Текст книги "Let Me In"

Автор книги: Michelle Lynn

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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

Chapter 19

Grant

So far, Jessa and I are tied two to two. She took me on the ski lift and in the restroom at a restaurant. I have the spa and an alley outside the bar where we met Kailey last night on my side.

Tonight is different. I’m taking her out for dinner, just us. Then we’re meeting the guys and Sadie at Sam’s apartment in Boulder. Jessa seems apprehensive about it, but I’ll stay by her the whole time.

She comes down the stairs in a hot pink number and I rack my brain, trying to figure out if I’ve ever seen her wear a dress. “You look gorgeous,” I tell her, and she shyly thanks me.

We say our goodbyes to everyone and I escort her out to her dad’s car. He’s been pretty cool after our talk the first night. Even Jessa’s mom, now Grace to me, has been warmer toward me. Time will eventually fix that situation.

I open the car door for her, and she slides in before I make my way over to the driver’s side. Once I’m in and I’ve put the keys in the ignition to start heating the car, I turn to her. “You’re so beautiful.” I lean over the armrest to kiss her, and she meets me halfway.

“You’re mighty fine, yourself,” she says softly before capturing my lips again.

We park along the street outside the restaurant her parents suggested. It’s a small and quaint place in the downtown area. I open the door for her, and she hurries inside to get out of the cold air. The small space contains about twenty tables, and most of them are for parties of two. I tell the hostess our name, and she leads us to a table in front of a window. As people pass by on the sidewalk, we look over the menu.

“What are you getting?” I ask her.

“I don’t know,” she says, continuing to study the menu, “maybe a salad.” She places the menu down.

I pick it back up and hand it to her. “Try again,” I demand.

“Maybe I want a salad?” We both know she’s only doing it for my benefit. She thinks I’m poor and doesn’t want me spending money on her. In my mind, she’s the only thing in my life worth spending money on.

“Jessa…” I sigh. “It’s a steakhouse. Either you get a steak, or I’ll order one for you,” I threaten.

“Alright, twist my arm, why don’t you,” she jokes. “I’ll get the filet mignon.”

“Much better.”

The waiter comes by and he appears to be around our age. I suddenly wonder if she knows him, by the way he’s staring down at her. Although it’s obvious he likes what he sees, I’m thankful that there’s clearly no recognition. We order our meals and wait for the wine.

“Have I already told you how beautiful you look?” I ask her, knowing I’ve told her many times. But, like my mother’s letter said, I need to tell her every time I think it, and that’s quite often.

“Yes, thank you, you handsome devil.” She smiles widely and I wonder how I was able to win her heart.

“Do you think your parents are okay with me now?” The waiter comes by and opens our bottle of wine, pouring some into my glass. I tell him it’s fine, and he in turn pours wine into Jessa’s glass before setting down the bottle and walking away.

“Yes, whatever you told my dad outside resulted in a drastic turnaround. What’d you tell him anyway?” She purses her lips together, waiting for me to answer.

“Just that I love you.” I give her the abbreviated version and she rolls her eyes, knowing I’m keeping some information to myself.

The conversation continues about her parents and being back in Boulder. She confides in me that she’s nervous about going tonight, but is hopeful that we won’t run into anyone, other than her friend Beth, who Sam called and invited. I can’t help but think how nice it’ll be to meet someone from her past, other than her family. I tentatively ask where Jason currently is, and she reveals that the last time she heard anything, he was in Denver working as a mechanic. That after the incident, he got kicked out due to his grades. I have mixed feelings about this news that I most likely won’t run into him. Happy for Jessa, but upset that I probably won’t get the opportunity to knock my fist through his skull.

Our food arrives, and Jessa devours her steak. I laugh when she passes the busboy her empty dish, and she narrows her eyes at me jokingly. “Aren’t you happy you listened to me?” I tease her. She places her hand on the side of her face, concealing her mouth from the other customers, and sticks out her tongue.

We both opt not to order dessert, but stay to finish our wine. I know this is the worst time, but I need to find out where she and I are heading. “So, I think we need to talk,” I say and lean forward in the chair.

A surge of panic comes across her face. “What about?” she asks.

“What do you want to do after you graduate?” Brady was right. If we’re going to be together, we need to figure this part out.

