Unable to resist the temptation, I found Avery in the crowd again. As the lights faded out, her face morphed with regret as her eyes dropped to the floor. The flower fell from her fingertips, hitting the ground as the place went black, and when the lights shone again, she was gone.
17
Avery
Ibrought my hand to my mouth as the cool night air chilled my still-tingling lips.
Liam had kissed me. And I’d…liked it. But that could be the alcohol talking. Right?
The last one hundred seconds felt like a blur, but I could remember everything about that kiss and the way his lips had molded to mine like they had been made for me.
I took uneven, shallow breaths. Even though I was outside and away from the thick crowd, I still couldn’t get enough air in my lungs. I needed to leave. I needed to be as far away from Liam as possible. But my ride was inside, and so were her keys.
The door to the venue creaked open behind me, and my heart fluttered when I checked to see who was joining me in the quiet parking lot.
Zayn and his date sauntered out, hand in hand. As soon as he spotted me, he gave her the keys and told her to wait in the car.
Gina gave me enough courage to be the one to close the space between us first.
He nodded his head at the door. “So, is that why you asked me here tonight? To make me jealous and then have me kicked out?”
“They kicked you out?” Anger bubbled in my chest, not just because of Liam, but also because of what Zayn was accusing me of.
Zayn shook his head in disbelief.
“No! Of course I didn’t bring you here for that!”
“Well, that kiss looked like it wasn’t your guys’ first. Is that what you’ve been doing since you left me? Screwing your brother’s friends?”
I paused, stunned. He’d never been in this situation—jealous and embarrassed. He didn’t know how to handle himself, so he was lashing out, but that was no excuse.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but the last person I kissed before tonight was you. And you want to talk about putting on a show? What the hell were you doing in there before Liam showed up? Your hands were all over that girl!”
“She’s a family friend and my date! I’ll put my hands where I want!”
“Says the guy who wouldn’t let me kiss him on the cheek in public.” I laughed. “This isn’t you.”
“I’m not the one wearing a costume.” He reached for a strand framing my face and then leaned in close. The beer on his breath was palpable. “You do look beautiful in blue though. You think there are many doctors out there with blue hair?”
I swatted his hand away. “Don’t patronize me.”
“C’mon, Avy baby. This is a joke.” He gestured a hand in front of me. “You can’t expect to be taken seriously like this, can you?”
“Screw you. You’re hurt and drunk, and you’re taking it out on me.”
His face fell, but he stepped closer instead of pulling away. “I don’t mean to. I’m just…having a difficult time with adjusting to life without you. It’s been really hard, having an empty bed all the time. An empty closet. An empty apartment. All I feel is empty.”
“I know.”
“I made you happy, didn’t I?” He grabbed my left hand and stared down at my naked finger.
“Yes. Of course you did.”
A small smile appeared on his lips before he gripped my waist.
“Zayn,” I warned, trying to twist out of his hold.
“Come on,” he urged, planting his body against mine. “I miss you. The other you.”
