Page 24
My brother has introduced me to a dozen new people. And he’s given a dozen more reintroductions because nobody recognizes me with this new hair.
When the Honey Badgers start filtering into the party, I am hoping to see Greyson. I know it’s a long shot, but I hold my breath anyway. My hopes run high when I see Ace and Knox. And then my gut sinks when the door shuts and there’s no Greyson.
My eyes scan the crowd again to make sure I didn’t miss him. And then I catch the glares from most of the team.
“Maddie?” Matt says, walking up to me. He brings me into a hug, and my eyes shoot to Sydney to save me. I don’t want to be wrapped in his arms right now. When he releases me, he says, “Holy shit, I barely recognized you. Your hair looks great. Smells good too.”
I stare at him with a straight face, mad that he’s acting like we’re friends.
Knox says, “Hey, Mads.”
The rest of the team kindly says hi to me, and I understand given that I’m a Wilder and this is my brother’s house. Everyone is suddenly respectful and attentive. All their eyes are on me as I grin at Sydney. What the hell is happening?
I turn to Matt, ignoring the guys. “Where’s your stepbrother?”
The entire team freezes, looking at Matt to watch his reaction.
Matt laughs. “My stepbrother?”
Knox says, “This fucker told him not to come tonight.” Ace hits Knox in the shoulder. I can always count on Knox to be straightforward with me, and I’m grateful.
I glance at Matt, watching him closely. “You uninvited him, Matt?” I mutter. “It’s my brother’s party, and he personally invited Grey.”
I look at Knox, hoping he’ll give me the answer.
Knox says, “Matt wants to get back with you.”
I smile. “At least someone is willing to speak the truth.” I lock eyes with Ace who doesn’t give anything away with the look in his eyes. I finally look at Matt. He’s staring at my hair. “Matt,” I say. “I am never ever getting back with you.”
He blows out hot air with a smile. “Grey was fucking Poppy at the party last night.”
Crew butts in at the wrong time, greeting the guys, but none of them are in a good mood. Everyone is awkward right now. Crew turns to me and asks, “Is everything okay?”
Ace interrupts, “Grey didn’t fuck Poppy last night.”
Now Crew is entering the conversation. “I saw him upstairs with her.” He turns to me and nods his head.
Ace scoffs. “Dude, I’m telling you that he didn’t fuck her last night. He took her up there to tell her he’s not fucking her anymore. She got wasted after he left and couldn’t shut up about it.”
Knox nods as I glare at Ace. Does this mean that everything I think about Grey is true? He actually does have a caring heart? I had my doubts, but this is great confirmation. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Thank you, Ace.
Ace continues, staring at Crew, “He wouldn’t do anything to fuck things up with Maddie.”
Crew scoffs. “Then why isn’t he here?”
Ace walks between him and Matt. He points at Matt’s temple and says, “Because of this dumb fuck right here.”
“Fuck you,” Matt seethes.
Ace shakes his head. “Always dangling your privilege in front of Grey. Maddie wants nothing to do with you, man. What don’t you understand? Right, Mads?”
I like that he’s using my nickname. I nod as he stands beside me.
Ace says, “This isn’t fucking high school anymore.”
Matt doesn’t like the sound of that as he scoffs.
Ace doesn’t give him a chance to reply as he walks away. He winks at Sydney and then walks to someone he recognizes, leaving me with the wrong crowd.
“Matt,” I say, turning to him. “It’s over between us. Like completely. I like someone else, and I hope you can stop standing in the way.”
He stares at me and then after a drawn-out moment that feels like an eternity, he nods. I pull Sydney by her wrist through the party. When we’re in a quiet corner, I turn to her.
“So, what’re you going to do?” she asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. I was going to ask you what you think I should do.”
She places both of her hands on my shoulders. “Stop asking me what I think. What do you want?”
I sigh, feeling my cheeks get hot. “I want to have sex with him.”
She gasps, covering her laughter. “I didn’t expect you to be so forthcoming.”
I nod. “I haven’t had sex in a very long time, and I want to do it with him.”
