Page 23 of Fast Lane

“Yes, your highness.” I climb out of bed and open my closet door. From the shelf I pull out a dollar store tiara and birthday girl sash. “Here you go.”

She claps excitedly as she gets to her knees on the bed. “My very own tiara. I really do feel like royalty.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Yes, you are the queen of the dollar store.”

Baylor chunks a pillow in my direction. “No raining on my parade.” She places the tiara and sash on before sitting back in my bed while I take a seat at my desk that doubles as a vanity more than anything. Her soft green eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Are you still bummed about Roscoe?”

After I got home the other day I spilled everything to Baylor. The almost kiss had shocked me to my very core and I needed someone to put some perspective on it. Of course, Baylor is familiar that normally Roscoe and I are more like enemies, but I explained how things have seemed different, for lack of a better word, the last few times we had been around one another. She declared that my “hate” for him was a cover for my underlying feelings that I’ve been subconsciously harboring for years now. Normally, I’d call bullshit but I kind of have a feeling she may be onto something. You don’t almost kiss someone you actually dislike. Ever since that awakening revelation I’ve been in a bit of funk. It’s her birthday so I’m trying to keep it under wraps but I know it’s still showing. I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know what I am to Roscoe to be honest. At first I wanted to deny your theory but the more I think about it I think you might be right. Which bugs me on a whole new level.” My eyes roll.

Baylor stays silent for a minute before she crawls to the end of the bed. “If it’s any consolation I think he’s into you just as much.”

I growl in frustration. “That’s not true. I don’t want to be into Roscoe. I mean what’s the point? It would never work. We are completely opposite.”

“Opposites do attract, or so they say,” Baylor adds.

I turn to give her a ‘come on’ look. “I couldn’t even make it work with Colby who understood me on every level and had been with me for years. There’s no chance in hell Roscoe could do that.”

I can tell Baylor is biting her tongue so I sit quietly waiting for her to give in, which probably takes about twenty seconds. “Okay, yes the two of you are opposite but there’s more to him. He’s funny and kind and hella hot. I seriously think he’s just as into you as you are to him. I’m just saying maybe don’t count him out just yet. Give it a minute… think about it… truly consider it.”

A few hours later I’m still running Baylor’s words through my head. Eventually, coming to the conclusion that she’s right. Maybe, I’m not giving him enough credit and maybe I should consider it. Either way I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to Free Fall tomorrow to start working because I took the job and I can’t avoid Roscoe forever. As I grab an order and head back out to the dining area I see some of the James brothers filing in along with their wives. Jaxx and Kenndrix are with Ace and Kynlee. Summer waves to me as I head their way. “The back corner is reserved for the party. Head on over and I’ll be there to grab your drink orders.” I avoid Jaxx’s eyes because the last thing I want is to see the look of sympathy I’m convinced I’d find there.

After dropping off the order on my tray I swing back around and grab the drink orders of the people already here for Baylor’s party. Over the next twenty-five minutes everyone else arrives. Even Tillman, Odette, Decker, and the rest of the Street Kings. The Street Kings are a group of foster boys who Tillman and Decker have taken under their wing. They provide them with a place to live and the boys help pay bills by earning money street racing or working jobs. They all look really excited to be here. I can’t help but be happy for all of them.

Baylor arrives in style. Her gold sequined mini dress shines as bright as she does. A black and gold studded belt is wrapped around her waist with gold heels. Makeup dark and mysterious looking along with a few dainty pieces of gold jewelry. Her red hair is perfectly curled and teased and dancing around her shoulders. Her birthday tiara is in place on top of her head and sash in her hand. She waves at me as she enters. I meet her. “You look amazing!”

She beams at me and does a little spin. “Why thank you, darling! Just a little something I grabbed for myself. How’s work?”

“It’s busy but I’ll make time to come by off and on.” Baylor smiles at me. “I also made a decision.”

Her eyes go large. “About Roscoe?” I give her a ‘keep it down’ look and she gives me an apologetic look. “Sorry, I didn’t think about them all being here.”

“He’s not just Bowie and Lane’s best friend, but yes about him. I’m going to stop avoiding him and see how things go.”

Baylor does a little clap and jump thing and I laugh. “I’m so excited for you.” As I watch her excitement I feel mine drain as my eyes are drawn to the front door. Roscoe enters and he looks amazing. The cranberry short-sleeved button up compliments his tanned skin. It’s unbuttoned to mid chest revealing a black muscle tank underneath. Dark denim jeans and black combat boots finish his look along with a couple of silver rings and a necklace I can’t make out from here. Roscoe's hair is perfectly slicked back and his stubble is neatly trimmed down. Now that I’ve accepted that something else might happen, I can’t look away from him. Then, almost in what feels like slow motion, he steps up to a girl and wraps an arm around her shoulders nonchalantly. I don’t know when Baylor turns around but she makes a sound of disgust. “Why the hell is he with that troll hoe?”

Normally, I’d laugh at that comment but right now it feels like the air has been sucked out of the room. Before I realize what I’m doing I’m turned around and heading for the restroom. I rush inside with Baylor on my heels. I was so stupid. I knew that we were too opposite but I let myself think that for a moment that didn’t matter.

Baylor is fuming behind me. “Oh my… hells freaking bells! What is he thinking?” She paces back and forth while I lean back against the cool wall. “He can’t almost kiss you then bring another girl here!” She throws her hands up in frustration. The door opens and I swear the night can’t get any worse. Baylor swings around only to come face to face with the exact reason I rushed into the restroom to begin with. Petite, doe-eyed, blonde bimbo that Roscoe dragged in here.

The girl stops short in the doorway when her gaze collides with Baylor’s. Recognition comes over her features. “Baylor, the birthday girl.”

“Yep,” Baylor replies. Her answer is short and snippy, her arms crossing over her chest as she does. The awkwardness and tension fills the area.

The girl bites down on her bottom lip. “Am I interrupting something?” Uncertainty visible on every feature of her face and the way her body tenses.

In the reflection of the mirror I can see Baylor about to say yes. And while I love her for having my back, I can’t let her make this girl feel any more out of place than she already does. It’s not her fault that she’s landed in the middle of awkward-ville. She wasn’t the one who almost kissed me a few days ago. This is on Roscoe. Then again it’s really not. Baylor and I just totally misread the situation. Obviously, he wasn’t that into me. He just got caught up in the moment. If he was into me he wouldn’t have brought this girl. So, before Baylor can answer I shake my head and tell her no. She gives me a grateful smile and steps around Baylor and into a stall.

Baylor turns and gives me a ‘are you crazy?’ look. I just shrug my shoulders. The only crazy thing I’ve done lately was to actually consider giving Roscoe a chance. The worst part is I don’t even have a right to be upset about the current situation. Roscoe and I have never been anything other than enemies to a certain extent. I have no claim on him. An almost kiss doesn’t give me anything to fight with. The girl steps out of the stall and heads to the sink. Baylor and I stand there in awkward silence. I try to ignore the girl's existence while Baylor seems fine staring her down. The girl fixes her lipstick then turns around and Baylor steps in her path. “You came with Roscoe, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Baylor makes a show of looking her up and down. When people call Baylor feisty they aren’t kidding. “You’re new.” The girl opens her mouth I’m assuming to reply, but after a moment it snaps shut and she looks dumbfounded. “What’s your name?”

“Chrissy,” she squeaks out.

“Where did he find you? On the corner of Hollywood Boulevard?”

My eyes nearly bug out of my head. I’ve heard about the protective Baylor from Summer but I’ve never seen her in action. I can’t just stand there and let her do this to Chrissy. “Baylor,” I scold her.

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