I mean, who does this sort of thing?
“He likes all of us to look the same yet different. Bring some of our own personality to the outfit, you know?” T ran her gaze over Jen and me. “I know you were just given the outfits but the next time you work, make sure you add something to give yourself a little more pizazz. Individuality.”
“What if I can’t afford it?” I had to ask. I’m mostly a broke joke. The biggest extravagance I’ve given myself is the damn tattoo with the initials of a man who ditched me. The expensive shoes I wear? A gift from Drew. The same ones I wore the night of that crazy country club dinner, when he kissed me for the first time.
Just the memory of his lips grazing mine sent a shiver stealing over me.
“Fable, you can go to one of those cheap stores in the mall and pick up a three-dollar necklace. There’s Target and Walmart too.” Shaking her head, T starts to walk away. “Get those tables set up. Doors open in fifteen!”
Jen and I busily finish setting up the tables, polishing glass, lighting candles, sweeping the bare wood floors. Colin comes in, offering murmured words to Jen I couldn’t quite catch before he locks his gaze with mine and heads toward me.
“Much improved,” he says, stopping directly in front of me, crossing his arms in front of him. He’s wearing a black T-shirt that stretches across his wide shoulders and chest and black pants. The dark clothing only seems to emphasize the golden hair, the golden skin, the pale green eyes.
Ugh. And I hate how proprietary he seems. Yet that approving light in his gaze secretly pleases me. Makes me want to stand tall and preen like a good little girl who’s done right.
Sick and twisted, I know.
“You were there for the transformation yesterday.” It had taken hours. We finally left the salon after nine. Luckily enough, I wasn’t scheduled last night and considering he was the boss, he could show up at the restaurant whenever he felt like it. He’d even driven me home. Now he acted like he never saw the end results last night.
Weird.
“You’re right. I was. But it’s different, seeing you here tonight. In your element.” He flicks his chin in my direction. “Like the new uniforms?”
They were proving to be the hottest topic of conversation around here. “Kind of see-through but yeah, I like them.”
“I’m glad.” Reaching out, he squeezes my arm as he passes. “Nice shoes,” he tosses out over his shoulder.
A little smile curls my lips and I glance up, catching Jennifer watching me with a narrowed gaze. She turns and leaves before I can say anything and I watch her retreating back, wondering what that was all about.
Wondering what sort of weird little love triangle I might’ve let myself walk into.
Chapter Four
I hate the idea of anyone else having you. – Drew Callahan
Drew
They scream and shout my name the second I slip inside the private room at The District, the new restaurant where Logan’s party is being held. Every one of my teammates is already shitfaced and it’s only ten. I can see it in their blurry eyes, their red cheeks, their too-loud voices.
But hey, at least they’re happy to see me. I figured I’d become the enemy. The ass**le who lost their chance at a bowl game. We’d been close, so close every one of us had started to taste that faint glimmer of victory.
Then I met a girl, we went home together and I let everything that happened there f**k my head all up. Stupid.
Logan approaches and gives me a shoulder-slapping hug. He reeks of alcohol and I push away from him, startled when Jace appears by my side, places a beer in my hand and tells me to drink up.
I dutifully do as I’m told, ready to lose myself for at least a few hours. The visit with my dad had turned tense the moment he insulted Fable. Crazy considering we weren’t together anymore, but I wasn’t going to stand by and let him say rude crap about her. Truthfully, she was above all of us and I refuse to let him drag her through the mud, even if it was only to me.
After that fiasco of a lunch, he dealt constantly with Adele calling him, texting him, calling him again. I didn’t need that reminder so I stayed away. Which meant we were apart for much of his visit, until he finally told me this morning he needed to go back home and attend to “business.”
Bullshit. Business was code for Adele. I didn’t call him on it, merely nodded and let him go. Promising him we’d get together again soon.
Yeah, right. I don’t see that happy reunion happening anytime soon.
“You’ve been in hiding,” Logan says as he sits next to me, a drink clutched in his hand. His head lolls, as if he can’t quite keep it upright, and I shake my head, chuckling as I sip from my beer. Sierra Nevada, the beer of choice in this town, it’s about the only kind I can drink. The rest tastes like swill.
“I’ve been around,” I say with a shrug. “Lying low. Taking fewer classes this semester. I needed a break.”
“I get it, man. I get it. And hey, don’t let coach mess with your head. It wasn’t your fault, our spectacular losses at the end of the season.” Logan’s expression goes serious. As serious as it can go, considering how drunk he is. “We all sorta f**ked up, you know?”
I take another, bigger swig of beer. I need it since the topic of conversation has veered into a serious direction. “You think so?” I wonder if he’s just feeding me a line.
“Definitely.” He nods eagerly, his head still bobbing. “I’m glad you’re here, man. You never go out with us. I feel like I’m special or something, you showing up for my birthday and shit. Not everyday a jackass like me turns twenty-one.”