; good plan!”

  “Well the DDs can’t play,” Bennett wisely points out, “because that game gets you very drunk.”

  Tate gives her a curious look.

  “Before I met you, honey,” she assures him with a kiss. “High school.”

  “So the first time I let you fools in my house, and you’re gonna flip cups of beer?” Dane’s not kidding, I don’t think. His face is pinched, and surprisingly, I see his point.

  “Bro, let’s play downstairs in the rec room. It’s tile.”

  Dane nods at Tate’s suggestion. “Bennett’s right, though, no drivers play or you sleep here. Your call,” Dane reaffirms.

  “You play, I’ll watch and drive us home,” I say quietly to Whitley.

  She turns to me, a conspiring grin. “Or, we can both play and I’ll have the car service pick us up.”

  Or that.

  “Okay.” I tap the end of her nose. “But why do you have a service? You have a car.”

  “I don’t know, ask my father.” She waves me off like a car service is a completely normal part of life.

  “Let’s pick teams then,” Laney announces loudly. “Whitley, you captain one since it was your idea. I’ll take the other.”

  “Oh, this is gonna be so fun!” Bennett skips to what I’m guessing is the direction of the rec room and most everyone follows.

  “You need help carrying beer?” I ask Dane.

  “There’s a full fridge down there, but thanks. Come on.” He leads the way.

  The doorbell rings again, just as we’re passing the front door ironically enough, so I naturally stop while Dane goes to answer it.

  “Hey, Kirb, come on in. You’re late.”

  “Sorry, I had stuff to do. Where is everyone?” she asks, glancing around.

  “Downstairs, we’re just headed that way.”

  “Oh, hey, Evan,” she sees me and gives a finger roll wave, her voice full of creepy seduction.

  Never gonna happen. Not enough beer on the planet. This girl gives me the creeps, and with all I’ve seen and heard from Sawyer…no thank you.

  “Um, hey.”

  “How are you?” She’s now beside me, one hand on my arm.

  “Good, you?” I can’t believe I’m doing this, but I actually give Dane a “help me” look and he grins.

  “Come on, Kirb, down here.” He puts a hand on her shoulder and encourages her downstairs. I follow, extremely thankful that Sawyer is down there, just waiting like a sitting duck for Kirby’s attention.

  “Good, they’re here. Oh, hey, Kirby. You pick first, Whitley.” Laney directs the group from her side of a long table, Solo cups all in a row down each side.

  Laney and competition is priceless—her voice rises in volume and pitch, she gets real bossy, and there’s legit fire in her eyes. As long as she doesn’t tackle anyone this time, I fully support the game. I still can’t even believe we’re here right now, all trying to act as civil and non-uncomfortable as possible. I know there’s something to be said about being the “bigger person” and all, but there’s also a saying about whacking a bee’s nest with a big stick. I must be the only one who got that memo.

  “Sawyer,” I hear Whitley say, interrupting my internal philosophizing.

  WTF? Did she really just not pick me first?

  “Smart girl.” Sawyer slaps her on the butt.

  Well at least he’s being nice to her, right?

  “Dane,” Laney picks, like she should. Even I, of all people, know that should be her first pick.

  “Evan.”

  Now she picks me. Everybody knows second place is first loser and I’m not happy. Why is that? I don’t know and don’t care, I just am. I must be talking with my face right now because she’s chewing that bottom lip as I walk over.

  “Not too smart, girl.” I slap her on the butt, earning a laugh from Sawyer.

  “Uh oh, Whitley. He’s all butt hurt you picked me first.”

  “Are you really?” she asks me, all doe-eyed and innocent.

  I lean down and brush her hair back, my lips low over her ear. “You’re in big trouble, little lady.”

  I have no idea where that line came from, but her gasp and shiver tell me I needn’t worry that I actually scared her with my playful threat—perhaps there’s more intrigue there than I anticipated.

  Laney must have been watching our little show, because she immediately and loudly chooses Bennett, and so it goes, back and forth, until we’re ready to play. It’s Whitley, me, Sawyer, Avery and Kirby versus Laney, Dane, Zach, Tate and Bennett. Whitley offered her driver to all the others, so everyone’s playing, which is pretty awesome. Their team has three guys to our two, but I’m not too worried about whether or not we win…until Sawyer opens that damn mouth of his again.

  “All right, Gidget, what’s the wager?” He’s talking to Laney, who loves to bet, so this could get scary.

  “I don’t know. Whatcha thinkin’, big boy?” She’s just toying with danger now.

  “God help us.” Dane rolls his eyes and walks over to turn on some music. “Baby!” he calls out.

  Ouch! Could’ve gone forever without hearing that…

  “Please don’t egg Sawyer on. No females are getting naked, I mean it.”

  All eyes in the room are on these two, waiting on them to decide the fates of their team. Whitley is humming the theme to Jeopardy softly beside me, and I grin hearing it.

