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Falling into You

Page 14

by Abrams, Lauren


  “We’ll have to see about that,” she murmurs, reaching for my arm.

  “No, we won’t.” He’s certain, pulling me in and giving me a long kiss that leaves little doubt in my mind as to whether or not I’ve been claimed. “That was for her benefit,” he whispers into my ear before leaning down to kiss me again. “This is for mine.” I’m drowning. He’s out the door with a wink for me and a too-casual wave at Sophia and I stare after him.

  I stand in the foyer, snow melting in my hair and all over my clothes. I’m still shaking from his kiss when Sophia turns to me.

  “What the fuck was that?”

  I’m not sure how to answer, because I don’t want to talk about him. It seems silly, but I’m afraid that any words will just break the magic of the past two days, that he’ll disappear, kind of a reverse Rumpelstiltskin. But I know that she’s just going to keep asking, so I muster up a response. I honestly don’t know what we are, so the words are true. “I don’t know.”

  “Oh my god, you totally slept with him.” She’s circling me, inspecting my clothes and hair and face.

  “I didn’t, actually.” The words pop out of my mouth.

  She looks genuinely surprised now. “But he always…With girls…”

  I don’t want to hear the end of that sentence. “We spent the last couple of days together. That’s it.”

  “No way. You are not getting off that easy. And you’re lying to me, because he totally mauled you in front of me. That kiss was not nothing. We need wine and I need details. Now.”

  She’s ushering me to the couch, and I sit down next to her warily. Thoughts of both Chris’s words of warning and the whole Sophia and the Todd incident cross my mind, and for a second, I wonder what scheme she’s cooking up.

  But then I remember the Sophia from the morning before and the lost little girl look in her eyes when she had described her New York friends and I remember the dozens of mornings we’ve spent discussing her latest conquest over coffee and long afternoon sunbathing on the quad. I push thoughts of duplicity aside, because if nothing else, I could use her advice, no matter how misguided it sometimes was.

  “So, we might have spent the past two days trying not to rip each other’s clothes off.” I put my face in my hands and correct myself. “Or, I spent the last two days trying to rip his clothes off while he tried to stop me.” She’s confused and I try to answer. “He’s got some weird moral hang-up and said he didn’t want to screw things up.”

  “Chris Jensen is trying to stay out of a girl’s pants?” She clucks her tongue and there’s an incredulous look on her face. Her next words and the skeptical tone in her voice drive a dagger into me. “I don’t believe it.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know.”

  “Well, people can change. I guess even Chris Jensen.” Her face is still saying that she doesn’t believe it.

  I shrug, trying to make myself as casual as possible. “Maybe he just doesn’t want me. It’s happened before. I’m the queen of the friend zone, remember?”

  She brushes it off. “Don’t be so ridiculous, Hallie. The friend zone is for boys, not girls. And even if you were the queen of the friend zone, which I’ve told you a million times that you aren’t, I don’t think Chris Jensen has any intention of keeping you there.”

  The next words slip out. “I might be crazy, but I think he actually likes me.”

  “He probably does,” she says, but there’s hesitation in her voice.

  I suddenly feel the need to rationalize myself. This all must seem ridiculous to Sophia, her charity case friend and the movie star. “It’s not like I’m going to go off and fall in love with him or anything.” Or anything, because Chris Jensen is doing everything in his power to make me fall so head-over-heels in love with him that I will be destroyed for anyone else.

  “Good.”

  “He’s a New York distraction.” It’s already gone too far for that, the little voice in my head says. “I know you didn’t want to take me to the Statue of Liberty, so I found a replacement.”

  “If he’s willing to take you to the Statue of Liberty, you better hold on tight, because you’ve found your soul mate. No self-respecting New Yorker goes to the Statue of Liberty.”

  He promised to take me tomorrow.

  “You know us Midwesterners. Always trying to see the Statue of Liberty.” Sophia loves it when I make fun of Ohio. “We’d do anything for that.”

  “Hallie…” Her voice is a warning.

  “Say it, Sophia.”

