Page 17

Carter

Have fun with the girls tonight. Sad I can't make it… I have an incredible voice.

Me

Oh, is that so?

Carter

Yes, the voice of an angel… you’re truly missing out.

Me

Haha! Thanks, we’ll somehow have to survive without you.

Carter

Please try your best.

I stifle a laugh before putting my phone down and picking my curling iron back up. Carter has jokes, and hanging out with him yesterday felt good, refreshing even, like it used to be before we complicated things with sex. But spending an innocently casual afternoon with him helped me further realize that’s all we will ever be, and I need to stop playing games. It’s not fair, especially when I know he’ll patiently wait for the day for me to offer more, and that day will never come. Carter and I are friends and will remain that way…hopefully.

Willow

Be there in 10! So excited.

Shit, I need to hurry my ass up. I wanted to be fully ready by the time Willow got here so I could give her all my attention. Karaoke night starts at eight, and if you want to get a good time slot for singing, you need to get there on time.

“Willow will be here in ten!” I yell through the apartment, hoping Bellamy and Darbs can hear me from their rooms.

Darby peeks her head into my room a few moments later. “I just finished making strawberry margaritas. Do you want one?” I notice the extra glass she has in her hand, just as Bellamy walks up, grabs the extra drink, and delivers it to my desk.

“Of course she does. No one turns down a margarita,” She laughs, and we all join her.

“Perfect, thank you,” I say, raising it up. We air cheers and take our sips.

“Oh, that’s dangerously delicious. Tastes like some bad decisions will be made tonight,” Bellamy teases with a wink.

Darby rolls her eyes. “Please don’t forget it’s Thursday.”

“Uh huh, thirsty Thursday, my friend.”

A knock on the front door has me up and out of my seat in an instant. I'm so frickin’ excited to see Willow; it’s been way too long.

Throwing open the door, I don’t even give her a second to say hello before I wrap my arms around her and pull her into me. Her short frame barely making it past my chest.

She chuckles from where I have her head trapped against me, and my eyes well up with tears. It’s crazy how close we used to be…and the fact that my stupid father’s actions took away my relationship with her as well. After several more moments, I release her, swiping away my loose tear.

“Shit, I told myself I wasn’t going to cry,” Willow says, wiping away her own.

“Okay, that’s all for tonight,” I tease as I dry my own eyes, and we both laugh.

Darby and Bellamy appear a few seconds later, Bellamy with a drink in her hand for Willow.

“So glad to finally meet you. I'm Bellamy, and this is Darby.”

“Thank you for letting me stay here.”

“Anytime,” the two of them say in unison.

“You’re so frickin’ cute… Are you single?”

Willow nods, and a small smirk spreads across her face.

“Oohh, the guys are going to eat you up!” Bellamy praises, grabbing onto Willow and walking her away from the front door. I laugh and grab her bag from just outside the entrance. I was so wrapped up in seeing her that we never actually made it into the apartment.

“Yeah, there will be none of that. Thank you very much,” I chastise, following behind them.

“Oh, you hush. Let us have some fun. Now, are you into athletes, or…” Darby questions as she sits on the couch on the other side of her.

Willow’s big smile lights up her face, clear blue eyes sparkling, and I take in the sight of her. She’s absolutely gorgeous. Her dyed black hair is in a fun, carefree, messy bun. Her tank top and cut-offs showcase an impressive scattering of tattoos all over.I can't help but smile. If she’s going to attend this school next year, Nate is going to have one hell of a time keeping his teammates away.

She fits in perfectly with my girls, and I can't wait for all of them to hear her sing at karaoke. Tonight’s going to be so much fun, not to mention a much-needed mental break.

“Wooooo!” I cheer as Willow finishes singing “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse. She really is a great singer, so it doesn’t surprise me one bit that she crushed it. Our table floods her with praises as soon as she sits down next to me.

“Damn, girl, you have some pipes,” Bellamy says as she raises her glass in Willow’s direction, then takes a sip.

“Why, thank you,” Willow blushes. “Okay, who’s next?” She looks around our table that was just joined by half of the women’s basketball team. Directing her attention to me, she asks, “You ready for a solo?”

I bite my lip, turning to Bellamy.

“What about you, Bell?”

“I’m tapped out after that N’sync “Bye, Bye, Bye,” you guys dragged me up there to do.”