“Well,” she says, looking a little relieved. “I was thinking about either trying to get a job at a museum or going to get my Masters. It’s a little late for me to apply, so I guess I’ll be finding a job until I decide.” She shrugs her shoulders, as if she doesn’t care one way or the other. If I had to point out one difference as to how Jessa and I live our lives, this would be it. Her life is more about relationships, whereas I’m more concerned with thoughts of how I’m going to make money and succeed. I can’t help but believe we have these differences because of our different upbringings.

“I need to start interviewing if I’m going to find a job,” I tell her. “I have nowhere to live once I graduate. I’m expected to leave the frat house within a month after graduation.” Now that I think about it, I’m terrified we might not have a future. If for some reason I can’t find a job nearby, will she follow me?

She holds my gaze and it appears a million questions are running through her pretty little mind. “What’re you saying, Grant?” she asks with a curt tone.

“I’m just saying, we need to start deciding what we’re going to do after graduation.” The pained expression that forms across her face punches me in the gut.

“Where does that leave us, Grant?” I see the questions overflowing in her head and I wish I could make it better for her. I wish I had all the answers to this, but I don’t.

“I don’t know. Depending on what happens, we might have to do a long-distance thing.” It’s the only solution I can come up with if we’re forced to live apart.

“You would just leave me? Am I that replaceable?”

“You’re not even close to replaceable. I don’t want to replace you. What the hell, Jessa? Why would you say that?” I start rambling, desperate for her to understand that’s not even close to the issue.

“Okay…” she trails off, staring at the people who walk by. Her mood shifts again.

“Jessa,” I sigh, but she doesn’t turn her head toward mine. “Look at me,” I plead, and when her head finally turns my way, I see that there are tears pooling in her eyes. I close mine in response, pissed off at myself for upsetting her tonight. She nibbles on the inside of her cheek, and I feel like a complete asshole. “I’m not saying…”

“You are though. Am I just fun for now…until you graduate? Were you just looking for a good fuck buddy, Grant? Is that it?” Her eyes shifted from sad to angry in less than a second. I can’t keep up with her moods. In the whole time we’ve known each other, I’ve never seen her like this.

“No!” I screech, my voice changing octaves. I can’t believe that these thoughts would even cross her mind. “I love you, Jessa. I’m just saying we need to figure this out,” I tell her again. I try to grab her hand across the table, but she pulls it back into her lap. How on Earth did I fuck this up so bad? “Jessa, listen to me,” I beg her, but she’s gone, somewhere I can’t reach. Although she’s right across the table from me, it’s just a shell of the woman I love. She’s silent, and her erratic breathing has her chest rapidly rising and falling.

I attempt to talk to her, but she quietly sits there, sipping her wine and ignoring my existence. She’s polite and courteous to the waiter, but as soon as he leaves, she becomes closed off again. I feel like I stabbed myself in the heart because I caused this.

Jessa

He’s hurting as much as I am right now. His eyes are troubled and I know his mind is running in circles trying to figure out how he messed up our first real dinner date. As much as I want to console him, I can’t stop these feelings of abandonment. When he brought up living apart, I felt as though he didn’t want me to go with him. I jumped to conclusions and now I’m just as responsible for ruining our first date as he is. Being back in Colorado has brought my insecurities to the forefront, and I need to remember that Grant loves me. He’s just worried about his future and I shouldn’t fault him for that.

I lift the wine glass and slowly take a sip, letting my eyes absorb him. As much as I want to be angry, I have to start understanding where he’s coming from. His upbringing was nothing like mine. If I’m going to be with him, I have to understand his need to plan for the future. Even though we’re opposites in the way we approach many things, we need to meet in the middle on this.

“Alright, Grant, I’m sorry,” I say, placing my glass down. His head jerks up, astonished. He starts to speak, but I quickly place my finger in the air. “Listen to me, first,” I tell him, and he shuts his mouth. “You have to stop this. I know you are freaking out about a job and a place to live. I promise when we get back, we’ll figure it all out. I do have to warn you, I’m not up for a long-distance relationship.” He tries to interrupt me, but I put my finger up again. “I’m not saying we’ll break up. Tonight we’re going to enjoy ourselves, and if you want to talk about this the night we get back to Western, fine. But right now, we’re not going to worry about it,” I finish, and a smiles consumes his lips. With a small nod, he catches the waiter’s attention, requesting the bill.

