Dating Trouble (Grover Beach Team Book 5) (26 page)

When my hair was dry and Simone was working some more curls into it with the curling iron, she said in a casual voice, “Did you know that Chris doesn’t want to go tonight? He wants you to have a nice evening—without him.”

“Really?” Why did that news hurt inside my chest? I should’ve been relieved, since there was no way for me to escape the plotting bunch of girls in my house. But knowing Chris would be without his best friends tonight—on New Year’s Eve—because of me wasn’t something that brightened my mood.

“Mm-hm.” She put the curling iron away. Next, she began winding up bunches of my hair and fixing them with barrettes on top of my head. “You know, the guy likes you. And he wants you to relax and be happy.”

I tried.

The hours flew by with all of us getting dressed up and Simone doing our nails and putting some decent makeup on our eyes and lips. Sometime that evening, my tension and grumpiness eased, and I found myself laughing more often than scowling at someone. Around nine, when my mother came home, we welcomed her with a pile of pizzas we’d ordered. Careful not to stain our gowns, we ate them and later lined up before my mom to show her what we’d made of ourselves. Okay…we showed her what mostly Simone had made of us, but the result was quite presentable.

Lisa wore a stunning, white, multiple-layered silk dress that played around her ankles but left her back bare for a nice glimpse of skin. Vaguely, I remembered that this was part of her deal with Hunter about the party thing, and he wasn’t going to be disappointed.

Simone had chosen a Jessica-Rabbit style dress that glittered like a thousand diamonds in the light. A necklace with a garnet heart and long gloves in the same red as her dress finished her outfit. Sam and Allie were both wearing babydoll dresses, one soft pink and the other as black as Allie’s hair.

Mom complimented them all, gushing with excitement for us “true beauties” as she called us. But it was me who her gaze lingered on the longest. She walked closer and ran her hands over the ice-blue satin dress that hugged my figure and fanned out from the waist downward.

Since Simone vehemently objected to the ballerina flats I wanted to wear tonight, my feet were now clad in a pair of her strappy silver sandals with just a little bit of heel. Walking in them proved to be somewhat
of a challenge, but soon enough I got a feeling for them. I twirled in front of my mom. “What do you think?”

Her eyes glazed over. She pulled her cell from her handbag and took a picture of me. “I think your dad would want to see this.”

“Mom.” My voice went hoarse as I touched her arms. “Do you want me to stay home with you tonight?”

“No, honey. You go. I’ll be fine with Gramps.” She cast me a genuine smile that promised this was not just a lame excuse to let me go so she could break down and cry. Because I knew Granddad planned to come over and bring a deck of cards tonight, Mom would be in good hands.

“Are you guys ready to go?” Lisa asked and put her own phone away which had buzzed while I had my moment with Mom. “Ryan wants to know if we’re ever gonna get there,” she said, laughing.

I stepped back from my mom, took a deep breath, and turned with a smile to my friends. “Okay, let’s do this.”

ENTERING HUNTER’S HOUSE was like walking onto the
Frozen
film set. My breath caught at the beauty of the decorations. I knew the girls had spent a lot of time here recently, to set it all up and create the perfect atmosphere for a winter ball, but this was amazing. Snowflakes cut from white and blue cardboard hung from the ceiling, a chain of lights wound around the stairs’ handrail, and artificial snow covered shelves and tables.

Several elegantly dressed couples were swaying to music that wasn’t as loud as it usually was at Hunter’s parties, and also the number of people—though nothing close to the fifty or sixty that Lisa had demanded—was only a third of the amount that usually came here on party nights.

An expectant beam appeared on Sam’s face when she noticed my surprise. “You like it?”

“Are you kidding? You guys outdid yourselves!” I blurted, twirling on the spot to get a glimpse of the rest of the house. It was then that I found Ethan leaning against the doorjamb to the pool room. Simply stunning in his black tuxedo, a bow tie kept his collar closed. Smiling when I noticed him, he came over and gave me a one-armed hug.

“I’m glad you came,” he said in my ear. “Wouldn’t be the same without you. And hey, I could use some mental support tonight.”

He inched back and grinned, prompting my next question. “Support? What for?”

Cutting a glance to all sides, making sure we weren’t overheard, he lowered his voice. “I think I have a date.”

My mouth dropped open like all the muscles in my face had given out. “You don’t say. Ted?”

Ethan blushed a little and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

“How did that happen?”

“I don’t know, really,” he murmured, like everything had happened too fast for him to grasp. “I got a text from him today—and don’t ask me where he got my number from, because I have no freaking idea. He asked me what I was up to tonight.”

Oh my God. A chill ran down my arms. I knew who gave Ted Ethan’s number, but this was certainly not the time to blurt out this bit of information.

“So I told him I was going to Hunter’s party,” he continued with a grin. “And well…he’s going to be here, too.”

