Page 11

Chapter eleven

Evie

“Let me get this straight. You turned down my offer to take over my kid’s bedroom this summer, not for your brother’s couch, but for his best friend’s bougie apartment?” My friend Lina says as she and Carlee check out Rhett’s apartment. “I don’t blame you one fucking bit, girlfriend. This is way nicer than putting up with my gremlins.” She bends down to pet Ruthie, who has been bouncing between the two of them for attention ever since they walked in the door.

“I happen to enjoy spending time with those gremlins,” I object, but there’s a smile on my face. “But yeah, it’s not exactly a hardship being here.” We move into the living room and sit down on the couch. Ruthie, of course, is hopping up between us, putting her paws on Lina’s lap for more cuddles.

Lina’s two kids are adorable, and she’s one of my closest friends despite being almost fifteen years older than me. But we connected at Aikido when I first moved out here, and when she heard about my post-graduation housing dilemma, she was quick to offer her assistance. I turned her down, not wanting to impose — and not wanting to subject myself to the chaos of her household .

“Mm-hmm, and I’m guessing the scenery is a lot better.” Carlee, my former roommate and other best friend, waggles her blonde eyebrows as she comes to sit down, setting two glasses of colourful liquid on the coffee table. She points to the one in front of Lina. “Full strength Blue Bomber for you” — she gestures to the one in front of me — “and non-alcoholic for you.”

Carlee goes back to the kitchen and gets her own drink before rejoining us. “Like I was saying. The scenery. Baseball players and their butts, know what I’m talking about?”

I blush as Lina cackles. “Amen to that.” She picks up her glass and raises it in our direction. “To your graduation, ladies, congrats. You’ve both got bigger brains than me, but we knew that already. Just don’t forget, I can still kick your butts.”

Seeing as Lina is a third-degree black belt in Aikido, compared to my first degree, she’s not exaggerating. I got lucky that my two friends get along so well. The first time they met was when Carlee joined me for a trial Aikido class. She quickly figured out it wasn’t for her, but the three of us went for coffee afterward, and they immediately hit it off.

I don’t know what I’d do without the two of them. They’re a big part of why I want to stay in British Columbia. The idea of moving far away from them makes my heart twinge.

I lift my own glass along with Carlee, and we clink them together. “Thanks, Lina. If only a big brain was the sole requirement for a job.”

“Still no luck?” Carlee asks sympathetically. She had no trouble at all finding a job as an engineer and an apartment to rent. Unfortunately, that apartment is a tiny studio, which was why we couldn’t continue being roommates after graduation.

I shake my head. “Nothing worth pursuing at least. I really thought all the districts would have their postings for next year up by now.”

“The school year hasn’t ended yet for kids, there’s time. Your perfect job is out there waiting for you,” Lina says confidently, and I shoot her a grateful smile.

“I know. I’m not giving up hope. It just would be nice to know where I’m working so I can figure out an apartment sooner rather than later.”

“Oh? So living with the hot baseball player isn’t as magical as we imagine it to be?” Carlee says, and there’s mischief colouring her tone. “Trouble in paradise?”

Heat suffuses my face. “Stop. Get your mind out of the gutter. It’s not paradise, it’s a temporary roommate situation. Nothing more.”

“But you wouldn’t mind if it became more. Or am I wrong in remembering Rhett Darlington is the same teammate of your brother’s that you kissed four years ago?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Lina cries, sitting forward. She puts her drink down and props her head in her hands, looking at me way too eagerly. “Tell me everything.”

I, on the other hand, slump back against the couch, my hand dropping to Ruthie’s back, petting her absently. “It’s not that great of a story, Lina. Don’t get so excited.”

“Okay, but you kissed him? That actually happened?”

I nod, but without any enthusiasm. “Yeah, I tried to. It lasted maybe a second before he was pushing me away in horror.”

“Oh Evie,” Carlee murmurs, shifting closer to me. “It wasn’t that bad, was it?”

It really was. I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life. Never felt so rejected. It’s why I’ve avoided Rhett as much as possible over the last four years. Not an easy task when his best friend and teammate is my older brother.