  “His flings usually last a week or two and then he gets bored. He probably told you that you’re the sexiest thing that he’s ever seen and that, and I quote ‘saying no is the equivalent of saying that you want to be alone for the rest of your life.’”

  He didn’t say those things, except in jest when he was trying to avoid going to his audition, but I nod anyways. The feel of his expert hands roving over my body told me that there had been countless other girls, but I need to hear it aloud. Maybe I can still save myself. I harbor some hope for an ending that involves my heart not breaking into a million pieces.

  “It’s just a little fling.” The casual words seem wrong, even to my ears, but Sophia’s nodding vigorously.

  “Then, the timing’s perfect. You’ll dump him right before you leave.”

  “It’s not like he’s the love of my life.” I’m trying to convince myself now.

  “No, that spot is reserved for Benjamin Ellison the third. Tell me, how does Ben feel about the fact that you’ve found yourself a new boy toy?” Sophia’s giving me a devilish look.

  I’m puzzled for a second, because I haven’t thought about Ben, except in passing, in the last two days. Usually, I can’t make it two whole minutes without thinking about him. “Ben?”

  She swats my arm. “Ben, your best friend? Only the person that you’ve been head over heels in love with for five years?

  “Don’t remind me.” I groan. “He’s going to kill me. I still haven’t called him back.”

  She nods in satisfaction. “Don’t. Jealousy is the only sure way to get yourself removed from the friend zone. I can tell you for a fact that not calling back, in conjunction with a mysterious new movie star boyfriend, would make anyone jealous. This may even work on Ben, who’s somehow managed to remain blind to the fact that his best friend is totally gorgeous and desperately in love with him.”

  She peers at me closely, her eyes twinkling. “Unless your affections have switched and fallen on a tall, black-haired movie star.”

  I don’t say anything for a long time.

  She squeals. “They have. Does this mean that you’re finally over Ben, the blind idiot?”

  I bury my head in my hands. “I don’t know. Maybe. Chris is totally amazing. Would it be crazy for me to say that I might have finally gotten over my ridiculous and totally hopeless Ben crush?” I know that I’ve already revealed far more than I intended, but I continue to dig a deeper hole.

  “Yes. It’s totally crazy, especially given the fact that I’ve spent hours listening to you moon over him. If Chris Jensen can make that stop, then he deserves to be congratulated. We need to celebrate.”

  She runs to the kitchen and comes back with two shot glasses and a bottle of tequila. “This, my dear Hallie, calls for the good stuff.” She shoves a shot into my hands. “To Jensen knocking all thoughts of Benjamin Ellison from your mind.”

  I throw it back. Great. So now I’m just moving from one hopeless situation to another.

  There’s a question that I really need to ask Sophia, even if I don’t want to hear the answer. I sit back up and look at her in the eye. “Tell me. How screwed am I?”

  She shakes her head at me and wags her finger. “With Jensen? You’re totally screwed.”

  It wasn’t the answer I wanted, but it’s definitely the one I’ve been expecting. I want to bury my head into the pillow, but I throw it at her instead.

  “That’s what I was afraid of.”

  “He’s a total womaniz
er,” she says, patting my shoulder comfortingly. “But I hear that he is absolutely fabulous in bed, so there’s that at least.”

  “If we ever get there.”

  “Oh, you will. With my help and a little bit of makeover magic, you will.” She raises another shot and clinks her glass against mine. “Here’s to making that happen.”

  “Sophia, I’m perfectly capable of dressing myself. I don’t need…” I try to protest, but she’s already pulled me into her closet, bottle of tequila in hand.

  There’s a glimmer in her eye as she peeks out from the curtain of clothes.

  “We’re going to make sure that there’s no way he can resist you. Silk or jersey?”

  Chapter 16

  CHRIS

  “Where have you been?”

  Diana’s waiting for me with her best mom face on as I slip into my apartment. Shit.

  I settle into one of the stools at the bar in the kitchen. I don’t answer the question. “Where’s Dad?”

