I recognize the guy with the clipboard as one of Wes’s housemates from the night I left my key, but when he doesn’t recognize me, unease thrums through me.
“Now this I’ve got to see,” Alexis sneers to her friends. A quick glance over my shoulder tells me they’re waiting on the lawn, watching our pending rejection with knowing smirks.
“Name?” the guy practically barks.
I shift, nerves getting the best of me, and my name gets stuck for a second before finally breaking free. “I-Ivy Combs.”
It takes a moment for my words to register, but once they do, his face breaks out into a welcoming smile, making it clear the stern, no-nonsense demeanor is an act to keep people out. “Oh, hey, Ivy. Kaden.” My shoulders sag in relief when he juts out his hand. I give him a timid smile as I give it a shake. “Nice to officially meet you.”
“You, um, too.” I gesture to the girl beside me. “This is my friend, Quinn.”
He nods at her. “Hey, Quinn. Great to meet you. You two head on in. I’ll find you later.”
“Thanks,” I manage, in disbelief that went so smoothly.
I glance back at Alexis as I enter the house, only to find her staring at me incredulously. A smug sense of satisfaction spreads through me at her shocked face.
“Who’s delusional now?” Quinn calls over her shoulder, but I tug her inside before Alexis’s shock has a chance to morph into rage. When the door shuts behind us, I blow out a shaky breath.
Stepping further into the house, we glance around the decorated interior. The ceiling is draped with school-colored streamers, and football balloons fill every empty corner. Quinn freezes, her jaw dropping at the giant blue banner that says, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR #1 DOC!” and she slowly turns to face me.
“Ivy?”
“Yeah?”
“How could you not tell me we were attending the birthday party of the most popular guy on campus?”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “It didn’t seem important?”
Her hands reach out to grip my upper arms, and she gives me a little shake. “That’sthe guy you’re talking to? WesTucker?I can’t believe this!”
“It’s not a big deal,” I try to say, but Quinn shakes her head like I’m an idiot.
“This is ahugedeal!”
Muttering to herself, she drags me away from the doorway and deeper into the house. The air is humid from the number of bodies, and although it’s not as claustrophobic as I thought it would be, it’s definitely not up to code. I scan the interior, searching until my eyes land on the reason we’re all here.
He’s impossible to miss, and not just because of his stature. Wes stands in the kitchen, full-belly laughing at something with his head thrown back and his eyes closed shut. When he opens them, his gaze locks with mine across the room. His laughter dies as he stares at me in surprise.
I swallow, shifting on my feet.
Here it is. The moment of truth.
ELEVEN
Heart in my throat,I wait for my fears to come true. I wait for Wes to wonder what the hell I’m doing here, or at the very least turn away and dismiss me. So imagine my shock when he positively beams, his entire face lighting up.
Wes says something to the guy next to him before making his way toward us, and all my earlier worries drift away. He wouldn’t smile like that if he wasn’t happy to see me. At least, I don’t think he would.
Quinn’s hand tightens on my arm. “Oh, wow. Oh, shit. He’s coming over here. Damn, Ivy. He’s hot.”
“Poison Ivy! I had no idea you’d be here!” And then, before I can blink or think or speak, he pulls me into a hug. And it’s not aggressive or suffocating or unnecessary. It’s just…perfect. The moment his strong arms wrap around me, I melt against him, breathing in his scent and basking in his heat. He feelsright, and when he finally releases me, I feel his loss everywhere.
“Hi,” I say, a little breathless.
He looks down at me with bright, excited eyes and an infectious grin. “I still can’t believe this! Did Kaden invite you?”
“And Ben,” I add. “Happy Birthday.”
