Page 38 of Win You Over
Holden
O ur day in bed starts off well. We’ve ordered takeout, and there’s a horror film from the nineties on the television.
When there’s a noise downstairs, Remi sits up in bed and pauses the film.
“Is someone here?” I ask, following Remington as he stands and heads for the door.
“There shouldn’t be. Nadine and Rupert are on honeymoon and my parents won’t be back for another few weeks.”
There’s another sound, like something hitting the floor, and Remi rushes out of the room, me hot on his heels.
“Jesus, Finn!” he exclaims when he reaches the bottom of the stairs and finds Finn in the entrance hall, next to our bags. “You scared the shit out of me.”
Finn holds up a key, a sheepish look taking over his face.
“Sorry! Used my key. I tried your phone, and you never answered, so figured I’d come in and surprise you.”
Remington pulls Finn into a hug, patting him on the back.
“It’s good to see you, bro,” Remi says.
Finn’s eyes meet mine over Remington’s shoulder and he gives me a twisted half smile.
“You got plans today?” Finn asks, releasing Remi from the hug. Remi turns to look at me and then back at his friend. I brace myself for his answer. For him to say no and pick hanging out with Finn over the day we had planned.
“We do,” he says, shooting a salacious grin my way.
Finn’s expression falls, his eyes hard and cold.
“Yeah. Okay, cool.”
I don’t like the guy. Not at all. But there is a part of me that feels really fucking sorry for him. I know I wouldn’t like it if someone swooped in and stole Theo from me.
“What about tomorrow?” Finn asks. “I was planning to throw a party at my place, since my dad is away.”
Remi hesitates, twisting his hands together in front of him, and I wonder if it’s the realisation that his two separate worlds are so close to colliding now that we’re no longer in our summer bubble.
He doesn’t look at me before he answers, nodding his head at Finn.
“Yeah, that’ll be great.”
Remi finally turns towards me. “Baby?”
I eye Finn before acquiescing – I owe it to Remi to try and get along with his friends. This has to be a two-way thing if it’s going to work.
“Great!” Finn exclaims, his enthusiasm reeking of insincerity. “You can bring Tra- um, Theo, if you want,” he says to me. “It’ll be epic.” He turns for the door again before throwing one last comment over his shoulder. “I have a surprise for you, Rem.”
I don’t like the look he gives me when he says those words, or the niggling sensation in my chest that screams to run and get far away from Finn Carson.
“Remi,” I call to my boyfriend as he styles his hair in the ensuite. “Can I wear one of your shirts?” Opening his closet, I browse through the shirts hanging on the rail, my hand settling on a sheer black button up.
Remington comes up behind me, his arms encircling my waist. “And look at you all night in my clothing? Heck, yes.” He kisses the side of my neck and I take the shirt off the hanger when he lets me go and flops onto the bed.
He is an absolute snack in dark jeans and a baby blue shirt, his hair styled in a way that looks untidy, but you know it took him ages to achieve.
Stripping off my clothing, I pull on his shirt and the shorts I wore to the wedding, looking myself over in the mirror.
“Ready for the party?” Remi asks, and I catch his assessing gaze in the mirror. His heated eyes caress me from head to toe.
“If I say no?”
He chuckles. “Then we don’t go.”
I shake my head, thinking back to how I would feel in Finn’s place.
“No, we’re going. It’ll be fun.”
I am certain it will not be fun.
“If it’s too much for you, we’ll leave.” He lifts from the bed, walks over to me and spins me around. “I’m serious, baby. I want you and Finn to get along, but not at the cost of your comfort.”
I smile and press my lips to his.
I love you, is on the tip of my tongue. But I kiss away the words before biting his bottom lip.
Remington growls.
“Holden.” His voice is thick with need when he rasps my name. “If you’re not careful, I’ll throw you back in that bed, pretty boy.”
“Promises, promises.” Chuckling, I step back, keeping my hands on his chest.
“Theo will be waiting, let’s go.”
I turn towards the door, and he pulls me back to him.
His teeth find my ear.
“Later, baby. Later, you’re all mine.”
I’m already all yours.