“It was, actually. He said… He said, ‘C’mon, Evie. You don’t wanna do this.’” I do a rough approximation of Rhett’s deep voice, biting it off in a harsh laugh. “Exactly what every girl who’s just kissed her crush wants to hear.”

Carlee winces as Lina leans back against the couch.

“Damn, girl. I’m sorry.”

Picking up my glass again, I take a long drink. It’s not often I wish I drank alcohol. Pretty much never, in fact. But right now, I wouldn’t be all that opposed to this being more than a mocktail. Maybe the gross, out of control feeling of being drunk would ease the embarrassment that always comes when I relive that moment in my parents’ hallway four years ago when I cornered Rhett while he was visiting with Kai. Oh, how wrong I was.

That’s when I realized romantic ideas like that are for books and movies, not real life. Honestly, Rhett being out here was the only hesitation I had over moving to British Columbia for my master’s degree. But being near the subject of my crush, and humiliation, was a risk I was willing to take for the chance to move away from my well-meaning family and have my own life.

And I have to admit, it hasn’t been so bad. He’s never brought up that time I embarrassed myself, and things are good between us now. Confusing at times, especially when I find myself wondering — no, hoping — that just maybe he’s starting to see me as more than Kai’s little sister, but things are overall good.

“Anyway. Let’s change the subject, please?” I ask, looking between my two friends. They take pity on me, thank God.

“Yeah, I want to know what happened with the cute teacher at Selena’s school.” Carlee raises her eyebrows at Lina. “Did Ricky say anything at the last parent-teacher night?”

Lina drains her glass, then smacks her lips. “Ladies, let me tell you, that husband of mine had no idea what was coming. Mr. Myers walks in, and you should’ve seen all the moms swoon. It was kind of pathetic, honestly.”

“As if you weren’t seconds away from swooning yourself?” I tease, having heard many stories about the insanely handsome teacher at the elementary school Lina’s kids go to. “Be honest. If Ricky wasn’t there, you’d have swooned.”

Lina considers my words, then lifts her shoulders in a shrug. “Fine, yeah, I would’ve swooned. Instead, I got to watch my husband get all possessive when Hottie McTeacher walked around handing out the kids’ year-end folders. All the man did was smile and say Selena was a great student, and Ricky acted like he’d put the moves on me. His chest got all puffy and he wrapped his arm over my shoulders and glared at the poor man. Glared.” Lina rolls her eyes, then falls back against the couch clutching her chest. “It was so damn sexy we couldn’t even wait to get home. He made out with me in the car in the school parking lot.”

“You didn’t!” I gasp. “At the school? What if someone walked by? Another parent?”

“Or Hottie McTeacher!”

“I mean, maybe Ricky would’ve been open to a threesome?” Lina smirks, and we all burst out laughing at the idea of her very masculine Mexican husband having a threesome with a much younger, preppy teacher.

We’re still giggling when the front door opens and Rhett walks in.

He comes to an immediate stop, his face breaking into his trademark charming grin.

“Well, hello ladies, looks like you’re havin’ a good time,” he drawls with a smirk and a wink.

Just as I expect them to, Lina and Carlee both respond with ridiculously girlish giggles. I can only hope they’re not thinking about the cursed kiss story.

I give Rhett a small wave in greeting, but Ruthie is far more enthusiastic, bounding over to her favorite baseball player. Fine, maybe he’s my favorite baseball player, too, but nobody needs to know that right now. Especially not my brother.

“Oh yeah, it’s been a great night,” Carlee says, emphasizing the word great . “You know, swapping secrets, talking about boys, typical girls night stuff.”

“Sounds fun.”

Swear to God, if Carlee says a single word about that dang kiss I told them about, she’s dead to me. Normally, I wouldn’t doubt my trust in my best friends, but right now, a few cocktails in, Carlee’s usual filter is gone. And I feel sick thinking about her bringing up that story in front of Rhett.

Thankfully, she doesn’t. And after another minute or two of small talk with my friends, Rhett turns to me.