Willow slaps her hands against the table playfully. “Geez…anyone else?”

“I wrote my name down,” Maverick says from across the table. Cash scoffs, and Mav elbows his twin in the side. The boys decided to join us at the last minute. Since their housemates were taking it easy tonight, they figured they might as well have as much fun as possible before they’re in full-blown training season.

“Oh, and what did you decide to grace us with, Rick?” Bellamy teases Mav with the stupid nickname she gifted him.

“Psshh, you’ll have to wait and see, Amy,” he smirks a devilish grin.

“I think Shay is up soon,” Darby says playfully, slapping her teammate’s shoulders. Shay shrinks into her seat when all of our gazes flit in her direction.

“Oh, come on, it’s not bad. I promise. After the first one, you’ll be fine.” Bellamy’s encouraging words do nothing to help Shay’s mortification.

“Captain here lost a bet, and now she has to serenade us all,” Darby smirks.

“I’m sure your voice isn’t that bad. There’re far worse out there,”Willow says, just in time for the current singer to attempt a high note and fail miserably.

“She has a great voice. She just hates being put on the spot like this,” Maverick says, and all of us look to him, even Shay. “I’ve heard you sing before, Little Moore. Don’t act like I haven’t,” he teases.

Bellamy gives me a side-eye, and I know she’ll have some tea for me later.

Willow quirks her eyebrow and focuses back on Shay. “Aren’t you, like, the best basketball player at this school? You’d think you’d be used to being in the spotlight.”

“Ha, one would think. But our darling girl only likes to sing in the showers or when she thinks no one can hear her. I think she has an amazing voice, so I made her a bet…and she lost, and now we’re here.” Darby fills us in on why Shay looks like she could quite literally melt to the floor at any moment.

“Ugh, don’t remind me!” Shay whines and hides behind her hands.

“I feel like I need to know what this bet was for,” Bellamy laughs, and Darby winks at her.

Several acts come and go, before Shay’s name is called. I watch as the beautiful, tall blonde takes a steadying breath, downs the shot in front of her, then heads to the makeshift stage.

The screen loads behind Shay, and I see “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper pop up. Knowing this song is a duet, I look around to see if she has a partner to sing with. Before I know what’s happening, Maverick stands and rushes to the stage. The familiar strumming of the sad guitar fills the room, the spotlight illuminating Shay’s surprised face as Mav settles on the stool next to her. He takes his microphone just in time to sing his first note.

Our table stares in awe as the two of them serenade us all with their phenomenal vocals. No joke, they sound so good together, I even get goosebumps on my arms.

“Holy Hannah, the chemistry between the two of them is hot!” Willow says as they hit the crescendo.

I’m unable to take my eyes away. “For real.”

“Crazier thing is…they’re not together,” Darby adds to our mini conversation but keeps her eyes on the stage.

“Is there a reason? Because damn, they should be,” Willow says, her gaze still on the duo.

Cash decides to join our conversation. “Well, for one, her dad is our head coach. Plus, she’s dating our neighbor, Jordan Andrews.”

“Who’s a total hottie and happens to be the captain of the men’s basketball team,” Bellamy chimes in.

“Oh damn...” Willow says, and I stifle a laugh. She took the words right out of my mouth. Staring at the two of them, you can feel the tension. It's so thick, it seems as if you can reach out and grab hold of it. One I’m much too familiar with these days.

When their song finishes, our table immediately stands up and gives them a standing ovation. Shay’s cheeks flood with crimson red as Mav throws his inked arm around her shoulder and walks her back to our table.

“I'm not sure what that was…but I think I just got pregnant,” Bellamy teases, fanning herself when the two sit down.

“Don’t tease like that. I'm not ready to be an auntie.” I slap her arm, and we both laugh.

Maverick’s eyes hold Shay’s stare until Darby’s words break through their trance.

“See, I told you, you could do it!” Darby cheers.

Shay nods in Maverick’s direction. “Thanks to this guy... Jack of all trades.”

She smiles at him, and he winks. “My pleasure, darlin’.”

“Hey, I'm going to grab a bucket of beer from Marie… You guys want anything else?” Bellamy asks as she pushes her chair out from the table.

“I pre-ordered some munchies with her earlier. Can you have her send it through?” I say, knowing Bellamy has just as good of a relationship with The Wolfpack bartender as I do with how often she comes to visit me at work.

