Outsider (Outsider Series) (39 page)

“Is that me?” I asked hesitantly.

Chris smiled, clearly pleased with my reaction. Charlotte released my arms having decided that I wasn’t going to run screaming for the hills.

“Yes, that’s you,” said Chris.

“Thank you,” I said.

Chris threw her hands in the air. “Finally! A thank you!”

I laughed and the other two joined in.

Chris had done an amazing job on me but how could I compete with her and Charlotte’s perfection. Chris’ hair was coifed in an elegant do that rivaled those you’d see on the red carpet and Charlotte’s deep red hair cascaded like a red river down her back. Charlotte’s gold dress brought out hints of gold in her red hair.

Chris looked like she could compete with actresses
and royalty.
Charlotte looked like she should be on the pages of a magazine.
It was completely unfair.

Charlotte looked at the clock on the bathroom counter. “The guys should be here any minute,” she said. “Grab your clutch and put your shoes on,” Charlotte said. Before I could stand and get them she disappeared into my room and grabbed them.

I slipped on the death trap heals and took the beaded gold clutch that Chris had leant me.

“Do you have your phone? Camera? Lip gloss?” Charlotte ran through a check list.

“Yes, phone, yes, camera, no to the lip gloss,” I said checking the clutch.

Charlotte sighed and grabbed the pink lip gloss off of the counter and put in the clutch. “There,” she said, “you’re all set.”

“Thanks,” I said.

The doorbell rang and Charlotte
and Chris squealed in delight and raced out of the bathroom. I reluctantly followed behind them trying to hide in the background. I was not as attention seeker.

“Oh dear
,
don’t you look lovely,” said Gram from the kitchen.

“Gram,” I said looking at my feet.

“Well you do,” she said
. She patted my cheek and her wise eyes sp
arkled with tears. “You’re growing
up so fast, Sophie,” she said. “And don’t complain but I promised to e-mail your parents a bunch of pictures. They feel bad that they can’t be here.”

I groaned.

“Now, now,” she said flicking her finger back and forth at me. “Now you better get that
tush
of yours out there before that young man of yours comes bar
g
ing in here.”

I laughed and headed out to the living room. I noticed that Chris was standing beside Bentley and I idly wondered if they were going together. Bryce and Logan were collapsed onto the couch, tired before the night had even begun, Charlotte stood off to the side staring longingly at Logan while he looked at his fingernails. I didn’t miss Bryce’s glances at Charlotte.

Standing proudly in the middle of the room was Caeden grinning from ear to ear. The look he gave me sent blood coursing through my veins and straight to my cheeks. I glanced self-consciously at my feet. He
of course
looked absolutely stunning in his tux.
The black and white of the tux against his tan skin and brown hair made him look like some kind of Adonis. Although I thought that even when he wore a t-shirt and jeans. He looked perfect and I felt unworthy in comparison to the god that stood before me.
The adjective
that came to mind to describe Caeden was delectable. Yes, unquestionably delectable.

“Wow,” he said, “you look amazing. Stunning, incredible, gorgeous, exquisite.” He shook his head and simply said, “Wow,” again.

“Thank you,” I said trying to hide the blush flooding my cheeks. I was scared that the heat in my cheeks would melt my makeup. Could that happen?

“Beautiful,” he said and came forward and took me in his arms. His thumb circled my cheek and I leaned into his palm with a sigh.
His touch alone could always calm me.
My love for him grew every day and every time I saw him. I thought when you loved someone that was it. You just loved them. But that’s not true. When you love someone that love changes and grows. It becomes more. More than you can comprehend. “I love you,” he whispered in my ear. I wondered if he had heard my thoughts but I didn’t think so. I hadn’t been directing them at him.

“I love you too,” I said.

He smiled. “I can’t believe you’re mine. I’m the luckiest man alive.”

I’m the lucky one.

He grinned hearing my thoughts. It was so much more intimate speaking without words.

“I got you a corsage,” he said.

“And I told you not too,” I said even though I had gotten him a boutonniere.

He laughed. “When do I ever listen to you?”

“Never,” I said with a smile.

“So why start now?” He asked.

“Good point,” I said and tried to contain a giggle.

He grabbed the plastic box off the coffee table and took the delicate
flower out and slid it onto my wrist.

“It’s beautiful,” I said softly touching the delicate petals. Three small white orchids surrounded a pale green carnation a
nd
there were several large leaves.

He blushed which surprised me and said, “Chris helped me pick it out. Since you wouldn’t let me see your dress I had no clue what to get.”

“It’s perfect,” I said and pulled out his matching boutonniere. Chris had helped me pick it out as well. No doubt all about her plan to have the perfect prom. I pinned it onto his tux and when I finished he pulled me against his chest and kissed me on the cheek.

“Pictures!” squealed Gram producing a small silver camera from somewhere. “Smile!” she said. Caeden looked down and smiled at me while I smiled up at him. Flash! “Ooh! That’s a good one!” said Gram. “I’ll have to put this up in the house. Okay now look at me,” she said going into photographer mode.

We looked at the camera. Flash! I blinked my eyes and little white balls of light danced behind my lids. Flash! Flash! Flash! Gram was having way, way, way, too much fun with this.

“Everyone now,” she said, “come on squish together. You too Logan!” she said when he didn’t move. “Any day now Logan. I’m not getting any younger!” Logan reluctantly stood next to Charlotte. Poor girl. I didn’t think he was worth her time when clearly Bryce thought she was everything. Gram p
ositioned the camera and then cried in frustration, “Bryce! Can you at least act like your happy!
”

“No,” said Bryce.

