Page 1 of Don't Puck His Best Friend
1
Party Pressure
Harper
“Holyshit,Mads,”Ibreathe, staring up at the mansion ahead. “Whose place is this?”
“Connor’s parents’ house,” she says, like that explains anything to me. I don’t know who the hell Connor is. “They’re in Europe for the month, so naturally he decided to throw the mother of all victory parties.”
I sink deeper into my seat. “This is not what you said when you dragged me out. You said, ‘small get-together.’ This looks like half the university is here.”
My eyes flick through the parked cars and the others arriving. There’s a group of girls and one girl is wearing a short enoughdress that I can see her ass cheeks.Nice.I widen my eyes as I slowly turn my attention to Maddie.
“Where did you bring me?” I groan, not surprised by the ass cheeks but definitely annoyed. I imagined a barbeque with hot dogs and playing board games, not whatever college frat party this is.
Maddie turns off the engine and pivots to face me with that look. The one that says she’s about to deliver a lecture I don’t want to hear. “Harper, honey, you’re welcome! You’ve become a hermit. A cute, well-dressed hermit, but a hermit nonetheless.”
“I’m not a hermit. I just like to stay in bed and read books,” I argue.
Her eyes narrow. “All day?”
I scoff. “Yes, all day. It’s the best––”
“You’re twenty-one and you haven’t been on a date in eight months.”
I narrow my eyes at my cousin. “A date? So what I’m not dating. I’ve been busy with school—”
“You’re in freaking college acting like a nun! That’s not busy, that’s hiding.” Her eyebrow raises. It’s the same expression my mom always points out about her. She said Maddie makes a face when she’s mad and her eyebrows look like little rooftops.
I want to argue, but she’s not entirely wrong. Ever since the spectacular implosion that was my relationship with Bobby, two years of my life I’ll never get back, thank you very much, I’ve been perfectly content with my quiet little bubble. No drama, no disappointment, no waking up to find out the guy you thought you knew has been lying to your face for months.
“Look,” Maddie continues, her voice softening slightly and her brows toning down, “I’m not saying you need to fall in love tonight. But you’re too young and too hot to spend every weekend binge-reading through an entire library of books.”
“Hey, nothing is wrong with reading,” I counter, shaking my head. “I really need to get you on the Sarah J Maas because girl––”
She snorts. “Enough with the nerd talk! I’m not reading about some fairytale bull crap, not when there are parties like this happening.” Her eyes widen as she points at the mansion. She starts dancing to lighten the mood, doing the same disco move since we were kids.
Despite myself, I laugh. This is why Maddie is my favorite cousin, she can call me out on my bullshit while still making me smile. And her tin roof eyebrows always make me chuckle.
“Fine,” I say, unbuckling my seatbelt. “One hour. One drink. Then I’m calling an Uber and going back home to my very smutty book club read of the month.”
“Deal. But Harper?”
“Maddie?”
She grins wickedly. “Try to have a little fun. And maybe talk to someone who isn’t me or our Instacart delivery guy.”
“Whatever,” I mouth.
The music hits me like a wall the second we walk through the front door. The house is packed with people celebrating what I’m assuming is a sports victory, based on the jerseys draped over various shoulders and the general aura of testosterone-fueled celebration.
Oh God. Why would she bring me here?
There are crystal chandeliers casting a warm light over a crowd of college students who clearly don’t belong in a house this nice, red Solo cups everywhere despite the fact that there’s an actual bar setup in the corner, and more backward baseball caps than should be legal in one location.
“This is exactly why I avoid parties,” I mutter to Maddie as we push through the crowd toward the kitchen.
“What, because they’re fun?”