“That’s all you want? Is sex?”
I shake my head and shrug. “I don’t know, but it’s probably a good place to start. Didn’t you say he’s like that anyway? So why scare him off with labels. I don’t want to freak him out.”
“Wait, didn’t he already agree to be your fake boyfriend?”
I nod. “So, just play that role.”
I nod. “You know what I realized while Matt and Ace were talking?”
“What?” she asks. “I think that Grey didn’t want to do anything with me because he wants to make sure I know that he’s not touching me in spite of Matt. Clearly, fake dating me is in spite of him, yes. I’ll make that clear. But he has rejected me left and right, Sydney. Like everything you’ve ever explained about how Grey is with hooking up and all that? It never applied to me. In my eyes, the guy is kind of a virgin prude. Well, except for that one really hot kiss. But I think all the intimate rejection is because –”
“Because he actually likes you!” Sydney shouts.
“Wait, what?” I ask, almost laughing. “You think he actually likes me now? Twenty minutes ago you were just saying –”
“I know what I was saying, Maddie. But that was before I heard what Ace said. Ace doesn’t ever waste his breath on these things. He’s backing up Grey because he knows something’s up with Grey. You know what? Why don’t we ask him?”
“What?” I say to Sydney as she grabs my wrist. And now it’s my turn to be dragged through the party. On the way, I catch my brother talking to Matt. Matt looks like a child being scolded. I wonder what Ryan is saying to him, even though I asked him to stay out of it. Oh well.
“Ace!” Sydney hollers. “And Knox.” She nods at the both of them.
Ace walks over with purpose. He’s tall and viciously good-looking with good style. I think I’ve only noticed this right now.
Sydney says, “We need to play cupid because our best friends accidentally broke up.”
Ace glances at me and then observes Sydney. I think a heated moment silently passes between the two of them. I can’t be sure, but maybe.
Ace says, “I tried to force him here. He said he didn’t want to come out of respect for Maddie because she ghosted him the other day.”
I scoff, unable to find my words. “Wha– I – N– Wait,” I stutter.
Sydney says to me, “You did kind of ghost him, but it was with perfect reason. Her eyebrows looked like two landing strips on her face.”
My heart sinks into my stomach. “Ew,” I say at her analogy as Ace and Knox glance at my eyebrows.
“That wasn’t a made-up story?” Knox asks.
I shake my head. “No, the brow lady screwed up so badly, and I didn’t want Grey to see me like that. It looked really bad.”
Sydney laughs. “It was horrible.” She turns to me. “And he thought you were ghosting him, see?”
“Okay, so he thinks that I ghosted him. But then he goes to a party right after? That sounds like he was happy to be a free man.”
Ace shakes his head. “He was on edge all night. Shit, he was on edge all day. Especially after Matt came pounding on his door this morning to tell him not to come to the party.”
Sydney claps her hands. “This is all making sense. He thinks you want to get back with Matt, so he’s giving you the space to figure that out.”
“Oh my god. I’m such an idiot!” I blink at the three of them. “What can I do now?” I start thinking about the possibilities.
Ace pulls out his phone. “I’ll call him.”
“Wait,” I say as he presses on Grey’s name and the phone starts ringing. I wait patiently with my heart in my throat.
It rings and rings until it reaches his voicemail.
Ace shakes his head as he shoves his phone back in his pocket.
“Ace,” I murmur. “I feel really dumb for having to ask this question. It feels immature like high school.” Sydney says, “Then don’t ask it.” I ignore her. “Do you think I’m wasting my time?”
Ace stares at me.
I continue, “I’ll take your word for it, but it’s killing me not knowing if I should fight for this or not. My eyebrow story is a real story. I have pictures.”
Ace sighs. “Maddie, I’ve never seen Grey like this before. But I can’t answer that for him. Just talk to him.”
“Should I call him?” I ask, not liking that idea. “But he’s three hours away. I have this party. I can’t just leave.”
Knox adds, “Then call him. Or text him. Enjoy the party and see him tonight when you drive down.”
Sydney nods.
I nod and say, “Okay.”