  “He wanted to take a walk around the city. Alone. Said, ‘Get out of my fucking way before I hurt you.’ It was a really great thank you after we spent all day in the pain management clinic.” Her voice is bitter.

  “Yeah, he’s great that way.”

  She’s still circling me suspiciously. “You didn’t answer my question. Where were you?”

  I give her a half-truth. “I had that audition. For James Ross. I told you.”

  “How’d it go?”

  “Don’t ask. I sucked.”

  “Good. You would have made a terrible James Ross.”

  “Thanks, D. You always know just the right thing to lift my spirits.”

  “Those movies suck anyway. I think we need to celebrate. My little brother isn’t going to pimp himself out to become some action star.”

  She grabs coffee and pours two cups and raises hers to mine. Diana has never picked up a drink in her life. “I will not be him,” she said to me when I was fifteen and she caught me stumbling in from one of Sam’s parties. “Alcoholism is hereditary, you know.”

  I had never heeded the warning, but I would not be him. I would not be him, I repeat to myself. I paste a too-wide smile on my face and raise my own.

  “You really know how to have a good time, D.”

  “I always have a good time. Especially when I find out that I’m not going to have to spend the rest of my life being Chris Jensen’s big sister.”

  “I’m glad that you can find the joy in my total failure.”

  “That’s what big sisters are supposed to do.” She touches my arm. “I’m sorry about the part, Chris.”

  I shrug. “It’s okay.” I’m smiling a little bit to myself, thinking about Hallie.

  She’s instantly suspicious. “I know that look on your face, and you didn’t sleep here last night. You know how I know? There was an absence of the usual slut parade.” I shoot her a dirty look, but she’s right. Diana’s usually good for making breakfast and coffee for the walk of shame girls who emerge from my room whenever I’m in New York. In truth, I think she likes to hear them whine about all of my asshole tendencies.

  She’s never going to shut up unless I give her what she wants. “I met someone.”

  Those words have never come out of my mouth before, to Diana or anyone else. Usually it’s more like, “Tell me how to get rid of this crazy bitch.” My sister’s face is disbelieving.

  “Who?”

  “A girl, Diana. A girl.”

  “I was pretty sure you hadn’t switched to the other team, but thanks for confirming that. Who is she?”

  My mouth remains firmly shut. Her eyes widen and she squeals.

  “My baby brother fell in love.” Her voice is teasing and full of curiosity. “Who is she? Someone from LA?”

  I don’t argue with the first point and I address the second vaguely. “I met her a couple of nights ago at a party. She’s…”

  Diana’s eager now, coming around the counter and poking me in the stomach. “She’s what? Married with two kids? A supermodel? No, let me guess—ballet dancer. Definitely a ballet dancer. You have a weakness for those dancer legs.”

  If things go my way, Diana will meet Hallie soon, so there’s no point in lying about it, even though I have a feeling that she is about to find this highly amusing. “She’s Sophia Pearce’s friend from college.”

  I was right. It’s a good minute or two before she’s able to stop her laughter. She’s listened to my rants about Sophia Pearce more times than I want to remember right now. They’ve met a couple of times, and Diana’s impression was far from favorable. She was the first person to tell me that girls like Sophia Pearce were always more trouble than they’re worth.

  I turn back to Diana, who’s finally managed to get some words out. “Irony. There it is. But what are you doing, falling in love with Sophia Pearce’s friend?”

  I still don’t correct her choice of words. I’ve never been in love with anyone, not even halfway, but I’m pretty sure I could spend the rest of my life falling more deeply into Hallie Caldwell and it would never be long enough.

  I groan. “I have no idea how they’re friends, honestly. They’re nothing alike. Hallie…” Just saying her name makes smile. “She wants to be a teacher and she’s from Ohio and she’s beautiful and sweet and she makes me laugh.”

  I’m trying to find the right words to describe her to Diana and my description is shallow and inadequate. I shake my head. “She’s the most authentic person I’ve ever met. She says whatever’s on her mind, and she…” I trail off. I sound like a moron.

  Diana just nods knowingly, which irritates me for some reason.

  “When do I get to meet her?”

