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He’d found me staring at him. My breath caught, but I couldn’t look away. A fire began to smolder inside me.
“For the sake of not being a fifth wheel right now, I’ll be right back,” Mia said.
“Where are you going?” I asked, panic seeping into my voice.
“I suddenly have this overwhelming urge to play a game of pool.”
Mia jumped up and left me on the bench with Devlin sitting almost at my feet. He stood up slowly, his eyes still glued on me. He sat on the bench and faced me.
“Naomi, right? That’s what your friend called you,” he said.
Heat blasted through me, and I took a big breath forcing my eyes away. “I’m sorry. I can’t,” I breathed.
I jumped up and followed Mia just to get away from him. I caught up with her just before she got to the blue-haired girl.
“What the hell are you doing, Naomi?”
“I can’t do this,” I said.
“You can. Jesus, what are you, twelve?”
“The whole thing just makes me feel uncomfortable. I can’t—”
“I know,” she spat. “You keep saying that. Role-play.”
“What?”
“Try role-playing. You were in all the musicals in school. Pretend this is a hot and steamy musical and you play the part of the little tramp attracted to a hot bad boy.”
“Mia.”
“I’m serious. It’ll help break the ice. Besides, part of that is true. You’re as hot for him as he is for you. It’s written all over your face.”
“I’m not doing that.”
“Fine. Die an old maid. See if I care,” Mia said with a shake of her head.
“You’re being overdramatic.”
“We’ll see.” She pursed her lips and turned to talk to the girl. “How much to play?” she asked flirtatiously, clearly dismissing me.
I tried looking interested in the game, but when her arm snaked around the woman’s waist, I knew I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Feeling like I was the odd one out, I turned away from them and looked for Camilla, who was hot and heavy with her own intimate connection.
Devlin wasn’t on the bench anymore. I looked around for him. Had he given up? A glimpse of him at the beer booth eased the tension built inside me. I inhaled the stress away and decided to check out some of the events on my own.
I spent the next hour enjoying some carnival food I normally didn’t allow myself to eat. I laughed at my old principal dropping into the water at the dunking booth. I watched a show involving death-defying acts never to be tried at home. Just as the show was finishing, I received a text from Mia.
If you’re with Mr. Hottie, don’t bother responding. Just checking up on you.
I’m not with Devlin. I’m by myself.
Why?
When your friends abandon you for sex, you tend to try to entertain yourself.
Hey, you had your chance.
Thanks.
Where are you?
In the midway… on the bleachers.
Stay there. On my way.
I scoffed. I thought about getting up and leaving, but I wasn’t about the drama. So, I waited.
When Mia and Camilla showed up, I smiled, happy they were without company. They sat on either side of me and smiled.
“What?” I asked.
“Did you at least talk to him?” Camilla dug in as soon as she sat down.
I shook my head. “I’m not interested.”
“Fucking liar,” Mia teased, leaning her body into mine. She was right, but I wasn’t about to admit it.
“Come on,” Mia stood up and reached out to take my hand. “Let’s drink too many wine slushies and find a spot before the fireworks start.”
I took her hand, and we did just that.
CHAPTER 2
Devlin
I DOWNED the rest of my beer and ordered another one before taking off to the midway with Bones. He bought a beer for each hand and slammed back one of them before we got out from under the beer tent.
“So, the brunette?” Bones began.
“What about her?”
“What’s this chick’s deal?” he asked. “Is she playing hard to get, or is she just not interested?”
“She’s interested,” I said. I didn’t need to justify anything to him, but he was my best bud.
“She doesn’t seem to be.”
“Because she didn’t fall all over me the moment I showed interest? Maybe she actually has a decent moral in her pretty little head,” I offered.
“I dunno, man.”
“Oh, maybe it’s because she wouldn’t take you up on your invitation to go swimming in my pool.”
“There’s that too.”
“I like how you made it sound like you owned it,” I said with a smirk.
“Hey, su casa, mi casa. Right?”
“It’s your story, tell it how you want. She’s one of the ones worth waiting for.”
“And you know that from one meeting?”
I didn’t dignify his question with an answer, but deep down, I knew.
I scanned the crowd and spotted Naomi down the street with her friends, which included the girl Mia had successfully gotten closer to. Mia’s arm was slung around her, their faces nestled against one another. I settled my gaze on Naomi, watching her smile and laugh with her friends, and smiled a little.