  “How about this? Losing team has to make the winning team dinner?” It’s a great, safe, couth suggestion from Bennett.

  “Borrriiinnnggg.” Sawyer feigns a yawn.

  “How about if the girls wear bikinis while they serve it?” Whitley adds and I flip my head to look at her, surprised at her boldness.

  “Game on!” Sawyer yells.

  ***Laney***

  “Y’all are fucking cheating! Look a
t Whitley’s shirt!” Zach points a wobbly, drunken finger at her chest. “She’s not drinking her beer, she’s wearing it!”

  I giggle as I look at Whitley. She really has doused herself in the hurry of the game, and in light pink, wet…well, she’s wearing a black bra, let’s put it that way. “Come on, Whitley. I’ll get you another shirt.” I hold out my hand and lead her upstairs.

  We stumble a bit, laughing as we climb, until we reach Dane’s room. I keep one drawer in his dresser filled with my stuff, and dig her out a navy t-shirt. “You can change right there in the bathroom.”

  “Thanks, Laney.”

  When she’s in there, and I have the barrier of the shut door between us, I unload. “Hey, Whitley?” I say, a hair above a whisper, with my forehead braced against the door.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m, uh, I’m really sorry I tackled you the other day. It was mean and I shouldn’t have done it.” Three times. No, it’s not just the alcohol talking. I really have felt bad about it for a while.

  “It’s okay.” Her answer is as soft and hesitant as my apology.

  “You seem so different tonight, Whitley. More… Maybe I’ve misjudged you. I’m sorry for that too.”

  “Me too.” The door opens and she peeks around it, her eyes watery. “I didn’t like you either, and I’ve antagonized you every chance I got. I shouldn’t have drawn attention to the tattoo. And I…” she bows her head and reaches up to wipe the now falling tears, “I’m sorry.”

  “Come on,” I walk over and sit on Dane’s bed and pat the spot beside me, “let’s talk.”

  She timidly walks over and sits as far away from me as possible.

  “Okay, so we’ve both been mean for no real reason. How about if we start over—clean slate?”

  A deep, dramatic breath escapes her. “I would really, really like that, Laney.”

  “Same.” I nod and smile. “Nice to meet you, I’m Laney Walker,” I say, holding out my hand. “I’m a standoffish, mouthy smartass, but once I have your back, I have it 200%.”

  She shakes my hand and giggles. “Whitley Thompson, nice to meet you too. I’m not athletic, but I can take a hit, or three, like nobody else. And I’m a really good friend if you let me be.”

  I’m not drunk enough to cry, hug her, or any other huge jump past a good start, but I do wear a big smile and my soul feels lighter. I start to stand up and head back when she lays a hand on my arm.

  “Laney?” I turn back, giving her a curious look. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure,” I concede, sitting back down.

  “Are you gonna hate me again if I really try to go after something with Evan? I mean, we just made up, and I really want to be your friend, but I also really like him.”

  It is at this exact moment that I truly understand how Evan has felt. Another girl will get to love Evan, with her heart, her soul…her body. She’ll get his visits to her window, his sweet “Good Morning” texts, and his movie snugglethons. Reality hits like a brick in the face, but only for a moment. And in perhaps the surest sign I’ll ever have of exactly how my love for Dane consumes me and how deep my friendship with Evan goes, the little cloud that passed over my mind and heart now disappears and I realize all the bullshit I’ve been feeding myself to make me feel better is true. I really do only want Evan to be happy, and whoever he chooses to do that better make damn sure she deserves him.

  I can’t lie to myself, Whitley is a beautiful girl. She’s obviously very forgiving and shy with some hidden funky, yet still proper, refined, articulate…all the things I’m not. Evan seems very comfortable with her, and if this girl thinks she’s the one for him, who am I to stop her? I’ll tell you who I am—I’m the lucky girl who has Dane Kendrick, and the non-hypocritical good friend who’s about to put her money where her mouth is! That’s me.

  “Not only am I not gonna hate you,” I square my shoulders and raise my chin, “I’m gonna help you. But Whitley, I’m warning you. It’s kinda like, ‘I can say whatever I want about my family, but you better not say a word?’ I may have hurt him, but if you do, I’ll come for you with a vengeance. Got it?”

  “Y-Yes,” she visibly shivers, “got it.”

  “Great! Now that we’ve got that settled, let me give you some pointers on Evan. Starting with that ridiculous outfit you put him in.”

  She falls against the bed, giggling. “He’s gonna kill me! I thought it was going to be like a dinner party.”

  “Whitley, anything I invite you to will never be a stuffy dinner party. If I’m there, he’s safe to wear his ball cap, got that too?”

  “Got it.” She nods happily, biting back another snicker. “I bet he’s uncomfortable. I should call our driver and end his misery.”

  “Yeah, it’s getting late,” I agree, moving to the door. “Come on, let’s go wrap it up.”

