AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brady gags and covers his ears. “I don’t need to hear this!”
Wren laughs and shoves him out of the bathroom by a hand on his chest. “Shoo then. We need some girl time.” She shuts the door in his face and spins around to face my reflection. “Maybe a New Year’s pash and dash is just what you need to forget.”
That’s exactly what I said about Conrad. Just a distraction. That’s all he was ever supposed to be. So why can’t I help wondering if he’s going to be there tonight?
I roll my eyes. “I’m only coming because you and Brady won’t let me stay at home with a glass of wine and a good book,” I remind her as I brush bronzer over my face. “So, no: I don’t have any pashing on my agenda.”
“Not even–”
“Please don’t push it, Wren.”
“Fine,” she huffs. She pulls out her own makeup bag and starts searching through it. “But you’re gorgeous, and I love you. I just want to see you happy.”
I set down my mascara and pull her in for a hug. “I know you do. And I love you for that. But I’m not ready to put myself back out there just yet. Besides, Icanbe happy without dick in my life.”
Wren snorts. “I feel sorry for that vibrator,” she says–perhaps a little too loudly.
Brady groans on the other side of the door, sending us both into roaring laughter. I shake my head. Maybe thisiswhat I need: a night out with my best friend, celebrating the new year like a normal twenty-year-old girl.
“Okay.” Wren pulls back and smiles at me. She holds her pinkie finger out to me. “But promise me you’ll let me know as soon as youareready to put yourself back out there?”
I force a smile as I try and block Conrad’s face from my mind. I lock my pinkie with hers and we bring our joined hands up to our lips and kiss our thumbs. “Promise.”
I’m the worst best friend in the world.
SIX
CONRAD
I SINK BACK into the couch, pulling my cap low over my face. Considering how small Blue Haven is, I haven’t caught so much as a glimpse of Ivy in the past three weeks. The last thing I need is for her to assume I’m following her. Had I known she’d be here tonight, I may have opted to stay home. Although Ihavebeen actively trying to avoid my house since Christmas. My life’s a fucking mess.
She follows Bradyand Wren to the makeshift bar on the dining table. Brady grabs drinks for himself and Wren, and I watch Ivy’s hand hover over a bottle of vodka before she snags a can of lemonade instead.Huh… maybe what I said actually had an impact.
I take advantage of the fact that she hasn’t noticed me and let my eyes rake over her body. I admire the way that white strapless dress clings to her curves in a way that makes my hands jealous. I shift uncomfortably in my seat as I think about how nicely her ass filled my hands. Long, blonde waves cascade over her shoulder and when she flips them, I swear I can smell her flowery scent from across the room. I groan as my dick twitches behind my jeans. What the fuck am I thinking? Ivy Willis is no flower–she’s fragile like a bomb. And I’m not interested in setting it off.
Rupert elbows me in the ribs, jolting me back to reality. I shake my head to clear it and turn to him with a scowl. “What?” I snap–maybe a bit harsher than I’d intended.
The idiot doesn’t even flinch at my tone and my frustration boils over as he taps his nose and gives me a wink. “You coming?”
“Pass,” I mutter, taking a mouthful of my drink. “I don’t touch that shit anymore, and you shouldn’t either. You know Coach is drug testing this season.”
“Only a couple more weeks to have fun.” Rupert’s smirk turns my stomach. I find myself wondering why the fuck I still hand around him. If the smarmy prick weren’t my teammate, I wouldn’t have anything to do with him.
He scrambles to his feet, shouting out to a couple of guys across the room. I curse as Ivy’s gaze lands on me, eyes narrowing. I arch my brow in response, daring her to do something, but to my relief she grabs Wren by the arm and drags her to the backdoor. Good. Out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, Brady catches the silent interaction between me and his sister, and makes a beeline for me.
“The fuck was that?” he asks, towering over me.
Fuck this. I’m not about to let him try to intimidate me. I stand and meet his cold, hard stare. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Willis.”
I move to walk away, but he grabs my arm. “Stay away from her, Foster. She's way too good for you.”
I sigh. “There’s nothing going on with me and Ivy. Just chill.”
“Keep it that way. We want nothing to do with you. Don’t think we’re ever going to forget what you did to Tom.”
My jaw clenches, but I don’t defend myself. There’s no point–he won’t believe me anyway. Everyone thinks I name Tom as my dealer, but I didn’t say a word. All I know is Dad busted the three of us smoking weed behind the school gym, and the next thing I knew the cops were raiding his house. Whatever they found was enough to send him away on distribution charges.
He’s out now, but Jasper and I aren’t stupid. We know he blames us. Why wouldn’t he? The poor kid who couldn’t afford a decent lawyer got sent to prison, while the two rich kids got away clean. Our friendship was instantly over, and we stayed away from each other.