I ask him where we’re going, and he tells me it’s a surprise. I have a feeling I’m about to lose the bet. Grant signs the credit card slip and stands up, requesting my hand. This is one great thing about Grant; he appears as though nothing just happened. Even though it’s still rolling around in that brain of his, he’s willing to put it aside for me…at least for tonight.

The cold wind hits our faces as soon as we step outside. Grant puts his arm around my waist and pulls me into him. “I love you,” he says softly, kissing me on my forehead, and then my nose, and lastly, a short kiss on my lips.

“I love you too,” I tell him in return, anxiously waiting for more kisses. Instead, he grabs my hand and leads me down the street. “Where are we going?” I impatiently ask.

“Just wait.” He continues walking us through the downtown area. Anticipation fills me that he’ll take me in every alley we pass, but then quickly turns to disappointment as we pass them all by. Although our disagreement was minor, I can’t help but want to feel him inside of me, to feel secure in the knowledge that he’s mine. We approach the end of the street and I’m baffled as to where he’s taking me. He finally stops and we stare up at a burgundy awning reading, The Park Hotel. It’s the nicest and swankiest hotel in Breckenridge.

He walks us in and over to the elevator, completely bypassing the front desk. It surprises me that no one greets us or asks questions. When the elevator doors slide closed, his lips find mine as he pushes me against the wall. “I’m well aware I might lose the bet, but I wasn’t going to take you against some brick wall or in some bathroom stall on the night of our first date,” he declares, leaving me breathless from his impromptu kiss.

The elevator stops on the top floor and he pulls us toward the stairwell leading to the roof. He opens the door and lets me go first. Once I walk through the doorway, I gasp and place my hand over my mouth. The entire rooftop is dark, the only light provided by the moon and stars shining in the sky. A pathway lit by votive candles leads to a small cabana. I follow the path with Grant’s hand in mine. Heat lamps rest inside the cabana on either side of a lounge couch, and there are rose petals strewn over the massive amount of blankets. As I stand in awe at the entrance to our own little slice of heaven, Grant comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“Do you like it?” he whispers and I nod my head, willing the tears not to fall. In all my life, no one has ever done anything so romantic for me. I didn’t think he could top our weekend at his cabin, but he did, tenfold.

He starts to kiss the back of my neck, while his fingers find my zipper. Slowly unzipping it, he whispers in my ear, “You don’t have to worry. No one will bother us. It’s ours for as long as we want it.” I tip my head forward, relishing his lips, and he moves them to my shoulder. He places his hands on my dress straps, gently relieving me of it. I step out of my dress once it hits the floor, leaving me in my bra, underwear, stockings, and heels. “So beautiful one minute…so fucking hot the next.” He turns me around to position me on the lounger

His hands grip one of my high heels and peel it off my foot before he does the same with the other. He starts to kiss my leg, moving his lips up until he reaches the top of my thigh highs. Hooking his fingers under the first, he rolls it off my leg, past my foot, and disposes of it on the floor. Moving to my other leg, he mimics the same movement.

Growing impatient to get him naked, I start unbuttoning his pants, but he places his hand over mine. “Let me finish undressing you first.” He gently pushes me away and then spreads my legs. Teasing me, he massages my clit through my already wet satin thong as his mouth finds my nipple through my sheer red bra. “My favorite bra,” he says, and moving his fingers between my breasts, he pops the snap. He slowly glides the bra off my breasts, displaying my nipples, one of which is already wet from his mouth.

Unable to take the slow pace anymore, I roll him over on his back and begin unbuttoning his shirt. Meanwhile, his hands glide each strap down my arms, eventually discarding my bra. Sliding his hands down my shoulders and arms, he rests them on my hips right before he grabs my ass, thrusting me against his hard bulge. As I bend down to kiss his chest, I grab the sides of his shirt, pulling him up. I can feel every ab tighten as he uses them in order to sit up. My hands slowly push his shirt off his defined shoulders and I watch as it falls onto the lounger.

Reaching down, my unsteady fingers unbuckle his belt and remove it. The metal flops down on the pillowed chaise, and I continue making my way into his pants while he kisses my neck and his hands massage my ass. Once I have them unzipped, I begin to stroke his long length. Shifting side to side, I know he’s taking off his shoes and socks, but I gasp when he stands up, holding me against him. His pants fall to the floor and he steps out of them before laying me back down on my back. “Hmm…we’re both in our underwear, what should we do now?” he teases, grabbing a blanket. Surprisingly, I haven’t felt the cold weather at all. Then again, I am sheltered in a cabana with two giant heaters, while being cradled by my own personal heat source.

