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“Why don’t you grab her one?” Avery suggests as she takes the stool beside me. “Get me one while you’re at it,” she adds, tossing him a wink.
He arches a brow, smirking. “Is that any way to ask?”
“Please, Iver baby,” Avery coos, batting her lashes and pouting her lips.
He cackles a laugh, pushing up from the couch. “Okay, only if you promise toneverdo that again.”
She sticks her tongue out at him and he waves her off with a grin, turning to stride away in search of beverages.
“You can callmebaby anytime, Avery,” Ares cuts in, waggling his eyebrows.
She rolls her eyes at him. “Keep it in your pants, Raines.”
A giggle slips past my lips, even though my heart aches with envy as I watch my friends interact with one another. I miss this- the easy banter and playful jibes. I used to be right in there with them, giving as good as I got. But now I’m on the outside, and I hate it.
Lo and Andie pass by Iver on their way to join us, Iver making a big show of checking Andie out and whistling in appreciation. Andie Raines is dressed to the nines tonight, her green sequin dress catching the lights like a disco ball and her auburn hair slicked back in a high ponytail. She’s got the fiery personality to match her hair color and she’s been dancing up a storm tonight, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on her skin.
“Hey there, birthday girl!” I greet cheerfully as she approaches, flashing Andie a bright smile.
“Hey, runaway,” she winks.
It’s not a nickname I’m fond of. Not that my friends would know any better- I’ve always laughed it off as if it doesn’t bother me. But it does, because Ididn’trun, not really. I never would’ve run.
Andie flops down onto the sofa beside her brother. “Where’s Archie?” she asks, stealing the plastic cup out of his hand.
“He disappeared a while ago with his girl,” Ares replies, side-eyeing Andie as she downs the rest of his drink.
She coughs after she swallows it, staring down into the empty cup with a grimace. “Ugh, what the hellwasthat, jet fuel?!”
He shrugs a shoulder. “I was trying to make a long island,” he smirks.
“Remind me to never,everlet you make me a drink.” She scrunches her nose in disgust, swinging her gaze around until it lands on Madd. “Hey, grumpy pants! Gimme some of that whiskey.”
Madd looks up for the first time since I sat down, the muscle in his jaw feathering as he lifts his chin. “Come and get it.”
Lo rolls her eyes, stepping over to snatch the liquor bottle from Madd’s grasp. “Don’t be a dick, it’s her birthday.”
He scowls, but doesn’t make any move to actually stop Lo from taking the whiskey over to Andie. She tips a sizable pour into the birthday girl’s cup before returning the bottle to Madd’s tattooed fist.
“What’s got you all broody tonight?” Lo asks, dropping onto the couch beside him.
His navy blue eyes flicker in my direction, but Avery quickly comes through with the save, sparing both of us the discomfort of the truth.
“Roxy’s all pissed off because he spilled a drink on her,” she says coolly. “She’s still in the bathroom trying to get it out of her dress. Pretty sure she’s regretting wearing white.”
“Sure,that’swhy she’s pissed off,” Ares snorts.
Madd jerks his head toward him. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Ares must not register the warning in his tone, because he’s still wearing that goofy smile as he gestures to me and says, “well obviously she’s got bigger problems than a spilled drink, now that Sloane’s back…”
Madd’s grip tightens around the neck of the whiskey bottle, his inked knuckles turning white.
“That ship has sailed, bud,” Tristan cuts in, and I’m thankful he’s speaking up in an effort to diffuse the situation because Madd looks like he’s about to blow a damn gasket. The vein in his neck bulges, his posture tense.
“Has it, though?” Andie asks cheekily, glancing between the two of us with a conspiratorial smirk. She clearly hasn’t picked up on the obvious tension- no doubt thanks to the amount of alcohol currently coursing through her bloodstream.
And as if anyone else needs to pile on, Iver returns at that moment with two cups in hand and jumps right into the conversation. “I’m just waiting for you two to run together on the full moon, find out once and for all whether you’re fated,” he says with a teasing grin. “The rest of us still have bets going, you know.”
