I pushed the thoughts out of my head as I grabbed my purse off my bedroom floor.
This morning, I’d found a trail of items strewn across my room. One of my cowboy boots was left outside my door in the hall, the other just inside. I’d tossed my purse into the corner and before collapsing into bed, I’d stripped out of my jeans andtossed them in the closet. My flannel lay on the floor by the window.
I didn’t remember drinking that much last night. But being around Damien had made me nervous, and I’d developed an appetite for vodka the longer the night went on.
“Bye, Mom! I’ll be back soon,” I yelled as I left.
“Bye, sweetie. Have fun!”
The crisp fall air greeted me. Charleston had yet to welcome autumn, so the cooler weather was a nice change.
We were meeting at a newer restaurant in town, so I pulled up Google Maps and let it do its thing as I propped it in my cup holder to see the map.
Driving down the familiar road filled me with nostalgia. This was where I’d spent most of my childhood. Running down these streets and playing with my friends.
My mom resided in a different neighborhood than the MacIntyres, the Knights, and the Richeys. She lived closer to Blake’s grandma’s house. It wasn’t quite as nice on our side of the tracks. While their homes were made of brick and had color-coordinating shutters, ours were lucky to have all the siding and no mildew growing on them.
It never seemed to change how they saw Blake and me, though. Our park, the one where we would meet at as kids, was the perfect middle point for all seven of us. When we were there, it didn’t matter whose family had money or whose family was still together. We were just us, a bunch of kids trying to enjoy the moments in our life as best we could. And I shouldn’t complain. Blake had suffered more than I had as a kid. Her dad had become an alcoholic after her mom left, which forced Blake to take on responsibilities she never should have worried about as a child.
When I pulled into the restaurant, I texted Blake.
I’m here. I don’t even know what you drive anymore.
Blake
And somehow, I know exactly which vehicle is yours.
That’s because I am one of a kind.
And you came to my house yesterday… so you cheated.
I didn’t get a text back because she was outside my car door.
“Hey!” I slid out of my Jeep and she wrapped me into a hug. “Did you get any sleep last night?”
“Oh God, no. By the time I got home, the room was spinning so I forced myself to stay awake so I wouldn’t barf.” She pushed her arm through mine as we walked toward the door. “Let’s not do that again anytime soon, okay?”
“I wholeheartedly agree.”
“So… do we want to have the Damien chat now? Or later?”
“How about later? Because I’m sure the others are going to have questions too. And you know how I detest repeating myself.”
And they did.
As soon as I sat down, I was in the hot seat. “Can’t a girl order her food before being thrown to the dogs?”
“Not when you casually bring over an entire rock band to hang out with us after a show. And not just some amateur band either. They kicked ass last night, which only makes you being so close to them more suspicious. I don’t understand what is going on.” Liam crossed his arms, and lifted his chin.
“I thought I explained all that last night.”
“Yeah. No. You were too busy being all giggly and blushy.”
“Geez, Liam. I get it. Fine.” I leveled my gaze with his. “What do you want to know?”
“First, how did you meet them?”
“Easy. Jade. Next?”