“Alright, I think I’ll make myself scarce and let you ladies enjoy your night. See you in the mornin’, Evie.” His smile at me seems different, softer than the one he gives my friends. Then he’s gone, walking down the hallway with a confident swagger.

We’re all silent until we hear his door snick shut, then the girls are on me, just as I expected they would be.

“Holy fuck, Evie. How could you not let us know he’s even hotter in person?” Lina hisses, fanning herself.

“I don’t know, he’s just Rhett. I try not to think of him that way,” I say, but my excuse is lost in Carlee’s snort of laughter.

“Yeah, no. She didn’t tell us because she wants to keep him all to herself. That’s what’s going on here, you still want to get with that hunk of a baseball player, don’t you.” Carlee nudges me, and I look at her, horrified.

“Oh my God, shut up! What if he hears you?” I hiss.

Carlee gives an unrepentant shrug as Lina waves her hand at me in dismissal. “Oh relax, he’s not gonna hear us.” At least she keeps her voice down. But then she gets a mischievous look on her face as she turns to Carlee, then back to me. “But our dear friend does have a point about you hitting that. I mean, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, now, would it? Pretty convenient, too, a summer of no-strings-attached sex sounds amazing to me.”

I look at her, kind of confused for just a minute before understanding dawns on me. I feel hot and flustered, and I don’t even have alcohol to blame. “Absolutely not,” I whisper harshly, then repeat myself even firmer, “Absolutely. Not. There’s no way anything is ever going to happen between Rhett and me. He’s Kai’s best friend, and he’s helping me out by letting me stay here. The last thing I want is to make that awkward by opening the door for rejection again. ”

But Lina doesn’t seem to be listening. She leans in, gesturing for Carlee and me to do the same. She drops her voice even lower, and that’s the only reason I don’t strangle her right then and there because of what she says next.

“I bet Rhett could take care of your little problem with having the big O.”

I stare at my friend, wondering if she can sense the daggers I’m throwing at her in my mind. Carlee’s hand smacks my thigh, breaking my mental attack on Lina.

“Oh my God, yes! Your whole never-had-an orgasm-with-a-guy problem.” She nods sagely, as if she didn’t just spill my dirty little secret in a voice that’s definitely louder than a whisper. “Yup, he’s definitely the kind of guy who could help you with that. You know what they say about hot jocks, right? They’ve got two heads and only know how to use one of them, but dang, do they ever use that one well.” She shimmies her shoulders as if she didn’t just insult the intelligence of my brother, Rhett, and every other professional athlete out there.

“You two need to shut up right now. First of all, that’s rude, Carlee. Rhett’s a really smart guy, with a good head” — she starts to snicker and I glare at her — “ on his shoulders. I’m not going to let you insult his intelligence or my brother’s or any other athlete,” I growl.

Carlee’s face falls as she reaches over and takes my hand. “I’m sorry. You’re right, that was super bitchy of me to say. I didn’t mean it.”

I give her a stiff nod to show I accept her apology, then stand and pick up their empty cocktail glasses before walking swiftly into the kitchen. When I return to the living room with two glasses of water instead, I set them down a little harder than I probably should. “Drink this. You’re cut off from alcohol. Because you’re both crazy if you think Rhett is going to be the first man to give me an orgasm. There’s just no way.”

Unfortunately, my friends might be tipsy, but they’re not drunk. They both smile at me like the cat that got the cream.

“I give it a week,” Lina says.

“I give it maybe a month,” Carlee adds. “Definitely before she moves out.”

I look between my two supposed best friends, my hands on my hips. “Are you seriously betting on whether or not Rhett and I are going to have sex?”

Both of my friends nod their heads, looking far too smug.

“You bet your butt we are.” Lina smirks.

I fold my arms across my chest, my eyes narrowing into a glare. “Well, you’re both going to lose because there’s no chance of Rhett Darlington ever wanting to get close enough to me to do anything, especially not that .”

“We’ll see.”

Lina’s cryptic reply frustrates me. She’s wrong, they’re both wrong. There’s nothing going on between Rhett and me, and there never will be. No matter my younger self’s crush-fueled dreams or my current self’s fantasies.