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“I see.” He nods slowly, his lips pressed tight. “Then I guess you’re not really sorry.”
Wow. Gaslight much?
I have no idea why Rome wants me to go to this party. He doesn't even like me. I certainly can’t stand him. Even more so now that he carried me to the brink of an orgasm and literally left me hanging high and dry. I should have known better. I really am a glutton for punishment.
And here I am, about to make another terrible choice for myself.
“Fine,” I blurt out. “I’ll go to your stupid party. But don’t expect me to have fun.”
His eyes light with mischief, only confirming my unease.
“Oh, I know you won’t have fun, Freckles. Which is exactly why I want you to go.” He turns around and pulls the door open. Thankfully, I don’t hear any of the guys around as Rome slips out, giving me one last glance.
I quickly zip up my pants and put my shirt back on, feeling frazzled as hell as I watch him leave.
After a couple minutes of collecting my thoughts and mentally beating the shit out of myself for allowing things to go as far as they did, I forgive myself. Because I’m certain after this party tonight, I’ll have a new reason to want to kick my own ass.
CHAPTER 11
ELODIE
“Come with me, Brogan.” I steeple my fingers, holding my hands together. “Please. I’m begging you. I barely know Brady and Julia and it would make me feel so much better having someone at the party who I can hide behind if needed.”
The second I got home, I ran to my sister's room. Regret had been gnawing at me the entire ride and I knew I would need backup if I wanted to make sure I actually showed up to this party. I’m sure if I blew it off, Rome would find a way to “punish” me. While I pride myself on being an independent person, who makes her own life choices, I also would really like to avoid dealing with more gum in the future.
She sighs overdramatically, then says, “I guess I can go.”
My eyebrows hit my forehead. “Really?” I didn’t think it would be that easy. Then again, asking Brogan to party is a lot like asking a monkey to eat a banana.
“Sure.” She shrugs as she sits at her vanity, sweeping the blush brush back and forth on her high cheekbone. “But you owe me one.”
Her words take me back to the party, and the fight, that happened last year. I think about my hero often since moving to Willow Creek. I’m still not sure who he is, but I hope one day I find out because I owe him one, too.
“You name it,” I tell her, feeling hopeful about the night now that she’s coming.
“Let me get you ready.” Brogan lives for giving basic girls like me makeovers, so I should have seen that coming.
“Fine,” I drag the word out. “But be kind, please.”
“Always. Besides, I planned to go to the party anyway.” She strokes her other cheekbone, grinning at me in the mirror. “I just wanted to fuck with you for a bit.”
I grab the brush out of her hand and pull her head back, then I swipe the brush across her forehead. “You suck.”
We both burst out in laughter as she takes the brush back from me. I look at her in the mirror as she drags her fingers across the streak of shimmery pink on her forehead. “Well, now I’m really not going.”
“Screw you.” I chuckle. “You’re going and you’re not leaving my side.”
Knowing I’ll have my sister there makes me feel at ease. She might be a year younger than me, but her social skills are way better than mine. Plus, Rome is less intense around everyone else. He says I’m the one who's pretending, when really he’s the one who puts on a show for my family.
Brogan plucks a tissue from the box on her vanity and gracefully glides it across the blush on her forehead. “If I remember right, you’re the one who left me last time we went to a party in Willow Creek.”
I frown. “I did do that, but with good reason. You told me to.” She knew I was over it when I walked away from Rome as demanded I come back and, what? Watch him make out with a random chick?
“You’re right.” She nods slowly. “But in my defense, I was a little bit tipsy that night.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Mmmhmm. But not too tipsy to hang out with Willow Creek’s rival football team.” Specifically, the three guys whose faces I will never forget.
“You know I’m a sucker for hot guys. Good, bad. Asshole, straitlaced. I like them all.”
