Page 12 of Bad Boy Done Wrong
“Stop trying to change the subject,” Sabrina said gently.
Carrie focused on twisting off the cap and taking a long drink, not about to share her wish list again. Now that Zach had it, no one else had to know. Finally, the weight of everyone’s stares prompted her to say, “Ally said it, not me.”
“It was Zach,” Ally shared.
“They know who it was,” Carrie said, pressing the cold drink to her forehead. They’d all been at Zach’s welcome-home party last night, but the guys had monopolized him, so none of her friends knew that much about him. Like her, they only knew Zach was close to the Campbells and hadn’t been home in years on account of being in “no man’s land.” Their friend Mad Campbell was working today or she’d probably have filled them in. Carrie quickly decided the less she knew about Zach, the better. She didn’t want to get too attached.
“How was the beard?” Sabrina asked.
“I don’t kiss and tell,” Carrie said, biting back a smile.
The women eyed her. Their romance book club had started as a singles book club (now some of the members were engaged or married) and they always shared the details of their love lives. She knew she wasn’t doing her part, but hell. She was done with doing what was expected of her. She wasn’t looking for love. As far as she could tell, love was a quiet domestic arrangement like her elderly parents, or suffocating like her and her controlling ex. Either way, it promised a lifetime of boredom and responsibilities. She wantedpassion. And Zach was willing to give it to her.
Hailey propped up on her elbows, a vision in pink—teeny pink bikini, pink-framed sunglasses, pink lipstick, and matching polish on her fingers and toes. She was a former beauty queen with long strawberry blond hair, pale blue eyes, and flawless skin with the heart of a die-hard romantic. For other people, anyway, not herself. She was Clover Park’s one and only wedding planner, a self-professed love junkie and happy ending facilitator. “I completely understand your discretion, Carrie. You’re a classy lady. Speaking of classy ladies, would anyone like to go on a date with Ethan? I’m trying to show the rumor that he’s a sex addict wasn’t true and that he’s a perfectly fine candidate for ladies like us.”
The women tittered. Poor Ethan. The rumor of his sex addiction was a whole other crazy story. Suffice it to say, he wasnota sex addict, but the rumor had stuck, as often happened in small towns. Hailey was determined to right that wrong. She was keen on everyone having a happy ending.
Carrie pulled a bag of potato chips from her cooler and offered it to Hailey. “Why don’t you go out with him?”
Hailey waved the chips away. “No time. Too busy building my business.”
“But you have time for us,” Carrie said, passing the bag to Sabrina.
Hailey sighed and pulled her long hair up, fanning the back of her neck. “Men are work. You ladies keep me sane.” She dropped her hair and looked around the group. “Anyone for Ethan? You don’t have to be alone with him. I’ll get him to Garner’s on Thursday after book club. Just smile and flirt so everyone knows he’s cool.”
“Can’t,” Ally said. “I’m getting back together with Dean next month.”
“I’m with Zach for now,” Carrie said.
“For now?” the women echoed in near harmony.
“Once through her sex list,” Ally explained. “Not in order, though. Bad boys don’t follow rules.”
Carrie chomped on a chip. “Can you just say wish list?”
“Carrie!” Sabrina exclaimed. “You’re driving us crazy with these little hints.”
“Yeah,” Lexi chimed in. “Come on, it’s us!”
“How bad is he?” Missy wanted to know.
“The sex list is more like a wish list,” Carrie shared. “To make up for what I missed with my ex. Zach’s cool with everything.”
Hailey pushed her sunglasses up and gave her a hard look, her pale blue eyes piercing. “This is quite possibly the worst idea I’ve ever heard. You simply can’t go through with it.”
Carrie frowned, annoyed. If she wanted a fling, she could have one. She couldn’t think of a single good reason not to. “Why not?”
“Because you’re a good girl,” Hailey explained in a patient voice. “This will get messy with hurt feelings, and guess who’s going to feel that hurt the most?”
“Her,” Ally said, pointing to Carrie.
Hailey dropped her sunglasses back in place. “Yes. I know you, Carrie, you have a sensitive loving heart.”
Carrie clenched her jaw, biting back the sharp remark that immediately came to mind.Do I haveto be a bitch to have fun?She knew Hailey had good intentions. It was just that Carrie had finally gotten up the courage to go for it and she wanted her friends to be happy for her, not hold her back. She spoke in a carefully controlled tone. “I can handle a fling.”
“You should get to know him,” Hailey insisted. “Give him a chance to get to know you and make something real.”
“But—” Carrie started.
