Page 33 of Tempting the Player
“I’m not following.”
“She asked you,” Mackenzie says. “We want to do it with you, so we wrote this song to show you that we’re serious. We won’t let you down if you let us perform with you. It’s a big deal now that you’re Ivy Greene.”
“She was always Ivy Greene,” Lennon says.
“You know what I mean,” Mackenzie says. “Now that everyone knows who you are, the expectations are different. We get that.”
“Basically, we’re saying we won’t fuck it up for you,” Eric says.
I’m hit with unexpected emotion that they did this for me, but it’s quickly overshadowed by nerves and anxiety about performing. “The song is amazing. The band is amazing. You don’t need me. I’ll talk to Paris.”
“Nobody cares about seeing us. They want you,” Lennon says, pushing a lock of his blond hair off his forehead.
“That’s not true. Everyone loved you at the party.”
“It’s not the same and you know it,” Eric says.
“At least sing the song with us right now.” Mackenzie smiles so sweetly at me. “Please?”
“With you?” We’ve never really sung together, except messing around with duets or belting out a song just for fun.
“Yes. Your range is better, so I’ll do harmony.”
I start to open my mouth to protest, but they’re all looking at me with such high hopes. Maybe a little jam session is exactly what I need right now.
“Let’s do it.”
11
JANE
“How areyou feeling now that Grady is gone?” Violet asks as she brings the bottle of wine into the living room. Daisy and Dahlia are sitting on either side of me, forming a circle when Vi sits. The three of them stayed home tonight and their boyfriends are nowhere in sight. They’re definitely worried about me.
“Good. He needed to get back to his wife and it’ll be nice to walk around campus without it looking like my dad is following me around.” He stayed longer than he should have. Three weeks because he’s stubborn. I told him to go after one.
“But you’re not nervous about...everything?” Daisy asks, voice quiet.
Vi fills our half-empty glasses and sets the empty bottle in the middle of us. “They said your room was most likely a random drunk asshole, right?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“So, there’s nothing to worry about?” Vi’s face wears a hopeful smile that I try to mirror.
“Exactly.” Which is what I told my parents. Besides, I can’t live my life afraid that something bad is going to happen at every turn.
“We’ve got your back.” Dahlia takes my hand and squeezes it. “One of us can stay with you at all times for a little longer, just to make sure.”
“Thanks.” I tilt my head to the side and rest it on her shoulder. “Not necessary, but thanks anyway.”
The four of us finish another bottle of wine while catching up. I don’t have much news that they don’t already know, but Dahlia tells us about her upcoming golf tournaments, then she and Violet talk about some of their design projects—they’re taking a production class this semester and get to put together an entire collection. It sounds both exciting and challenging. Daisy is drowning in homework and regretting being a double major. She got a second tattoo last month, another matching one with Jordan. They have his and her stick figures on their pinky fingers and now matching daisies on their ankles.
After that, the conversation turns to their boyfriends. And even though it’s been weeks since I’ve seen him, I can’t help but think of Hendrick.
It’s silly, considering I didn’t really know him that well, but I felt a spark with him. I haven’t felt that in a really long time. Maybe ever.
“I have a surprise.” Violet stands quickly and then sways. “Whoa. That last glass of wine hit me hard.”
She regains her balance and crosses the room to the front closet where she stores the beautiful gowns she creates. Throwing open the door, she turns back and smiles. “I made new dresses.”
