I could dosome of these here, but visualizing placements would be better at the venue. Preston’s words repeated though, about being stubborn and stupid with a blizzard. I’d have to do it here. It wasn’t like he’d let me steal his truck and drive there, and I knew better than to push him. My chest tightened with regret. In my desperation to earn my mom’s praise, something I’d been chasing my entire life, I’d disappointed my two closest friends.
Jordan: Hey, I’m sorry if I worried you. This event and my mom got in my head.
Logan: I’m glad you’re okay. Are you and Preston headed over here?
Jordan: I uh… might’ve overreacted and demanded I was staying here to work on stuff for the event. Preston chose to stay with me.
Logan: GOOD. I’m glad he is, but get your shit together, Dan the Man. You’re being more reckless than normal, and I’m worried.
I hissed at her text. Her words hurt. They were true, and she was about the only one who I’d let say that to me. The past month had been a lot—from the event, the holidays my mom didn’t seem to care about with me, Preston…I squeezed my eyes shut and set my phone down. I needed to apologize to Preston.
He’d never say it, but I could tell he was contemplating pushing me away. It was only natural. I could only piss people off so many times before they were done with me, and I was approaching that number with him.
Apologizing tasted like soap and acid for me. My ribs ached as I went downstairs slowly, hating that I’d upset him. The cycle always went like this—lash out, feel like shit, make up.
Two deep voices carried down the hallway, and I froze.Who is here?
“The guys all went to family or girlfriend’s houses, and I wasn’t about to stay there alone.”
“So you show up here?” Preston said, his voice easy to recognize. I knew his voice anywhere.
“Yes. Mom insisted I do it.”
Was that Preston’s brother, Price?
“She thinks it’s be a great idea for us to hang out. Talk. Deal with our family bullshit.”
“Fuck. She would say that.” Footsteps paced, and Preston froze at the entrance to the kitchen once he spied me. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze moving toward the door. “Were you about to sneak out?”
I shook my head. “No, no, no I wasn’t.”
“Then why were you sneaking?”
“I wasn’t sneaking.”
“You’re standing on your tiptoes, half-crouched like you’re about to attack.” Preston’s lips twitched as he gestured from my toes to my head. “You also have this look on your face.”
“I always have a look on my face,” I quipped, not caring that I sounded ridiculous. “I heard voices and wanted to see who was here.”
“My brother.”
“Yes, in my spying I figured that out.”
Preston’s gaze softened for a beat, but then he masked it. “He didn’t want to stay at the football house so he was coming here for the next day. Is that alright? I don’t want you uncomfortable at all.”
I waved a hand in the air. “Another athlete in the house? Please. I love it.”
Preston’s eye twitched, but he pressed his lips together in a tight smile, his shoulders slightly slumped. “You’ve met Price before, but he hasn’t been here in a while.”
“Hey, Price.” I walked into the kitchen and smiled at Preston’s twin brother. He looked a lot like Preston but had long hair in a man-bun. He also had a more weathered face, where Preston’s was more clean-shaven. “Hope you’re ready to work.”
“Work? What kind we talking, J?”
I grinned and clapped my hands, enjoying the attention of both twin Charming boys. While I’d never say it to Preston, I was glad Price was here. The two of them needed to talk and deal with their parents’ divorce, but that wouldn’t happen unless they relaxed. “Centerpieces.”
“Uh, what? Why?” Price asked, frowning at his brother.
