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So when I spot Ethan and Mick splitting early because of some crisis with Liam’s dad, I take the chance to jump in the back of Ethan’s truck.
I don’t talk on the way home. I just listen to Mikayla worry about Liam and Ethan assuring her that he’ll be okay. I kind of want to ask for deets, but I also can’t speak. Images keep flashing through my mind—memories of how it felt to be inside that sexy siren. That red vixen had me in her clutches.
Shit, man. It was fucking awesome.
But I can’t let it get to me.
Snapping my eyes shut, I lean my head back and start singing pop songs from the nineties. I know I’m desperate when historic numbers like “I Saw the Sign” start running through my brain.
By the time we reach Hockey House, I’m ready to drill a hole into my skull and empty out my memory bank. I need to shake this thing, pronto.
Ethan unlocks the front door, and I murmur my thanks, running up to the bathroom. Thankfully, the two of them are distracted with worries for Liam, which should probably be distracting me, too, but I have something that needs doing before I can focus on anything else.
Pushing the bathroom door open, I race to the sink, staring down at those digits on my palm and knowing what I have to do.
Yeah, it might have been the ultimate hookup, but that’s all it can ever be.
One hookup.
Spinning the faucet, I turn it on, letting the water splash onto the porcelain before shaking my head with a wince and washing her ink off my body.
CHAPTER 5
CAROLINE
Five weeks after the ultimate hookup…
So, I went back to the bedroom expecting to find Casey waiting for me, but he’d already gone. I tried not to be disappointed as I searched the sorority party for him. So he didn’t say goodbye. Big deal. He had my number. He’d call.
Right?
He was going to call, because he said, “Yeah, of course.”
That was five weeks ago.
My eyes flick to my lonely little phone sitting there on my rumpled duvet just waiting to buzz with a text message or sing “Light Switch” by Charlie Puth. I change up my ringtone frequently, and Charlie’s my jam right now.
But Charlie hasn’t played today.
I work through the five stages in rapid succession.
I’ve already done this multiple times over the past month or so.
Denial flitters through me with a scoffing laugh. Then comes the anger. I’ve played with that for a long time. It’s made me a grumpy bitch for poor Leilani, but she’s handled it like a pro. She even helped me work through my “What if I ask around and find out his schedule?” stage. I swear I would have turned full-blown stalker without her.
“He hasn’t called you for a reason, Caroline.” She squeezed my shoulders, then slashed the tears off my face. “We knew there was a high chance of this happening.”
“But the sex was so good,” I blubbered. “We connected, you know? It was otherworldly!”
“I know.” She pulled me into a hug while I cried on her shoulder.
Depression.
That sank in like a heavy rain cloud, and I spent a few days in bed, which made me feel pathetic because it was one hookup, you know?
I need to get over myself, but I just… I can’t.
Because Casey Pierce was my longtime crush.