Gram sighed and held up the camera once again. Just before the flash went off Caeden swept me into his arms and planted a dramatic movie star kiss on my lips.

Gram chuckled. “Alright, I’m done. I promise,” she said and put the camera down on the table beside the door to prove her point. “Have fun, ya’ll.” Her eyebrows knitted together. “Maybe not too much fun,” she amended.

“Bye Gram,” I said
with a smile
and kissed her soft wrinkled cheek.

She patted my arm. “Love you, Sophie. Go on now before prom ends,” she said. “Plus, I have to send these pictures to your mom before she has a bloody conniption.”

I chuckled at her. Caeden took my hand and we followed along behind the others. A large, long, stretch SUV limo was stationed outside my house.

“Oh no!” I said and turned to go back inside. “I said no limo, Caeden.”

He grabbed me around the waist and held me firmly so that escape was impossible. He chuckled in my ear, “You said nothing about limos. Besides the pack is splitting the cost.”

I raised a lone eyebrow at him, jutted out my hip, and placed my hand on it. “Really? How come I didn’t pay my share?”

“Because I paid it,” he said giving me a, duh
!,
look.

“Caeden,” I whined. “Why do you insist on torturing me?”

“Sophie, you’r
e going to have fun. I promise,” he smiled.

“You better hope so or you’re in big trouble, mister,” I laughed.

“You’re cute when you’re trying to be tough,” he said and humor sparkled in his eyes.

I feigned indignation. “You better think I’m cute all the time,” I said.

“Oh, I do,” he said and held me around my waist. “I love you no matter what you wear, what your clothes look like, you’re always perfect to me. And I love looking at you in your wolf form. Your fur is so beautiful.”

“I think yo
ur fur’s beautiful too,” I said and nuzzled his neck much like we did in wolf form.

He grinned.

Bentley stuck his head out of the limo. “Love birds! You have three seconds or we’re leaving without you!”

Caeden laughed and pulled me into the limo. The driver closed the door. “Sophie, has an aversion to limos,” he told his best friend.

“I do not,” I pouted. “I simply don’t like you spending unnecessary money one me. It’s ridiculous. You know there
are
starving children in the world,” I said.

“I am aware of that,” he said, “that’s why we frequently donate to various charities.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. He had me trapped.

“Fine,” I said, “spend your money any way you want.”

“I will and I do,” he said. “I do work you know,” he chuckled.

Of course I knew that. We worked together, for lord’s sake. I rolled my eyes at him.

The limo smoothly rolled forward and out of the neighborhood. It was still early and the plan was to eat at the hotel prom was being held at before it began. The ride was pretty short further proving my point that the limo was completely unnecessary. The limo rolled to a stop in front of the old historical hotel downtown. I knew we were near the coffee shop that Caeden played his guitar. The driver opened the car door and we all slid out.

The hotel was brick with cream and gray stone accents. A black metal type canopy covered the door.
I knew the hotel had been built in the twenties and even though it had been recently remodeled it still carried hi
nts of that time period. A bell
man graciously opened the door for us and we filed in. Caeden took my hand and we lead the way into the restaurant. I noticed other kids from our school there in their prom dresses and tuxes. I thought Caeden out shone all the males in his tux. Maybe it was all with how you carried yourself. Caeden wore his tux with confidence where most of the guys scattered throughout the restaurant tugged uncomfortably at theirs and you could see their intense dislike for the garment clearly on their face. Even Logan didn’t look nearly as uncomfortable in his tux. I wondered why he even came. He seemed even
more unhappy
to be here than Bryce was and I was pretty sure I knew Bryce’s reason for being unhappy and it could be summed up in one word. Charlotte.

“Can I help you?” asked the woman behind the podium.

“We have a reservation under Williams,” said Caeden looking completely in his element in this elegant restaurant that was no doubt very expensive.

The woman checked her list and nodded her head. “Right this way,” she said leading us to a table already set for the seven of us. Caeden pulled out a chair for me and I sat.

“Thank you,” I said to him as he sat down beside me.

He smiled and picked up the menu that had already been set on the table. “I’m so glad you came with me,” he said.

Reluctantly I admitted, “I am too. Don’t make me regret before the
nights
over,” I smiled.

He chuckled and entwined our fingers together. He brought my hand up to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “Never,” he said.

I turned my attention to the menu but he kept his hold on my hand. The waiter came and got our drink orders by the time he returned we had all decided. I had settled on the salmon meal.

Our meals came and we joked back and forth. In the moment it was easy to forget the danger we were all under.
But
Travis and his dad were out there somewhere.

My meal was delicious and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. When we finished and paid for our meal prom had been going on for a good forty-five minutes.

Caeden grinned and took my hand leading me from the restaurant into the ballroom. A huge grin was spread across his face. The others followed along behind us. Caeden pushed open the ivory door into the ballroom. A deep base thudded and purple lights pulsed. A deejay was set up in the corner
. D
ifferent colored
fabrics
teepee
the ceiling.

I noticed the way some of the kids on the floor were dancing and blanched. I sincerely hoped Caeden did not expect me to dance like that because no way in hell was that about to happen. Nope, nope, nope! It was more like dry humping than dancing! I had never been to a dance before and couldn’t believe that the teachers allowed students to dance like that. My parents would kill me. I wrinkled my nose in distaste.

With my new keen sense of smell I could smell alcohol emanating from half of the boys on the football team. I was getting a headache just smelling it. How on earth did I let Caeden talk me into this? I’d rather be at home in my pajamas curled up in his arms with a good book. That situation was more to my liking but I had promised to come so I was stuck here. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. I hoped but I doubted it.