  “Soon.”

  She’s taken aback at the words. Usually, I shy away from directly introducing her to anyone, even my friends. With Dad in the house, it’s not like I really wanted people to hang around for too long. The girls in the morning were different, one-time things, and Diana and I were both well aware of that fact. I want more with Hallie, even if my life is royally screwed up, and the first step is introducing her to the most important person in my life. I smile at her. “I want you to meet her.”

  “Okay, then.” She pats my arm. “Never thought I would see the day.”

  “I should have kidnapped her and brought her with me. I left her with Sophia, which I’m starting to think was a very bad idea.”

  “You left her with Sophia Pearce?” The disgust is clearly evident in her response. “That girl is toxic, Chris. You know she is.”

  Diana’s right. What the hell was I thinking? “I’m meeting her at Sam’s.”

  “You better get your ass over there, then.” She swats at me. “No promises for what I might say to the new girlfriend. I’ll do my best to keep her away from you, if she’s as perfect as you seem to think. I feel like it’s my duty.”

  I flip her off as I grab my phone from the counter. “Nice, D. Very nice.”

  “Just looking out for the female species.”

  ***

  After my conversation with Diana, I hightail it to Sam’s. I’ve been here for almost two hours and there’s still no sign of her. I’ve texted her no less than ten times, feeling like a possessive asshole, but she hasn’t responded. I’m imagining Sophia tying her up and torturing her, and just as I’m able to jump in a cab to head to Sophia’s on a rescue mission, my phone buzzes.

  Sorry. Be there in a few. Sophia forced her makeover skills on me. Prepare yourself for whoredom.

  I text back a quick reply. Whoredom?

  What kind of game was Sophia playing?

  When Sophia and Hallie walk in the door a minute later, I almost fall over. Hallie’s wearing a red dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. It’s cut to mid-thigh and reveals the tops of her cream-colored breasts, a far cry from her party attire on the first night.

  Sam’s immediately rushes over to the pair of them, taking their coats and whispering something that makes Hallie laugh. She smiles at him as sh
e turns around and peels off her jacket, and the dress dips dangerously low in the back, showing more skin. Her dark hair lies in glossy curls over her shoulders and the strappy red heels that she’s wearing make her legs appear impossibly long.

  No one is ever going to think that she’s the coat girl and the only way that she looks like the girl next door is if the girl next door is a porn star. She and Sophia are almost instantly surrounded by a crowd of admirers, and she’s peeking over the tops of heads, searching the crowd for me.

  When her eyes meet mine, she mouths, “Whoredom.” Her eyes are bright, and I can’t help but laugh at her. I’m moving towards them when the thought hits me.

  Sophia Pearce. She’s thinking three steps ahead of me, as always. She must have gotten it out of Hallie that we haven’t slept together yet, which is obviously not a part of my usual pattern. That also means that she probably figured out that I’m trying desperately not to screw this whole thing up by dragging Hallie into my bed. And that is going to be basically impossible, since she is practically oozing sex in that dress.

  “Thanks for the safe delivery,” I say to Sophia, a hint of menace in my voice. She gives me a sweet smile in return.

  Hallie’s eyes are bright with too much alcohol. Probably Part 2 of Sophia’s plan. I wrap my arm around Hallie. “I’ll probably be monopolizing her for a few days.” My intention is crystal clear. She is mine and there is nothing Sophia can do about it. Sophia’s eyes flash with anger.

  “Not so fast,” she sings in a high-pitched voice. She whispers something into Hallie’s ear and grabs her arm.

  Hallie looks at me plaintively as Sophia pulls her away from me. “I look like a whore,” she whispers.

  “You do not look like a whore.” It’s not entirely true.

  “I can’t even walk in this dress. And there were shots. She’s trying to kill me. With shots.”

  “Hallie. We must dance.” Sophia’s words are slightly slurred.

  Hallie pleads me with her eyes, but I just laugh at her. “Go. Dance. She’ll never leave you alone.”

  “I like dancing.” Her eyes brighten. “I’ll be right back.”

 

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