Page 82 of Stay
Austin scrolls to the next picture. It’s one of me and the guy I’d been dancing with. My profile is clear in the shot, but his isn’t. It’s a little shocking to realize that someone snapped a picture of us and sent it to Austin. A pit grows at the bottom of my belly as I glance from Austin’s phone to Cole. He doesn’t look upset, but he doesn’t look happy either.
“We were just dancing.” Cole and I are in such a good place. I don’t want to do anything to ruin that.
He searches my gaze for a silent moment before his expression lightens. “Okay.”
Air rushes from my lungs in relief that he’s dropped the subject so easily.
“Where’s Brooklyn?” The question is clipped out as Austin scans the sea of revelers.
I nibble at my lower lip. My fear is that she’s still with that guy. Austin is already tap dancing on edge. I don’t want anything to push him over the precipice.
“I’m not sure,” I hedge. “I was looking for her.”
His expression darkens. “Call her. See if she answers her phone, because I’ve been trying to reach her all night and she won’t pick up.”
Well, duh. You cheated on her.
I wisely keep that comment to myself.
I nod before pulling out my phone. Hopefully, I can warn her that Austin is here. After four rings, it goes to voicemail. I don’t have any other choice but to leave a message.
Once I shove the phone back into my pocket, I clear my throat. “I’ve already searched the backyard and she’s not there.”
He swears under his breath, continuing to crane his neck and look around.
Cole slips his arm around my shoulders before tugging me close as we push our way through the mob of people. “Why is Austin here? They aren’t together anymore.”
He nods toward his friend, who is clearing a path for us. The way his warm breath feathers across my ear sends a little shiver of awareness dancing down my spine.
“Austin swears he didn’t cheat on her. He just wants a chance to explain that to Brooklyn, but she won’t listen to him.”
My eyes narrow as I give him a skeptical look.
Cole returns the expression before raising a brow. “That photo of you didn’t exactly look innocent.”
My eyes widen. “We were dancing. Absolutely nothing else happened.”
Cole releases a steady breath. “I don’t want to talk about this rightnow. Let’s find Brooklyn and get out of here, because I can already tell Austin won’t be leaving without her.”
That’s exactly what I was afraid of.
Just as we round the corner into the living room, Austin grounds to a halt before bellowing Brooklyn’s name and charging toward the couch. As the crowd separates, I catch sight of Brooklyn sitting on a guy’s lap. It’s the same cute frat boy she’d been dancing with earlier. One of his hands is stroking her thigh beneath the short black skirt she’s wearing. Laughter falls from her lips as he whispers in her ear.
Before Brooklyn realizes what’s happening, Austin is yanking her up until she tumbles unsteadily into his arms. The guy she’s with jerks to his feet. When they’d been dancing earlier, I hadn’t realized how big he was.
He’s huge.
Then again, so is Austin. They square off, getting in each other’s faces. Brooklyn looks shellshocked before quickly snapping out of it.
“What the hell are you doing?” she yells. “You have no right to come here and pull me away! I can be with whoever I want. We’re not together anymore!”
Ignoring the angry frat guy, Austin attempts to cajole her with a soft voice and puppy dog eyes. “Babe, you’re just angry. You don’t really want to be with this douche. Please come home so we can work this out.”
The frat guy takes offense to being called a douche and knocks Austin in the chest, pushing him back a step. “Dude, she doesn’t want you. You and your friend need to get the hell out of here before this gets ugly.”
By the look on his face, he wouldn’t mind if things get ugly.
My gaze slides to the other guys in the room who have taken an interest in the confrontation. My guess is that his friends wouldn’t mind it getting ugly either.