He lies down on top of me, covering our bodies with the blanket. Shifting to his side, chills spread across my stomach as the back of his fingers graze down my body. He gently moves my thong to the side and inserts his finger in me before withdrawing it, making sure I’m completely wet. “I love everything about your body…it’s like having cake and a Popsicle at the same time. It starts off so soft and sweet, but soon turns wet and sticky. I can’t get enough of you. I don’t see that ever changing.” He smiles as he thrusts another finger in me, and my eyes close from pure bliss. In response, I pull his boxers down.

“I’m already wet…make me sticky,” I whisper and he climbs on top of me. Positioning himself at my opening, he slides my thong over and enters me slowly. He remains quiet, circling his hips and gazing into my eyes. Love pours from his piercing blue irises. I grab his shoulders, pulling him into me, needing him closer. With his mouth right by my ear, his breath tickles my neck. Soon, his groans become louder and my moans become more rapid. I grip him harder, pressing his body as tight as I can against mine. Our breathing grows erratic, and I scream his name and clench around him right before I feel Grant pump into me twice. His spent body stills, falling on top of me.

He rests his arms on either side of my face and drops of sweat land on my forehead. “You got your wish, baby. You’re definitely sticky now,” he laughs and drops his lips onto mine. “I love you, Jessa,” he murmurs.

Grant slides over and straightens the blanket over us, although I’m still sweaty from our workout. We lie down on our sides, facing each other. “We should get going to Sam’s,” I say, even though the last thing I want to do is leave our small paradise.

He brings his hand to my face, tucking a loose strand behind my ear. There seem to be more of those lately since I’ve been growing my hair out. “We have time…hell…we don’t even have to go.” He leans forward and gives me a kiss. “You’re the most beautiful girl…ever,” he tells me softly. I don’t want to go, but I need to bring closure to that part of my life, especially in order for me and Grant to move on with ours.

“Thank you,” I say, accepting his compliment.

“You never have to thank me for telling you how beautiful you are. It’s just a fact.” He lays his head on the pillow and stares over to me.

I lean up on my elbow and place my hand on his chiseled chest. “Thank you for this. I hate to admit it but…you just won,” I joke, and he pulls me into a fierce hug.

“I get to pick your tattoo,” he gloats and a laugh escapes me.

I shift my body on top of his larger, harder one. “You better pick something good.” I playfully push his chest and he chuckles.

“You’re going to get a ‘G’ on the right,” he says, smacking my ass cheek, “and a ‘B’ on the left.” He smacks the other side and then massages the sting.

“I knew I should’ve put conditions on this bet,” I kid, starting to get up but he pulls me back down.

Both his hands grab hold of my ass. “Do you really think I would cover this amazing ass? But…always remember…it’s mine.” He smirks, and with one last squeeze of my ass cheeks, he releases me.

“A little possessive, are we?” I joke, standing up to get dressed. He comes up behind me, sliding my bra straps up my arms.

“Only with you, baby,” he whispers in my ear, while his hands reach forward, snapping my bra back into place. How does this boy keep making me fall in love with him more each minute?

Chapter 20

Grant

Jessa seems a little worried about me winning the bet. Although I already know what I want her to get, I’m going to surprise her with it tomorrow at the tattoo parlor. Reaching over, I grab her chilled hand, entwining our fingers. When she looks over and smiles at me, my stomach flutters and I know this is exactly where I should always be.

Regret consumes me, thinking about how I brought all that shit up at dinner. Who the hell cares where I work, how much money I make, or where I live? As long as she’s by my side, everything else is secondary.

But no matter how hard I try to stay focused on that line of thinking, I can’t. She deserves a life like the one she was brought up in, and unfortunately, love doesn’t pay the bills. God, if it did, Jessa and I would be rich, living in a mansion on some beachfront.

We pull up to the house party and it’s typical to the ones in Western. I park along the street and hold Jessa’s hand in mine as we walk up the sidewalk. It’s so cold that almost everyone is inside. Only a guy throwing up in the bushes and a group of girls smoking on the porch are brave enough for the frigid weather.

The shift in Jessa’s demeanor has been evident since we passed the ‘Welcome to Boulder’ sign. I wish I could take the discomfort away from her, and I pray that attending this party isn’t the worst idea ever. Squeezing her hand, I smile to reassure her when she looks up at me. Her lips turn up in return, but the carefree Jessa has disappeared. Right then, my plan changes. We’re going to have a drink and then get the fuck out of here. She doesn’t need to go through this turmoil.

