Page 87 of Try Hard
“I’m there,” Tanika said, and I’d always known her well enough to hear the loaded way she spoke when she was ridiculously excited to get gossip out of someone. So that made clear exactly what Kim was doing. As if it hadn’t been already.
I twisted in Eve’s arms, putting our faces dangerously close together. Her eyes dropped to my lips and, even with how quickly she looked back up at my eyes, the glance set my whole body tingling.
“Do you want another drink?” I asked her, unable to refrain from glancing at her lips too. Eve never wore makeup, but she was obviously a devotee of skincare, and her lips were no different—soft, smooth, and the perfect shade of pink.
“Fancy sharing a water? I’m parched, and it’s probably not long until they shut this thing down now, right?”
I nodded. “Sounds good.” There was no need for my voice to come out so breathless. I only hoped I was quiet enough in the loud club that the others didn’t hear.
“I don’t mean to keep you from drinking more… exciting things.”
“I don’t drink, Archer.” I hesitated, but I knew she’d put the pieces together and understand what I meant. “Control.”
She nodded, her face filled with understanding. I’d told her more than enough for her to comprehend just how much I needed to feel in control of my body. While I wasn’t going to stop anyone else from drinking, it simply wasn’t compatible with my needs.
I wasn’t sure these days, but I’d definitely read more than one article where she’d mentioned not being much of a drinker. In her case, it was for her sport and her health, but at least shehad some understanding of being at clubs and parties while not being a drinker. She wouldn’t be weird about it.
“Water sounds great,” I told her.
Eve simply smiled before she dropped her head to press another kiss to my shoulder. It set butterflies off in my entire body. She’d been doing that more frequently—my shoulder, the top of my head…
I hadn’t seen her kiss anyone else anywhere.
Reluctantly, I pulled away from her grasp, keeping hold of one of her thumbs for as long as I could as I followed Kim and Tanika through the crowd. Moving through it with Kim took even longer than I’d expected, but we were battling through her guests. It made sense they’d stop her to chat.
When we arrived at the bar, she and Tanika looked at me expectantly.
“So…” Kim drew out, “having fun?”
“Yes. Thank you.” I shot her a look, my brow furrowed. “Are you?”
“Obviously.” She wafted a hand in my direction. “But you’re liking the surprise I already gave you, yes?”
I frowned between her and Tanika, who was also grinning widely, hanging on every word of the conversation. “Sorry?”
“Eve!”
“Obviously,” Tanika added.
“You got meEveas a surprise? I don’t think you can gift people.” I felt myself stiffen and realised just how much I relaxed when held in Eve’s embrace. And it wasn’t like I hadn’t felt her return to my life like a gift, but still, this was weird.
“And we got her you. Keep up.” Kim grinned like she’d pulled off the world’s best heist.
“Why would she even want that?” I guess I didn’t need to ask why I would.
Tanika snorted. “Because sheobviouslydoes.”
“Yes,” Kim insisted. “Look, Tanika told me you had a crush on her back in school, and Kieran had always known she had one on you. So, when we realised we were going to get you both back in the same space, we couldn’t wait to see what happened!”
“And you have not disappointed.” Tanika gripped her face in her hands, eyeing me like she was ready to swoon. “You’resocute together.”
“We’re not together,” I said reflexively. It felt weak given how attached we’d been all night. I’d known what everyone was assuming, surely Eve did too.
Kim and Tanika both laughed like they didn’t believe me in the slightest before ordering their drinks. I ordered our shared water through a haze of knowing how coupley that was while also being stunned by the idea that Eve Archer had liked me back in school.
I was about ready to entertain that she might be a little into me now—at least while we were both stuck in Eddlesworth—but there was no way one of the most popular girls at school had been anywhere close to fancying me.
“Ah. She’s having a moment,” Tanika laughed when they both looked back at me.
