“Yes, why?” I answer too quickly, and even I don’t believe my words.
She looks at me, her perfectly curled ponytail tumbling to one side. “Because you’re dating the quarterback,” she says with a sympathetic look. “Trust me, I know what it’s like dating a Raptor. When I first started seeing Christian, it was honestly intimidating—they’re popular, they know everyone, and I knew no one. They’ve got this orbit of gorgeous girls around them, half of whom they’ve slept with—including, in my case,” she shrugs, “drop-dead gorgeous, head-cheerleader ex-flings. So yeah, I get it. It’s a lot to take in.”
I nod my head as we approach the drinks table, a group of guys standing beside it saying hello and winking at us before they leave. My eyes widen because Randy was right, these girls don’t hold back with the top-shelf drinks. “Okay, to be honest. I’m so intimidated!” I say, looking around at all the elegant women rocking their skintight dresses and six-inch heels. “I don’t even come to these parties; usually I’m at home watching Disney movies with Sam and eating mac and cheese. So just coming to these parties is a big deal, let alone coming here with the campus’s most eligible bachelor.” I throw my thumb over my shoulder. “Some girl just asked him for a dance, like I wasn’t there holding his hand. We’d barely made it twenty feet past the door. He held me close to his body while chatting to his friends, but all I could feel was his phone vibrating against my hip.”
Shelby picks up a bottle of pink champagne from the ice bucket, an unsurprised look on her face. “Yep. I totally get it. My advice…” She looks at me, eyes soft with understanding. “You have to trust Randy and tune out everyone else. That’s what I had to do with Christian. I had to accept that I couldn’t control other people’s behavior. I had to trust him—because the whispers, the rumors about his past? They were constant. If I’d let them in, let them get to me, it would’ve driven me mad. So, I blocked out the noise and focused on what he said, what he did. That was all I could go on. Thankfully, things are easier now.People know we’re together, and they respect it. Although…” She shrugs. “Every now and then some random girl will message him, but for the most part, they stay away.”
“Well, that’s nice and all,” I say, pouring out eight shots of tequila. “But I don’t even know what we have?”
“Everyone starts off here,” she says, reaching for the scotch.
“A scotch for Randy, too, please,” I say, “And yes, true, everyone does start off in the same spot, but not everyone has a child. I wonder how it’s going to be when I’m home with Sam and Randy is out partying. If this is what women are like when I’m holding his hand, I would hate to see how they are when I’m not even at the party. But I guess that’s looking into the future a bit.” I shrug. “It’s not like I’m his girlfriend or anything.”
“Nah,” Shelby says, adding the soda to the scotches in front of her. “Asking him for a dance while he was holding your hand is totally inappropriate, but I did find that once Christian and I made it official girls backed off. The girls at the party think he’s still single, so I guess you can’t blame them too much. But point out who asked him to dance while holding his hand? I might have to send Letti after her.”
I laugh, picturing Letti going full loyalty-squad in my honor. “It’s fine.” I shrug. “Technically, he’s still single.”
“Yeah, nah, that’s totally inappropriate.” Shelby offers me a warm smile, wrapping one arm around my shoulders while holding a half-empty bottle of liquor. “Well, I’ve never seen him act like this with anyone before, and I know I haven’t been around long, but I believe you’re different for him.” She shrugs. “If it helps, I want you to be with him.”
I pout a loving smile at the beautiful Australian, grateful for her words. “Thank you. I really appreciate that. Your kind words and support mean a lot.”
We pour the last of our drinks and watch as the cups in front of us grow, then I look back to her. “Question?”
“Shoot,” she beams, screwing a lid back on a bottle, her expression getting back into the party spirit.
“What does ‘yeah, nah’ mean? I’ve heard you say it a few times now.”
She giggles, trying to hold her drinks steady. “Sorry, sometimes Australians have a totally different language. It means no. Like saying yes to the no, if that makes sense?” And ‘nah, yeah’ is yes.
I nod, processing her words through my alcohol-filled brain.I think I get it.
Shelby looks over my shoulder where Letti and Dani stand not too far away talking to a bunch of hockey players. “Letti. Dani,” she yells.
They excuse themselves from the group and head over to us, Dani basically skipping her way over with how happy and tipsy she is. Letti smiles at us, her sequined silver dress and jeweled eyes sparkle in the lights as she makes her way across the room.
“A little help?” Shelby says, holding up some drinks. “Does Tyler want anything?” she adds.
“Nope, he’s gone off with a friend and is working his Stone magic.” She points. “Plus, I think he is fine for drinks.” I look behind me and watch as he chats to a group of girls, one beer and one shot in hand. “I hope he stays with them all night; the more he works his magic, the less shit Lucas has to put up with.”
“Oh, I haven’t seen him yet,” Shelby replies, casting her head over the crowd.
“He’s over there.” She points to a large group of guys standing out on the balcony.
“Well, cheers, girls,” Letti says, raising her shot glass.
We grab ours, clink them together, and throw them back in sync, ready to ring in the New Year.
“You’re such an asshole, Merrick!” The voice erupts just behind Shelby, loud enough to snap us around mid-swallow—Emma stands, fuming, toe-to-toe with Merrick.
“Shit,” Letti mumbles.
“Your mate,” Shelby mumbles to Letti, gesturing to Emma.
“Not likely.” Letti frowns back, and I’m clearly missing some more Aussie slang.
Merrick looks unimpressed. “Okay, now I’m confused. Do you want me back, or am I just the asshole of the evening?”
“You’rebeingan asshole,” Patrick chimes in from behind Emma, parroting her like a backup singer.
