Page 26 of Zero Chance

She laughed and hooked her arm through mine.“Yeah, me neither.Let’s go anyway.”

It was obvious the party had already started.I’d heard muted voices as people had begun to show.Then someone turned on booming music.But it didn’t really hit me until Xander opened her door, and we came almost face-to-face with a couple making out just outside her room against the wall.

“Oh God, sorry,” Xander said, squeezing around them.Tightening her grip on me, she whispered back, “Lock the door.Lock the door.”

I did as she asked and frowned at the guy who’d paused in sticking his tongue down the girl-with-him’s throat so he could ogle my legs.He sent me a heated smile, and I whipped my gaze forward again, huddling closer to Xander as she led us to the top of the steps.

Where we both froze.

“So?”Biting her lip, she sent me a timid wince.“Where do you want to go?”

I sent her a dismayed glance.“Why wouldIknow where to go?”

“Right.Sorry.Hey!”She lifted her brows.“What about we check out the garage?Keene and Alec were supposed to be in charge of setting up games out there.”

Keene.

I bobbed my head, even as my stomach dipped in anticipation.“Sounds good.”

So she started down the steps, dragging me along with her.

But as soon as we hit the landing to the front room, someone called her name.We turned together as Foster Union appeared through the people, his smile big and gorgeous as he pulled her into a hug.

“There you are.I was beginning to think you were going to hide in your room all night.”

“As if I wouldn’t celebrate my cousin becoming the first three-time national champ quarterback in school history,” she countered, returning his hug with a laugh.When they pulled away, the two smiled at each other with such similar family features I almost would’ve taken them for twins instead of cousins.

“And Raina,” Xander cheered, hugging her next.“It’s always good to see Foster’s better half.”

“Good to see you too, hon,” Raina returned, smiling at me in greeting as they pulled away.“Hey.I’m—oh my God.Waverly?”

I sent her a lame wave and mumbled, “Hi.”She came to the library quite a bit and was always friendly to me when she did.

“Wow, look at you.You look so different.”When she pulled me into a hug next, I stiffened in her arms but let her have her fill until she released me a moment later.“What…?”

She glanced at Xander in question, who shrugged.“She very graciously let me give her a makeover.But Oaklynn and I might’ve gone a little overboard with it.”

“Overboard in all the right ways,” Raina assured as she turned to her boyfriend.“Foster, can you believe—” But he was already being called away by a fan who wanted to take pictures with him.

Sighing, she shook her head.“Well, I’ve lost him for the rest of the night now.”Turning back to us, she brightened her smile.“Let’s get a drink in the kitchen.Have y’all tried Hudson’s Heaven in a Cup yet?I’m telling you, it’ll change your life.”

“Oh, I can’t.”Xander winced and set a hand over her stomach.“I have two more months before I’m cleared for a drink.”

“Right.Ugh.Sorry.”Raina rolled her eyes and bumped a hand against her forehead before she turned to me.“What about you, Waverly?”

I mutely shook my head.“No, thank you.”

With a defeated groan, Raina waved us forward.“Well, come with me anyway.You two can drink water.”

Xander and I exchanged a glance, and when we both shrugged, not having anything else to do, we followed the back of Raina’s wavy auburn hair toward the kitchen.

If anything, the place was even more crammed with people than the front room.And while Raina had no problem turning sideways to navigate through the crowd, Xander and I stalled short in the doorway, both of us overwhelmed by the press of bodies.Especially when some guy passing by must’ve copped a feel of Xander’s ass because she jumped and squeaked out a sound before scowling at him and growling, “Hands off, buddy.”

“What?”He grinned lasciviously and lifted both palms.“It slipped.”

She narrowed her eyes as he laughed and moved off with the flow of traffic.

I leaned toward her so she could hear me say, “Maybe there’s room to breathe in the garage.”

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