I squeezed his hand with sheer joy, resisting the urge to jump from happiness. “Good luck! You’ve gotta tell me all about it tomorrow. Promise!”

“Since you’re the only one I can really talk to about this, you’ll certainly get the details in the morning.” Suddenly, his face paled like Caspar the ghost as his gaze skated to the door. “Oh
God
, I think I need another drink.”

Casting a subtle look over my shoulder, I saw Ted had just come in. “No, you’re not running away now,” I hissed and gave him a gentle push in the right direction. “Go talk to him.”

Ethan moaned, but he walked toward Ted with his hands in his pockets. I looked after him, nervous on his behalf, until my gaze got snagged on someone else standing close by. All of a sudden, my heart beat out of control. Blood rushed to my head so fast that I almost got dizzy from it.

Without thinking, I shot around and stalked back to my friends, nailing Simone with a hard stare. “You said he wasn’t coming!”

Baffled out of her chat with Nick, she asked, “Who?” Then she dared a glimpse over my shoulder and smirked. “Oh, Chris. Well, to be correct, I said he didn’t
want
to come. Ethan took care of that, though.”

“What?” I should strangle that girl with her own hair.

“Relax, hun. We couldn’t let him spend New Year’s Eve alone. And the house is big enough for two. You don’t have to cozy up to him…unless you want to.” She taunted me with a wink.

I blew out an exasperated breath that made even Nick laugh. “You guys are so funny, aren’t you?” Only, the fun got lost on me as my heart banged against the base of my throat.

Leaning against the banister behind me, I chanced another look to the chest-height table near the entrance. Chris hadn’t noticed me yet. Good. One hand in the pocket of his black pants and a drink in the other, he was talking to some of the guys from his basketball team. Lauren and three other girls were with them. At least they were all keeping a safe distance from him.

Safe for whom
? my mind chided me.

Ignoring that voice inside my head was easier than keeping a leash on the first tiny butterfly that had just awoken in my stomach at seeing Chris. The sleeves of his white dress shirt were rolled up to the elbows; it didn’t surprise me that he hadn’t shoved the hems into his pants or topped it with a tux. The casual style was more like him, and the sloppy black tie hanging loosely from his neck rounded out his cool appearance.

One of the girls must have said something funny, because the small group erupted in laughter, two guys even saluting her. Still cheerful, Chris’s gaze wandered to the side and found me staring at him from behind my friends. His laugh ceased as he tilted his head a little and blinked. When his gaze traveled down my body to my toes and back up, I wondered if he liked my outfit as much as I liked his.

It was such an awkward moment, staring at him across the room, protected by my friends, that, to my total astonishment, my hand lifted in a feeble greeting. I didn’t know if he took it as a sign of forgiveness or just a chance at talking things out, but his mouth curved in a slow smile and he subtly nodded once to beckon me.

I shook my head. It was too much and too soon. Lowering my gaze, I turned away, trying to forget what his bright blue eyes looked like in the dim party light.

“Let’s dance,” I said to Nick instead and bulldozed him to the dance floor with my arm looped through his. He didn’t object and swirled me under his arm. We danced to a few slow songs and some fast ones. All that time, I kept watch of Chris, so that I could adjust our position to be out of his path. Noticing my effort, Nick questioned my motives with a cocked brow. I didn’t explain, but from his look, that wasn’t necessary anyway.

When the next song ended, he led me to the line of tables that held the punch and other drinks. He poured me half a champagne flute of sparkling wine and filled up the rest with strawberry juice. Set with our drinks, we retreated into the pool room that was—for once on a party night—empty.

I leaned against the pool table and sipped my drink.

“What’s up, Susan?” Nick asked in the most serious tone I’d ever heard him use. He must have dug it right out of his grandmother’s attic for just this one occasion. “I’ve never seen you act tense like this before. Like you’ve got a stick up your ass.”

I almost sputtered a mouthful of my drink at him, my eyes growing wide.

“What?” he said. “You know it’s true. What did this poor guy do to you that you turned into this wary badger? And where has all your happiness gone? He messed up, all right, but he’s really sorry about it.”

Setting my glass on the felt-topped table behind me, I shrugged. It wasn’t Chris alone. The breakup of my parents and my mom being sad all the time added a great deal of gloom to my mood, but Nick was right. Most of it was due to how I just couldn’t let go of Chris, even if I tried to…night and day. Every time I thought I was over that hump, I ran into him and totally reset the game. The truth was, I was starting to get sick of how I felt about Chris. Why didn’t love come with an off switch?

“Things are a little more complicated than that,” I told Nick. “There’s just too much going on in my life right now. Chris picked a bad time for his stupid game.”

“Yes, he did.” Lisa’s voice drew our attention to the door where she stood with Sam. The two walked in and joined us at the table. “But it’s the end of the year,” Lisa added. “Maybe you should let go of the anger now. Time to get over it and start a new book.”

Sam nodded in agreement.