We give her our requests, and as she’s about to leave, Cash stands and follows her to the bar. He’s been quiet tonight. Something has definitely been off between the two of them this past week, and I'm not quite sure what it is…

Our food arrives, and our table breaks off into small conversations as we snack and listen to some really good and some really bad singing.

After a particularly awesome “Tennessee Whiskey” rendition by an unfamiliar face in Greek letters, the karaoke host announces a fifteen-minute break, and I turn my attention to Willow. Tonight has been fun, but not ideal for catching up.

She smiles at me and grabs my hand. “I'm so happy you called me.”

My heart aches at how many times my fingers hovered over her name. But the thought of seeing and speaking to her was just as painful. I wasn’t strong enough to handle that.

“I'm so sorry—” I start to apologize, but she places her finger over my lips.

“Please don’t apologize. I get it… Trust me. I wouldn’t have been able to either.”

“Thank you.” I squeeze her hand, still in mine, admiring the scattered tattoos that trail up to her fingers.

“Your brother wasn’t lying when he said you had more than him. They look good on you.”

“I guess you can say they have been my form of therapy. I started drawing them first, then decided to give them a permanent home on my skin.”

“You drew these?” I ask as I grab her arm and pull it closer to get a better look.

She laughs at me, but points to various ones on her arms. “Some of them, not all.”

“They’re stunning.”

“Yeah, Nate even let me help with the design of the locket.”

My face must look puzzled, because Willows takes on an ‘oh shit, you don’t know’ look.

“Will…” I say, encouraging her to explain.

She puts her hands up in defense. “I'm not saying shit if you don’t know about it yet. All I’m going to say is take a look at the inside of his wrist. You’ll see.”

“Really, you aren’t going to tell me?” I tease, unable to ignore the thrill that runs through me.

“If you haven’t seen it yet, then you're not there yet, B.”

“You’re being cryptic…”

She seals her lips and throws away the key, and I roll my eyes.

What could possibly be in that tattoo that I haven’t seen yet…?

Maverick and Cash drop us girls off at our apartment, and we can hear them laugh at us as we stumble and giggle out of the Tahoe. Not sure if bracing yourself with another wobbling human is a great idea to help keep your own balance.

“What’s the deal with you and the Riley Green lookalike?” Willow asks Bellamy as we wave goodbye to the guys watching us walk through the parking lot.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” she huffs.

“Well, he seemed pretty adamant about Tennessee-Whiskey-singing-dude keeping his hands off you tonight.” Willow raises her eyebrows suggestively.

“Yeah…well, he’s a stupidly confusing gorgeous pain in my ass.”

“I’d be confused too if I was in love with my stepsister,” a tipsy Darby chimes in, and Bellamy smacks her arm as she looks back, likely to see if the guys are paying attention.

Willow gasps. “Wait, the twins are your stepbrothers?”

Bellamy does something she never does and blushes as she nods.

“No shame, babe. I’d let them tag team me in a heartbeat, stepbrothers or not.”

“Geez, Willow,” I sputter, and we all laugh.

“But for real…your brother would kill you.”

She just shrugs like the little rebel she is, and I link my arm through hers and laugh some more.

“Ya know…” Darby says, squinting at the two of us. “You two could totally pass for sisters.”

“Aww, you guys totally could!” Bellamy agrees.

“Ah, I wish. Maybe if she decides to give my brother another chance…” Willow trails off, leaning her head on my shoulder as we wobble our way down the hallway. I peek at her, and she’s giving me major puppy dog eyes. The thought has my heart thumping.

“Oh, will you stop that.” I swat at her, unable to hide the big smile on my face. “I don’t know who’s worse, you or him.”

“A girl can wish,” she winks.

We finally make it to our door, and we all squeal in excitement at the surprise package that’s awaiting us.

Speaking of Nathan Outlaw. This has his name written all over it, and a rush of butterflies takes over my insides at the realization.

Not only is there a case of Diet Coke, but there are candy bars, one being Snickers, of course, bags of chips, and four Gatorades. A note peeks out of the top of one of the bags, and that confirms who these goodies are from.

After dropping off our snacks in the kitchen, I take out the note and smile.

Wish I could have been there tonight…but I'm glad you got to hang with Will. She missed you. Hope the snacks help with the hangover. I know how you get, so there’s a Snickers in there for you, too.

What am I supposed to do with you, Nathan Outlaw?