Once we make it inside, it becomes obvious that Sam doesn’t usually hang out with the tattooed and pierced variety of people. We automatically spot Trey and he waves his hand at us. I lead us to him, dodging the bodies that are dancing and mingling. When we get to the small dining room area, we maneuver our way over to Trey and Kailey. After the polite hellos and hugs, I notice Brady and Sadie in the kitchen, talking with a couple of people I don’t know. “Where’s Sam?” Jessa shouts over the music. Trey points to the dance floor, where I see her grinding up against Dex, who has his hands on her hips. Jessa spots them and then turns to Trey. “What the fuck? He better not just use and toss her like he does the rest.” She jabs her finger into Trey’s chest.

He grabs her finger, frowning down at her, before pulling her into a bear hug. He whispers something in her ear, and she smiles before backing away. Kailey appears confused by the whole exchange. I hope she understands that she has no reason to worry about Trey and Jessa.

Trey hands me a beer. I try to hand it to Jessa, but she shakes her head no, so I hand it back to Trey. If I have to drive tonight, I’m not about to drink, especially through these mountains. The winding roads still scare the shit out of me. Jessa’s eyes seem to be everywhere but on me. I watch her observe all the faces and bodies around the room, paying particular attention when someone enters through the front door. I have to get her out of here and fast, before she has some kind of panic attack.

The four of us go into the kitchen. Sadie embraces Jessa, and the two of them start talking, along with Kailey. “So, did you win?” Trey asks me and Brady smirks, knowing I did. He helped me with my rooftop plan by arranging the candles and rose petals.

“Of course,” I brag, and Trey sticks his hand up, giving me a high five. When Jessa hears it, she turns around and laughs, knowing exactly what I’m celebrating. From the look of awe on the other two girls’ faces as Jessa describes our evening, I’m pretty sure she feels like the princess she is.

Dex and Sam soon join us, their bodies coated in sweat. Jessa keeps them in her line of vision, carefully warning Dex with her eyes. Every time she gives him “the look”, he laughs, completely disregarding her. Other than the tension between those two, things seem at ease. Jessa appears to be enjoying herself, so I decide to find the bathroom. Sam points me in the direction and I wait in line for the downstairs bathroom for a few minutes before deciding to head upstairs.

When I reach the top of the stairs, I see that there’s another line outside, but having nowhere else to go, I decide to wait. Girls are congregated in groups, and I notice that the dark-haired girl in front of me is blatantly looking me up and down with a flirtatious grin. Being polite, I return it with a tight smile and then pull my phone out, pretending to search for something.

“I’ve never seen you here before,” she says, leaning close to me. Obviously, I was too subtle.

I step back a little before I answer, “I’m from out of town.” I put my head back down, fiddling around with my phone, trying my best to give her the cold shoulder.

She leans harder against me and the smell of her perfume overtakes me. It’s not the coconut and vanilla scent that I love. With her lips practically on my cheek, she slurs, “Do you want a little taste of Boulder? I could give you a quick tour.” Her hands slide down her body before she shakes her hips from side to side.

My first instinct is to get the hell out of Dodge, but if I don’t use the bathroom soon, I’ll be freezing my dick off outside. “That’s alright, my girlfriend already gave me the grand tour,” I say with a smirk. Her lips turn down and her bottom jaw shifts to the side in disgust.

“Oh, is your girlfriend from around here?” she asks, astonishing me that she wants to continue this conversation.

I look up at the line; there are only two people in front of us. Right as I’m about to answer her, the sweet voice that swells my heart comes up from behind me. “Yes, she is and believe me, he’s already gotten the tour more than once, because he can’t help coming back for more,” she tells the girl and the brunette rolls her eyes. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I bring her to me, devouring her mouth in front of the girl.

“Jessa…Jessa Harrison?” a guy calls out from down the hall and my stomach drops. Her whole body tenses and she raises her head immediately. I look to see a brown-haired guy who is shorter than me. His jeans and button-down shirt remind me of my frat buddies back home. Once she sees who it is, a smile spreads across her lips and I release a deep breath.

“Hey, Colton, how are you?” she asks, and he wraps her into a huge hug. It’s all I can do to not tear her away from him, but I’m not about to appear like some jealous boyfriend.

