H-Ryder? Are you there?
Silence. Either he doesn’t agree, or he passed out. That’s probably for the best, since he didn’t know he was talking to me.
My stomach clenches as that thought crosses my mind. I shouldn’t have played along like I was his brother, especially not to satisfy my own curiosity about where his head is at.Okay…what he thinks about me.Maybe if I’d stuck to yes or no responses instead of asking questions, I wouldn’t have crossed any lines. As it stands, I’m pretty sure I abused his trust.
At the same time, I feel like the fact he admitted why he’s drinking is a step in the right direction. I’m sure on some level he already knew it, but saying it out loud—or over text—would make it more real. After all, they say the first step to solving a problem is to admit you have it, and that’s what he just did. Or am I trying to justify the role I played tonight?
***
My free hand slides nervously over my stomach as I take a sip of champagne from the delicate flute pinched between my fingertips.Breathe.
I’ve never been to such a fancy party—not even my high school prom was this nice—and it’s mildly overwhelming, which leaves me awkwardly trying to figure out where the heck to put my hands.
Black and white tablecloths, monochrome roses in crystal vases, shiny glasses, even the mahogany bar with a polish so thick it practically glistens. I know the guys said this is the only fancy event of the year, but it surpasses all my expectations. The colorful atmosphere on Main Street and dilapidated facilities for my guests must've conditioned me to expect a subdued version of fancy rather than the upscale scene before me. It feels like I should be in Hollywood, not a small resort town deep in the Colorado woods.
“You made it!” Beck’s enthusiastic hug nearly has me spilling my drink, which would be disastrous in the white suit Ally dressed me in.
“I did.” I return his hug by wrapping one arm around his waist and extending the other with my drink away from my body, just in case.
“That suit is incredible on you.” He smiles as she gives me an appreciative once over. “Ally has such a great eye for these things.”
Smoothing my hand over the fabric once again, I nod in agreement. I wouldn’t have the first idea how to pick out a suit, especially not an ivory-colored one, but she pulled this off the rack the moment I walked in and boom—I had a suit.
I’m pretty sure she ordered it specifically for me—because who has an ivory suit just lying around in my exact size—which is more slender than most of the guys I’ve seen in this town. But since she looked so proud of her choice, and I doubt it would fit anyone else, I took it.
“I was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to lift my arms—" I gesture to the slim cut of the jacket “—but so far so good.” I don’t add that I’m grateful the jacket covering the white shirt that will hide how bad my armpits are sweating, but I’m thinking it.Thanks Ryder.“Let’s just hope I can keep it clean.”
“That’s why I went with black. Last year, I bumped elbows with Deacon and I ended up wearing half the Cosmo I was holding. I looked like an advertisement for Target.”
“Here’s hoping neither of us have any wardrobe malfunctions.” I clink my glass against his with the first genuine smile I’ve worn all night, though I can’t help feeling slightly guilty that his embarrassing story sets me at ease.
“Ally, these two look amazing!” Sloan casts his sister a beaming smile as the two of them stride up to the bar. Ally is dressed similar to me in the sense that her elegant pantsuit is white, while Sloan has a black suit similar to mine, minus the button-up shirt underneath,showing off a sliver of his fair, hairless chest. It’s sexy yet classy at the same time.
“What are we drinking?” Ally props her elbows on the bar next to me.
“Champagne.” I hold up my glass.
“Ooh, good call. Finn loves when I drink champagne.”
“You mean he loves how forward you get when you drink it,” Sloan snorts.
“I told you to crash with Lennon after the ball last year.” Ally smiles wickedly. “Don’t say you weren’t warned.”
“Did I hear my name?” Lennon wraps an arm around Ally’s waist to give her a side hug, looking somehow both edgy and graceful in a black leather skirt with a matching vest and suit jacket.
“I was just reminding my brother it’s his own fault he got an earful last year when he came home with me instead of you.” Ally returns the embrace.
“Well, we won’t have that problem again this year. I’ll be making noise of my own.” Sloan takes a glass from his sister and clinks them together.
“Ugh, the ball’s just getting started,” Beck groans. “Can we not talk about what happens after? Especially in front of two people whowillbe going home alone.” He gestures between me and him.
“Who says you have to go home alone?” Sloan frowns.
Beck looks at everyone in turn, except me. “You all won’t even talk about sex in front of me sinceI’m the baby.” He punctuates his phrase with air quotes.
“Baby?” I ask him.
“As good as.” He rolls his eyes. “My mom made Lennon swear to look after me when I started working at Murphy’s as a kid and he’staken thatveryseriously when it comes to guys and sex. They all have.” Beck crosses his arms in front of his chest with a frown.