With a sigh, I braced my hands on the edge and hoisted myself up to sit on the table, legs dangling. “And what if I do? How can you guarantee he’s not up to another of his little tricks? Or that he won’t get bored of me in just a couple of weeks and break my heart all over again?”

Lisa gave a tiny shrug. “It’s a chance we all take if we like someone enough. I wouldn’t be with my boyfriend now if I hadn’t stopped thinking the same thing you do now.”

“And your boyfriend wouldn’t be such a happy guy tonight,” Ryan teased as he sauntered into the room, sliding behind Lisa and kissing her bare neck. Arms looped around her waist, he looked at me over the pile of curls on her head. “Chris isn’t such a bad guy really. You would be surprised what you’d find if you only let it happen.”

Moaning, I tipped back until I lay on the tabletop and studied the spotlights in the ceiling. “Not everyone is granted such a happy love story as yours.”

“Happy?”

I turned my head to look at the latest newcomer to our cozy group. Tony came in, followed by Alex and Simone, and squeezed in between Sam and Lisa. “If I remember it right, there were some obstacles even in their love story,” he said with a wink at Lisa.

She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. “Right. You were one of them.”

Everyone laughed but Hunter, and that fact coaxed a chuckle from me. Propping on my elbows, I cut a wry look at Simone, who’d snuggled up to Alex on the couch. “Was that your brilliant plan? To bring me here so everyone could toss their pieces of wisdom at me and make me change my mind?”

“Absolutely not.” She snickered. “You just have awesome friends who only want the best for you.”

Now I was the only one laughing, and it was drained of all humor. “And the best for me is Chris?”

“Yes.” A collective answer.

“What did he pay you to say this?” I demanded dryly.

“Nothing.” They all shook their heads. Apart from one.

“Well…” Sam murmured, her cheeks turning slightly pink. “He promised me a cherry-vanilla sundae for a teeny tiny favor.”

All eyes turned to her. “What favor?” I growled.

She grimaced. “Can’t say.”

“Oh yes, you can, you little witch,” I blurted, sitting up again.

Panicky, Sam sucked in a breath, turned to Tony and pulled at his arm. “I think you owe me a dance, remember?” She ushered him out of the room, disappearing in the crowd. That vixen! How did she always slip away so fast after dropping one of her bombs on me? I could only stare after her with an open mouth.

Lisa rubbed my arm. “I’m sure it’s nothing too bad.”

I turned a questioning look at her. “Say that again?” Sam could be a monster, and we all knew it.

Lisa snickered, but the sound died when her gaze got stuck on something behind me. A sudden hush fell over the room. With a chill running down my spine, I slowly turned to the door. Chris was leaning against the frame, hands in his pockets, lips compressed.

I had to give credit to my friends, they put my wish above what they thought was best for me. Nick and Hunter stepped in front of me, facing Chris as he slowly walked closer.

“Hey, buddy,” Hunter said in a friendly but determined voice. “I’m not sure this is the best moment to show up. Susan will come when she’s ready.”

Thanks, Ryan
! If Lisa wasn’t his girlfriend, I’d totally have offered myself to him after that. He was my hero.

Chris, however, seemed unimpressed by the two guys blocking his way. Gaze lowered for a second, he cleared his throat. When he lifted his head again, his first look was for me, then he focused on Hunter. Not even taking his hands out of his pockets, he only tensed his muscles and suddenly looked ten times more dangerous than a German Shepherd ready to attack. Shit. Goosebumps sprouted on my skin.

“I get that you want to protect her…from assholes like me,” he said in a low, controlled voice. “I appreciate it, because you’re her friend, and I would do the same.” He paused. Next his voice turned lethal. “But now get the fuck out of my way, Hunter, and let me talk to my girl.”

I gulped. What the hell— Did he just call me
his
girl?

A silent beat passed in the room with the guys just staring each other down. All of a sudden, Ryan began to laugh. “All right.” He clapped a hand on Chris’s shoulder. “Good luck, my friend. You’ll need it.”

Chris’s features eased. He nodded.

“Come on, everyone,” Alex called out, rising from the couch and dragging a swooning Simone with him. “Let’s give the kids some privacy.”

As they left, Nick and Ryan followed. What the hell? I cast Lisa a pleading look. She wouldn’t leave me alone right now, not her! But she gave me a sheepish grimace and shrugged, following her boyfriend out of the room and sliding the door closed behind her.

Dammit!

I had no time to get off the pool table. Chris stepped in front of me, put my glass out of the way, and placed both his hands flat on the cushion next to my hips, caging me in. His eyes were level with mine and I could feel his raging breath on my face.

With an angry edge in my voice, I said, “Let me go, Chris. I don’t want to talk to you.”

He didn’t move an inch. “You’re not going anywhere until we’ve sorted this out. I don’t care if you’re my friend or my
girl
friend when you leave this room again, but you’re going to stop acting like I ruined your life. And you’ll stop it right now. Are we clear?”