Page 16 of Hard Rock Love

“You know I’ll gladly pay for your tuition,” Everly said. “The band’s been doing pretty good.”

“I know,” I said. “But I don’t want to take your money. You worked hard for it. Besides, I want to say I did it on my own.”

“Sometimes I forget you’ve got my stubborn streak.” Everly gave me a fond smile before it faded into an anxious look. “So how about it? Party?”

My sister really did worry about me spending too much time alone, all by myself, surrounded by books. I didn’t want to be a source of stress on her already hectic life.

“I guess you better lend me some clothes,” I said, “since nothing I have is rock star appropriate.”

Her eyes lit up.

“I’ve got just the thing,” she said.

Everly disappeared from my doorway. I heard her rummaging around in her room before she let out a triumphant cheer.

“I knew I still had this,” she said as she returned. She held something black with lace in her hands. “I bought this but my boobs don’t fit.”

“Are you saying I’m flat-chested?”

“You’re not flat,” she consoled me. I took the dress from her hands. It felt light and thin. “You’re just not as busty as me.”

“While we might both have a stubborn streak, it’s definitely true that we don’t share the same ample bosom,” I said.

“Try it on,” she urged before ducking out of my room, leaving me with some privacy.

I changed out of my jeggings and sweater, and into the dress. It was a tight fit and I could see how Everly wouldn’t have been able to stuff her boobs into it.

I looked at myself in the floor length mirror hanging on my wall. It was form-fitting with a hemline above the knee. The arms and upper chest were covered by a lace fabric, with just enough mesh for some skin to show through.

I’d never worn anything like it before. It was at once cute, classy, and sexy.

I liked it. I liked it a lot.

I wondered what Seth would think of it.

“You ready?” Everly popped her head in before I could answer. Her eyebrows lifted and she let out a wolf whistle.

“Looking good, baby sis,” she said. “Although maybe the hemline is a little short. How much cleavage is that lace showing, anyway?”

“I like it,” I said quickly, before she could turn protective big sister on me and change her mind about letting me wear it.

“I don’t want to have to beat the guys off you with a stick,” she said. “But you look really good in that.” She tilted her chin up, as if she were the Queen of England. “I’ll allow it.”

“You’re the one who gave it to me.”

“Do you need help with your makeup?” she asked.

“It’s just a casual get together, right? Mascara and lipgloss will be fine.”

I wasn’t like Everly, who loved to rock a smoky eye at every suitable occasion.

A quick shower, a blow dry of my hair, a swipe of my mascara wand, and I was ready to go.

“That didn’t take long,” Everly remarked. “At this rate we’ll only end up being somewhat fashionably late.”

“Has the party already started?” I twisted my hands. I hated being late to places.

“Don’t worry, it’s fine,” Everly said. “The drinks will be flowing by the time we get there, which means the fun will have already started and no one will notice we’re late.”

“I thought you said this thing wasn’t going to be wild?”

“Of course,” she replied. “It’s like I said.”

She waved her hand in the air, dismissing my worries.

“Totally casual.”