AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With an impatient sigh, I shove away from the sink and leave the bathroom to head back down the hallway.
Even more people have arrived in my absence. I have to maneuver my way through them to reach the kitchen for another beer. I finished my first, but that’s not why I’m in here. I’m looking for Lennon. And she’s standing by the sink. Talking to Ryan James, of all people.
I grab another bottle of beer and slam the fridge door shut harder than necessary. My gaze stays fixed on nothing but the condensation dripping down the side of the brown glass as I head back into the living room, taking a seat on the couch to the right of the fireplace. After a couple minutes of solitude, Colt makes his way over.
He sinks down beside me. “Reunion not all you were hoping for?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie, taking a long swig of beer.
“We can skip past this shit, Winters. It’s pretty fucking obvious how you feel about her.”
“Whatever,” I mutter, drinking more beer.
“You planning to do anything about it?”
I make a purposefully unintelligible sound, and Colt sighs before standing and leaving the living room.
It only takes a few seconds for Poppy Tisdale to fill his empty seat. She asks me a few questions about college, and then launches into a long description of the sorority she joined, clearly thrilled to have what appears to be my undivided attention.
I’m paying attention, but I’m definitely not focused on her. Especially once Robin Jones joins us on the small couch and jabbers away about her own sorority experience.
But I sure act focused on them when Lennon enters the room. I’m not proud of it. But my pride is still smarting from watching her in the kitchen with Ryan, and it’s a hell of a lot easier to pretend I’m listening to what Poppy and Robin are saying than facing why it bothered me so much.
By the time I finish my third beer, which Robin helpfully provides, I’m feeling pretty damn good. The turkey sandwich I wolfed down is no longer absorbing much alcohol, if any, and I’ve hit that sweet spot where colors seem a little brighter and jokes a little funnier, before the world turns hazy and anything anyone says sounds amusing.
The crowd around me has grown, hanging on to my every word as I describe the slip and slide set up during the first week of classes for the entire baseball team.
About halfway through my story, Jake appears. “Caleb, I need to talk to you. Right now.”
His serious tone is enough to capture my attention, but his use of my first name ensures it.
I stand up immediately and follow Jake into the front hallway. “What’s going on?” I ask urgently.
“Not here,” he replies, veering to the right. Jake slides open a glass door, and steps out onto the back deck that overlooks the expansive backyard. There’s about ten people standing on it, and several more standing on the patio that melds into the covered pool.
“What is it?”
“I need one more person for pickup,” Jake responds.
I stare at him for a minute, slowly registering there’s no serious problem. “You’re joking.”
“Nope.” His serious exterior falls away. “Come on, Winters,” he pleads. “Your fan club will still be around later.”
“This doesn’t have anything to do with my fan club,” I reply. “I took a three-hour exam this morning and then drove for a few hours. I don’t want to play baseball right now.”
“Excuse me,” a familiar voice says. “You’re blocking the door.”
I keep my gaze straight ahead, but know the grin spreading across Jake’s face means he’s recognized the voice as well. “Lennon!” He turns to face her. “Any interest in a ball game?”
“You just said there was only one spot,” I point out.
“You just said you weren’t going to play,” Jake replies.
Lennon ignores our side commentary. “I’ll pass,” she replies. “I was just leaving.”
“Bummer,” Jake responds. “I thought you liked party games. Or was it only Truth or Dare?”
I send him a warning glare for that comment, but Lennon beats me to a verbal response. “I’m sure you can convince Caleb to play. Although he doesn’t seem to be verydaringtonight.”
