I smile, my eyes darting to the blonde who is seated next to them. She’s not partaking in the conversation, she’s just observing. It’s odd seeing her in any space where she isn’t the loudest person in the room. Chin resting on the heel of her hand, a pink, glossy smile pulls on her mouth as she drinks in the absolute chaos that comes with this particular group of people.
Her blue eyes flicker to mine, feeling my stare. For some reason, I don’t look away as I bring my drink to my lips. Not this time.
And the little troublemaker winks at me.
I almost laugh, but then a Vodka Cran is being passed over my head. To her.
Not to Tiffany or Lauren.
I wince instead.
“ERNIE!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
ariana
I am overwhelmed.
It’s like I was dropped into the center of a universe I don’t belong in. It’s fine, I can adapt, but this place is dripping in ‘crew’ history and I’m just desperately trying to catch up.
Seth, Declan, EJ, and Wyatt might all be best friends, but there are best friends within those best friends, and they like to pick on each other in duos.
I think I have that part right.
Wyatt and EJ are wittier and funnier, and they bounce off each other well. I’d hate to be up against them, but Declan and Seth are worthy competitors. Declan’s jokes have a sting, like an electric zap, and Seth’s are so out of left field that they usually silence the table for a couple of seconds before everyone explodes into laughter.
It’s the strangest dynamic ever, but I’m remarkably jealous of them and all their strangeness. I used to think that people belonged to certain places, to certain careers, and in certain fields, but I’m slowly starting to realize if you’re one of the lucky ones, you might belong to a group of people who also belong to you.
The girls are a foursome to be reckoned with. Penny and Avery keep the party going and Lauren and Tiffany are the mother hens, monitoring everyone’s drinks and ensuring nobody is empty-handed, ordering more food every time we get low.
We’re at some bar calledThe Swan Dive.It’s the kind of pub you’d see in a small-town movie, full of heart and endless stories. I’m immediately obsessed, studying the details on the walls, the old, worn leather of the booths, and the way they’ve managed to weave a modern touch into a retro atmosphere.
I note the Lowes jersey in a frame behind the bar, a display light craned above it so that every patron realizes it’s there and it’s signed. There are mahogany pool tables, a small dance floor that’s scraped and bruised from years of abuse, and the coolest looking jukebox I've ever seen.
It’s everything I’ve never experienced and something about that is exceptionally charming. I mentally add this to my list of wishes. I want to design a place like this.
This city has heart. I like it here, despite the size and the distance away from anything and everything I’ve ever known. I don’t love it enough to ever live here. My greatest nemesis is still, and will always be, the winter season, but yeah—I’d come and visit.
I slide into my seat next to Arden with a fresh martini. The bartender stared at me for a long second when I ordered it, and after a dramatic pause, he asked if I was sure. That’s a telltale sign that a martini is going to suck, if you didn’t know. I said yes anyway, so I’m just going to have to deal with it.
“How’d you guys meet, anyway? Have I ever asked that question?” Arden asks.
Declan, who is across from her, presses his lips together tightly as if he knows what’s coming. Instantly, the boys aroundthe table are groaning and shaking their heads, begging her to take the question back.
Colour me intrigued.
I lean forward, suddenlyveryinterested in this story.
“How did theymeet,or how did theyget together?” EJ asks, holding out his hands. “Because those are two very different stories.”
I sip my martini and nearly choke. Utterly horrible. Repulsive. That bartender should be arrested.
Arden opens her mouth, but quickly shuts it, sending Declan an apologetic look.
“We met in university,” he says, a slow smile pulling at his mouth.
He’s handsome, Declan Lowes. Pretty in the same manner as neoclassical architecture—stunning in that way that never quite goes out of style. He’s built up of the best kind of sharp edges, like someone took their time designing him–a cut jaw with a good beard that frames his face well. Accent all that with dimples as a focal piece and hazel eyes that light up his whole face—yeah, he’s what women would probably describe as the total package.