  Whitley follows me back down to the game, talking on her phone as we go. I’m trying not to eavesdrop, but I can’t help hear the panic in her voice. “Cancelled, what do you mean cancelled? Check again, please, we’ve used your company for years.”

  Evan’s eyes catch mine as we enter the room, and they tell me he’s been panicking every second I was alone with Whitley.

  “Come here,” I mouth, beckoning him with a back tilt of my head, to which he rushes over. “Something’s wrong, she’s freaking out,” I tell him under my breath.

  He lays a hand on her shoulder. “Whit, what’s wrong?” His voice is all things Evan, tender and concerned.

  “Well, can I just pay you for this one time when you get here?” she begs into the phone. “All right, thank you anyway,” her voice quivers back after a slight pause. She hangs up, turning her confused and pained face to Evan and I. “That was the car service company. They say our service is cancelled. How weird is that?”

  “Not that weird, Whit,” Evan scoffs with an easy smile, “lots of people don’t have car services. Come on, we only played two rounds, and there was wasn’t much in my cup. I’ll drive us home in an hour or so, no biggie.”

  “Y’all just stay here,” I offer, “there’s more than enough room. Seriously,” I plead with both my voice and eyes.

  “I’m okay with that plan if you are.” Whitley turns to him and I back away, feeling like an intruder in their personal, private conversation.

  I see him nod his head and pull her by the hand back to the game.

  Guess they’re staying.

  CHAPTER 12

  Reubens and Fries

  ***Evan***

  “So you’re sure you don’t want to come? Last chance…” I try to tempt Zach and Avery one more time to join us for Spring Break.

  “You don’t know how bad we wish we could, right, babe?” Zach frowns and gives Avery’s ponytail a tug.

  “Yes,” she answers in a whiny drawl, “but the minute Coach announced Mrs. Coach got put on bedrest and we actually got a Spring Break, we made plans with Kirby. I can’t trust her to go on Spring Break alone; God only knows what would happen to her. You guys have fun, though. And just think,” she smiles now, her voice more cheery, “when you get back, you’ll be Zach’s roommate!”

  I can’t even begin to tell you how happy that makes me. My roommate is a douche, and the few times I’ve actually been in the room at the same time as him were too many. Did I mention he’s a “naturalist”? Whatever the fuck that actually means I’m not sure, but I define it as “dude who doesn’t wear deodorant and whatever he eats makes his ass smell like…well, ass.” Zach’s roommate, apparently also a douche, had gotten himself suspended, and voila! After a little sweet talking from Whitley to Student Housing and I’m coming back from Spring Break as Zach’s new roomie!

  “Yeah, that’ll be great. Okay then, if you’re sure you can’t—”

  “Hold up!” Sawyer’s yell interrupts me as he comes jogging towards us. “I’m in,” he announces, throwing his bag in the back of my truck.

  “How’d you get off work?”

  He’d originally dec
lined the invitation because of his shifts at The K, so I was curious how he pulled it off.

  “Dane’s in Hawaii, meaning Tate’s in charge. And since he’s my man, he made some new guy pick up my shifts! Sucka! So here I am! Now drive me to drunken co-ed paradise!”

  I just shake my head and chuckle at him.

  “Why are you shaking your head? Whitley said there was hot ass and parties everywhere, right?”

  “Yes, Sawyer.”

  “Good, ‘cause I’m not down to be a third wheel unless I’m getting laid.”

  “It’s not like that. No third wheel to it.”

  “Uh huh, whatever.”

  Sometimes he exhausts me. “Just get in the truck.”

  We wave goodbye to Zach and Avery, climb in my truck, and head to Whitley’s to pick her up. She’s invited us to stay at her family’s beach house on Hilton Head, about an hour and a half from school, for the whole week and damn if I’m not excited. Yes, Laney’s in Hawaii with Dane. I did a shot of the hard stuff the first time I heard. I slammed the door the second time it was mentioned. But now…now all I want to do is get to MY Spring Break, lay back in the sun, take in the salty smell of the ocean and relax.

  Whitley’s not ready when we get there—shocker. She’s ticking things off on her fingers and talking to herself. I sure as hell can’t understand the muffled feline rumblings, so I hope her list has nothing to do with me.

  “Whit? What can I help you with?” I ask for the third time, and when she still doesn’t stop buzzing around to answer me, I dust her face with the flower I’d snagged her on the way in, finally getting her attention. “Chill out, woman. It’s all gonna be fine. Anything we forget, we obviously don’t really need or we can run to the store to pick up. Now hand me and Sawyer the stuff to load and let’s go.”

  “Okay, okay, you’re right. Get the pile by the door and I’ll grab the stuff in my room, then I think we’re ready. And thank you for the flower.” She sniffs it again. “This is the first yellow one.”

  “She’s a busy lil thing, ain’t she?” Sawyer shakes his head with a smirk when she leaves. “She’s gonna spin herself in the ground.”