“Not where I expected to spend my evening,” Theo shouts into my ear, as we step into Finn’s sprawling mansion, a few roads over from Remington’s.
The house is bigger than the Langfords’ but it lacks all the warmth of theirs. Everything in it is white or black, sterile like a hospital, with not a single photo on the oddly white walls.
Electronic music floats through the house and people mill around in every room, red cups and glass bottles in hand.
My heart rate picks up the deeper we move into the house, my eyes darting around, taking in our surroundings.
Remington keeps me close, his arm around my waist as we weed through the crowds, heading towards the kitchen.
It takes longer than it should to reach our destination because of the number of people who stop to greet Remi, hugging him or patting him on the shoulder.
A few look my way, but most ignore me, and Remi pulls me closer every time someone approaches.
We find Finn in the kitchen, standing between the legs of a blonde girl who is perched on the kitchen counter.
Behind her are three large silver tubs, overflowing with drinks and ice.
“Finnegan,” Remi greets his friend.
“You came!” he replies, his words slurring.
He turns his back to the girl and his bloodshot eyes rake over Remington, sending a bolt of something – jealousy maybe – through me.
Clenching my hand behind my back, I smile at Finn, a feeble attempt to hide the way I want to tell him to keep his eyes off my boyfriend.
“Drink?” Finn asks, finally taking his gaze off of Remington. He dips his hand into the bucket and produces a beer, which he cracks open and hands to Theo.
“For you, Coffee Boy,” he offers, a huge smile contorting his face. At least he’s moved on from calling my friend Trash Boy.
Theo hesitates before taking the drink with a mumbled thanks. I raise an eyebrow at Remi, who leans in and whispers, “He’s trying,” into my ear.
“Soda for me and Hold,” Remi says, and Finn gives him a look I can’t decipher before taking two cans out of the bucket and handing us each one.
“Good man,” he remarks, patting my arm, and I’m pretty sure we stepped into another dimension when we walked through the door.
Or maybe Finn really is trying. The tension in my shoulders eases a bit, but I still have my guard on. Do people really change this quickly?
“Hi! I’m Remington, and this is my boyfriend, Holden, and our friend, Theo,” Remi says, introducing us to the girl still sitting on the countertop.
“Cherry,” she replies, with a wave. “Finn’s um…friend.”
Finn slides between her legs and plants his lips on hers, kissing her deeply. When they pull apart, her cheeks are bright red.
“Cherry is here on vacation for the summer,” Finn explains. He takes her hand and pulls her off the counter, wrapping an arm around her waist.
“How did you meet?” Remi asks, his voice loud to be heard over the music.
“Long story! We’ll catch up on that later,” he replies. “Right now, let’s dance!”
He drags Cherry behind him, and the three of us follow, Theo stopping midway when he spots a colleague from the cafe.
“I’ll find you later,” he tells me and Remi, and we continue on into the lounge.
The space is large and has been cleared of furniture.
There’s strobe lights illuminating the room and a DJ booth against the wall next to a large projector screen.
It strikes me that it’s a rather odd thing to have set up at a house party.
But then, this is only the second house party I’ve been to, so what do I know?
We move towards the makeshift dance floor, slipping between a group of people before Finn and Cherry turn towards each other, their hips and arms moving towards the beat of the music.
It’s a song I know, the bass deep enough to vibrate in my bones. I let Remi guide me, his hand on my lower back as we get lost in each other and the music. The DJ turns it louder, and Remi pulls me closer, kissing me while our hips bump and grind and my hands explore his back.
His hand weaves into my hair, which I’ve left down. A sheen of sweat coats my skin, the heat of all the bodies in the room and the one against me making the lounge feel like an inferno.
I’m startled when the music softens and Finn’s voice booms through the speakers.
“Remington!” he yells and we turn towards where he’s standing next to the projector screen. He’s swaying, and there’s a look on his face that has my hackles rising.
“Bro. Have I got a surprise for you.”
He holds up a small black remote and clicks a button. Adorable photos of Finn and Remi as kids flash over the screen. Remi laughs and squeezes my hand.
And then my entire world shatters at my feet.