Page 60 of A Little Bit Reckless
“I’m going to go find the guys,” I said to the three of them, and I didn’t miss the look Squeak gave me before I left. She still had that longing look. Like she needed something from me when I had nothing to give her.
I need a drink.
Finding my friends was only part of my excuse for leaving. I stole a glass of champagne off a tray from a nearby server, chugging it down before scanning the crowd.
I found Dorian right away. He was in the center of the hoard that was Maywood Heights’ socialites. This didn’t surprise me since he was the man of the hour. He was taller than nearly everyone in his black-on-black tux. His girlfriend, Sloane, was curiously absent. Ares was with him. He was the only one taller than Dorian, and his fiancée, Fawn, wasn’t with him either. I could imagine both their girls were together since they were good friends.
I noticed right away that Bru wasn’t in the hoard of guests that were all up on my buddy Dorian, and that was the only reason I felt comfortable pushing my way through the crowd to get to him. I wasnottrying to deal with Bru right now.
“Looking good, my friend,” I said to Dorian once I fought through the crowd. His classic black-on-black ensemble made him stand out. This was his party, and he should. He also had his blond hair moussed back like mine.
Look at us all looking like classy guys, men. I shook Dorian’s hand. “And I’ve said it before, but congratulations.”
I was so fucking happy for my friend. He was starting this whole new life soon, and I knew playing football was his dream. The rest of us might be good at tossing a ball, but Dorian lived for it. He was so fucking good, and it was his passion.
“Thanks,” he said, hugging me after the shake. He grabbed my shoulder. “And you’re not looking bad yourself. Almost like a classy fucker.”
I jostled him, but I’d been thinking the same thing. Ares smirked watching the two of us, then shook my hand too. Could this dude not look like a fucking runway model? He wore a regular black-and-white tux, but his curly hair was all out on his shoulders looking like a damn Pantene Pro-V ad. I hugged him after our handshake. “’Sup, my dude?”
“Nothing much, man. Just living,” Ares said, and he was doing that shit so well. Ares had a cancer scare not far back, but he was doing so awesome now. He was moving on to the next stage of his life too, and Fawn would be with him.
I asked him about her as well as Sloane. There was never a place these guys went without their girls. I also mentioned Thatcher and Bru at the tail end. I said Thatcher took a call with Aspen. That made the guys roll their eyes which was ironic as fuck considering how they were with their own girls.
It wouldn’t have made sense if I didn’t ask where Bru was too, so I did but made it sound casual.
“The girls are in the bathroom and Bru hasn’t arrived yet. At least, I haven’t seen him,” Dorian said, and I nodded. Again, I kept it casual. Looking around, I noticed everyone was here but him. I even spotted all of our parents in various parts of the room but no Bru. That wasn’t like him to be fashionably late. Maybe he was picking up a date or something.
I didn’t care about that. He could date whoever he wanted, and he should.
I found another glass of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray. Bru had tried reaching out to me a time or two ortwelvesince that fucked-up shit that happened at the house. I ignored all attempts though. I had just as much to say to him as I did toSqueak. Not talking to him was a feat since we lived in the same house, but I managed.
It only made me that much more grateful that the semester was basically over. I’d move back home like I did every summer and wouldn’t have to use an excuse to avoid him.
Dorian glanced around. “Where’s Bow? I thought you were escorting her.”
“Last I saw her, she was with my parents,” I said before downing the rest of my drink.
“That was nice of you, to escort her,” Dorian said. He found some champagne off a waiter’s tray, and Ares did the same beside him. Dorian laughed. “Though, I’m ninety percent sure that’s you still trying to get in good with your dad.”
There wasn’t much my friends didn’t know when it came to me. They knew Bow and I didn’t get along. They also knew that I needed her to pass my classes and please my parents, more specifically my father. They knew all that. They knew many things.
Certain things, though, I kept closer to the cuff. Dorian and Ares wouldn’t be happy about what happened with Bow either. She was like a sister to them, and they loved her. They protected her for Thatcher just like I had in the past.
I gripped my glass. “Nah, that’s over.”
I passed my classes. Or at least, I would. I just had to wait for grades to be posted, and I knew those would be fine. I knew the material on my final exams cold.
I had to do a lot of work those final weeks. I stopped sessions with Bow and Bru, so I knew I was on my own. I was, but I managed.
Ares took a sip from his glass. His head cocked. “Any reason why you’re escorting her tonight, then?”
I wasn’t surprised he was asking me that, but before I could answer, his fiancée, Fawn, and Dorian’s girlfriend, Sloane, cameover. Both girls were fancied up in ballgowns. Fawn had on a green dress that was sleeveless and highlighted all the colorful tats on her arms, and Sloane wore classic black like Dorian. She probably did that to match him.
Sloane looked pissed. In fact, she’d stalked over to our group with the look of a determined woman, and I didn’t understand until I saw the tiny person between her and Fawn.
My eyes lifted. Squeak’s arm was in Sloane’s hand. She was no longer with my parents, and as soon as Sloane brought her up to our small group, Sloane smacked me up against the head.
“The fuck?” I growled but backed off when Dorian shot mea look.I wasn’t about to go toe-to-toe with that dude. He got crazy when it came to his girl, but I also wasn’t about to let myself get bitch-slapped either. I rubbed my head. “What’s the big idea?”
