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I watched my brother with the guys for a few moments as I took a drink of the bitterness. Then another. “Not a lot of girls here.”
Avery leaned back, stretching out her legs. “I don’t come to a lot of the parties, but I think these kinds are more like get-togethers. So it’s usually just girlfriends.”
Wincing, I took another gulp. “Then I’m kind of standing out?”
She smiled at me. “Well . . . you want the truth or the make-you-feel-better truth?”
I laughed. “Hit me with the make-me-cry truth.”
The skin around her eyes crinkled as her smile spread. “Well, let’s just say if you want to meet someone, you’re definitely in the right place.”
Snorting, I gazed at the table. “Like that will happen with Cam around.”
“True. The guy back in the living room?” She took a sip of her beer and then lowered her hands. “His name’s Eddie. I think he’s actually a pretty nice guy, so . . .”
Looking over my shoulder, I couldn’t see into the living room, but I could hear the sounds from the video game and laughter. “Cam would probably pile drive the poor guy if I talked to him.”
Avery laughed. “I’ll distract him.”
Over the next hour we plotted, but that conversation drifted into the trip she and Cam were planning to take to the Poconos during fall break. “That sounds really romantic.”
The apples of her cheeks almost matched her hair. “It was his suggestion.”
“Aw.” I watched him, grinning. Who knew my brother was such a softie? “I’m proud of him.”
She laughed. “I’m so lucky.”
“More like he is.”
A ball zinged past us, smacking into the wall near the dartboard. Avery shook her head as one of the guys half ran, half stumbled after it. “How’s your knee doing?”
“It’s doing okay. Only hurts off and on. I have an appointment the week before Thanksgiving.”
“Keeping my fingers crossed for you.” She glanced over at the table. Cam was doing what I think was a victory dance. Or he was having a seizure.
“You miss dancing?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yeah. I really do.” There was a quick pause as she swallowed. “What was your favorite recital?”
Her eyes lit up when I told her about the last recital—the one before I majorly screwed up. Although she hadn’t danced for years, I could tell she was still passionate about it. I made a promise at that moment that at some point, I would get her to dance.
I stared into my empty cup, wanting to know where Jase was. I hadn’t seen his Jeep out front, but I knew several of them parked along the back. I didn’t ask because I wasn’t here because of him.
Not at all.
But why did he live in this frat house instead of at the farm? Wouldn’t he want to be closer to Jack? Or was it the opposite he needed?
I snuck another cup and then one more when Cam was busy making gooey eyes at Avery from the group of guys he stood among. Another girl had appeared at some point, but with the way one of the guys had his arm around her waist, I figured she was a girlfriend.
Brittany arrived, her short blond hair slicked back in a ponytail. Less than three minutes after she gave Avery and then me a hello hug, Ollie strode through the open garage doors, his hair hanging loosely, brushing his shoulders.
He raised his arms as practically everyone there shouted his name, a smile breaking out across his handsome face. “Aw, you guys missed me!”
Brit rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Ollie sidled up behind her. “Hello, Avery and Miss Teresa, how are you doing this fine evening?”
I giggled, shaking my head. “We’re doing good.”
“Great.” He captured Brit’s tiny ponytail. “I need to borrow you for a second, sí?”
Brit’s eyes went heavenward, but her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink. “I’ll be right back. Senor Fucktard can’t want me for that long.”
“It’ll be awhile,” he corrected, and her flush deepened.
