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I glance across the room, relieved when I see Charlie has joined Trey and Jeremy at their table. Trey catches my eye and gives me a slight nod. My body relaxes some, and I take a drink of my whisky, letting the sweetness burn down my throat.
I look back into Serenity’s ice-blue eyes. “I fucked up.”
“And you don’t think she’ll forgive you?” Seren sounds doubtful, and I concede a small smile.
“She already has from what I can tell, but she’s giving me space to deal with my own doubts.”
Seren’s gaze burns with curiosity, but to my shock, she doesn’t ask me my secret. She watches as I line up my shot, hitting the white ball with a bit too much force. The solid ball I was aiming for goes wide, bouncing off the side of the felt and clacking into another cluster of balls, dropping a stripe into the pocket.
I wince.
Serenity smirks. “So you’re avoiding her?” she asks.
“I was,” I say with a sigh. “Trey invited her tonight, but I think I’m ready to talk about everything.”
Serenity glances in Charlie’s direction, and I follow her gaze. Jeremy is talking animatedly with his hands, and Charlie is giggling, the straw to her drink resting against her perfect lips.
Her eyes flick this way, and I look away quickly.
“I talked to her, you know,” Serenity says. I almost don’t hear her over the music and laughter filling the room.
I play dumb because this isn’t news to me. “When?”
“It was a couple weeks before Thanksgiving break, I think. I wasn’t planning on talking to her, but I was in the library one night…”
“I’m sorry, youwerewhere?” I interrupt with a shit-eating grin.
She flips me off. “Funny. Anyway, I saw her sitting at a table by herself, and she looked…lost and a bit frustrated, so I approached her against my better judgment.”
I remember the night in question well. My eyes wander back over to Trey and Charlie, as memories from that perfect night replay in my head. My dick hardens just thinking about how hot it was to have them both—together. I think I’m ready to take it farther now, with both of them.
“I told her about California, and we kind of called a truce. Then a few days ago, I met with her and Fiona for some drinks. They’re really nice people,” she admits guiltily. “And we were pretty mean.”
“Yeah,” I run my hands through my hair. “Tell me about it.”
“I’m not even going to ask why you hated Charlie so much, but I’m glad she’s around now.”
“So what else did you tell her?” I ask, taking a long sip of my drink.
“I told her about how you threatened to call CPS on my mom—how you saved me. I just wanted her to see that despite all the walls you put up to keep us out, underneath you are a good person.” Her eyes soften. “And you deserve to be loved.”
A lump forms in my throat, and I swallow it roughly. “That was uncharacteristically kind of you.” I smirk to hide my emotions and tug on her hair, and she swats my hand away. Then she leans over the pool table. “Eight ball, right corner pocket,” she says before sinking it smoothly.
I roll my eyes. “Okay, you win, Seren.”
“Rematch?” She asks with an evil grin.
I lean my pool cue against the wall and shake my head. “No way.”
This time when I look at Charlie, we lock eyes, and I swear my heart stops. I harden my gaze, trying to push down every emotion threatening to rush to the surface of my skin. Just then a large hand lands on my shoulder, breaking our eye contact. I look over at Jason, my high school buddy, who asks if I want to join him outside for a smoke break. I haven’t smoked in a long time, but I suddenly feel itchy and uncomfortable, like the room is closing in on me. So I nod and follow him to the back exit.
I place my hand against the door, but I can’t help but I glance back as I do. Charlie’s green eyes are tracking my movements, and they look a bit glazed over like she’s drunk—or getting there, anyway. But worse, they’re shining with obvious anger and hurt. Then, like the masochist I am, I keep my face carefully neutral and turn away.
CHARLIE
I’m kind of drunk. I’m also pathetic, I’ve decided as I stare dejectedly at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, gripping the edges of the sink tightly. I know I need to stop drinking now, or I’ll do or say something stupid. I squeeze my eyes closed and take a deep breath before stepping back into the crowded space.
I walk back toward where Trey and Jeremy are laughing with some girls from my high school. Before I went to the bathroom, they were talking my ear off about how they were in love with Seb in high school, and I had to stop my eyes from rolling to the back of my head becauseof coursethey were.