“Pretty good, what about you? We’ve missed you.”

“I’m doing great. This is my boyfriend, Grant,” she introduces us, and Colton puts his hand out for me to shake. I make sure to grip his hand firmly, just to let him know she’s mine. His silent nod makes me believe he understands.

“Nice to meet you,” he says, and I say the same back. Jessa and Colton continue to talk about what’s been going on. I’m happy that Jessa doesn’t inform him where we live, constantly dodging the questions with questions of her own. After a few minutes, I’m growing impatient waiting on that girl in front of me, who’s most likely applying another layer of make-up.

“You should come downstairs and see the old gang. They’re all here,” he tells her, and she looks over at me hesitantly.

“You go, I’ll catch up,” I assure her. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and turns toward the stairs with Colton right behind her. The brunette finally leaves the bathroom, and as I’m on my way in, I can’t help but think that I’m going to end up in a fight tonight.

I leave the bathroom and venture downstairs to find Jessa and her friends. She’s sitting on the couch talking with a mix of girls and guys, a smile on her face. My heart swells seeing her so happy. She waves me over and I glance around, looking for our crew, before seeing that they’re still congregated in the kitchen. I look back at Jessa and can tell by the way she’s gesturing in my direction that she’s talking about me. A girl with dirty blonde hair whose back is to me keeps touching Jessa’s leg, and I’m overflowing with happiness for Jessa to have this closure.

Jessa

Colton and I head downstairs. Although I’m nervous to see any of my friends, I feel more at ease after Colton’s warm greeting. When we get to the bottom of the steps, he comes alongside of me. “They’re going to be so stoked,” he shouts and I nod my head, letting him lead the way. Seeing the small group of my friends from a year and a half ago brings back the most painful memory I’ll ever have.

“Look who I found!” Colton hollers over to them. I see Colton’s two roommates, Trevor and Pete, who both greet me the same way Colton did, lifting my feet off the ground. I can’t help but be relieved that Grant’s not here to witness this. He would be green with jealousy over nothing. They both ask how I’m doing and what I’ve been up to. I continue to keep it to myself where I attend school now. I’m not ignorant to the fact that they all know Jason.

They’re with a few girls that I only knew as acquaintances, but their looks of pity toward me remind me how those pictures and rumors spread like wildfire. My eyes shift to the side and I can’t believe who’s here. “Beth!” I exclaim and she turns around, smiling brightly.

Running over to me, she throws herself at me and we wrap our arms around each other, “Sam told me you might come tonight. I don’t usually attend these parties, but I wanted to see you if you came,” she tells me, and a twinge of pain hits me in the gut for not keeping in touch.

“Sorry for never calling,” I apologize, but she waves my apology off.

“Don’t even worry about that. We’re together now.” She moves us over to a chair in the corner of the room where we proceed to talk about everything. She’s graduating with a degree in nursing this spring and she’s dating someone seriously. I tell her about Grant, and how I’m graduating too. I look around and locate my roommates, pointing them out to her. Her quizzical look at Trey doesn’t surprise me.

I forgot how much I missed her, and how much we shared those first years of college. Regret washes over me, thinking of all the time I’ve wasted not talking to her. Spotting Grant walking down the stairs, I can’t stop the smile from my face.

He weaves in and out of the bodies with his eyes solely on me. God, I love that man. I wave him over, and he starts making his way through the crowd toward where we’re sitting. Pointing him out to Beth, she turns and Grant gives her his usual panty-melting smile. When he finally reaches me, he snakes his arm around my waist before even acknowledging Beth. I make the introductions, and as usual, the always-polite Grant holds out his hand and Beth shakes it while clearly admiring his body.

Beth asks us all the standard questions and Grant patiently answers each of them. After a few minutes and a glance toward the kitchen, he excuses himself to go see why Dex is flagging him down. Once he’s out of earshot, Beth turns back toward me. “Well, I must say, you found yourself one fine specimen,” she teases and laughter erupts from both of us.

“Yeah, you should see him naked. Oh My Fucking God,” I exclaim, and we giggle again.

Beth’s eyes veer his way and she turns back around, saying, “You two seem to have different interests.” Her sour expression doesn’t match the friendliness in her tone. It triggers something that I’d forgotten about Beth; she has always been catty when it comes to guys. I look down at my pink dress and heels, and wonder exactly what she’s thinking.