Page 15 of Wrong For Me

“Sounds good to me.” Will pulls his wallet out and lays a few very large bills down on the table, just in case there’d been any doubt in my mind about this family’s wealth.

But when Rose stands from the table, all thoughts about our financial differences flee my mind at the anxiousness in her voice. “You’re coming, right?”

“Of course,” I tell her. “Pizza and dancing are my favorite, too.”

She laughs that tinkling, bright laugh and I immediately decide I want to be the one to make her laugh for the rest of the night. “Pizza and dancing it is,” she says, her smile just for me.

* * *

Cassie’s Piesis the kind of place that’s pretty much always full, even though it’s a bit off the beaten track. There’s generally a good mix of locals and tourists, particularly on the weekends, and tonight is no exception. We manage to snag a table on the edge of the patio, close enough to the beach that we can hear the gentle lapping of waves in the darkness even over the sound of the band.

“They’re not bad,” River says, nodding over at the small stage on the other side of the patio. “Kind of remind me of that band we saw in Denver last month.”

“Nah,” Will says. “They’re more like Fix Me—remember they opened for Intrigue a couple years ago?”

That starts the two cousins on an argument about different bands they’ve apparently seen play live all over the country.

“They’ll be at it for hours,” Rose explains. “Any time you get the two of them started on music they never shut the hell up.”

I can practically feel Bodhi having a silent freak out next to me as he eavesdrops on the offspring of the famous Ransome brothers arguing about music.

“Where’s our waiter?” Everly says, bouncing on her seat. It doesn’t look like the walk over here did much to sober her up. “I wantallthe food.” She leans over to Bodhi, practically falling off her chair into his lap. “Do you like boring things on your pizza or fun things?”

I can tell he doesn’t know how to respond to that, but Rose interrupts. “Sweetie, no one else wants broccoli and pineapple on their pizza. It’s disgusting and you know it.”

“It’s yummy! And unique.”

“It’s a sin against nature,” Alex argues.

Everly gives Bodhi some impressive puppy dog eyes and I can tell he’s debating which of the two pretty girls he wants to side with. In the end, his stomach wins out. “I like cheese and pepperoni,” he admits, and Alex beams at him.

We end up ordering six pizzas—Everly insisting to anyone who will listen that she’s going to eat an entire pie all by herself—and a few pitchers of beer, which Rose deftly keeps out of her drunk cousin’s hands in favor of a soda.

“You know what would really help me sober up?” Everly asks, staring down at her plain soda with distaste. “Dancing.”

“You think dancing will help you sober up?” River asks skeptically. “Because I think you’re just going to end up falling on your ass.”

She shrugs. “Maybe. But at least I’ll have a good story to tell.”

“You can supervise this time,” River tells Will. “I watched her at the club.”

“Wait, did you hear that?” Will asks in an innocent tone, reaching for his phone. “Oh, Eva calling. I really need to take this.”

River scowls at him but when Everly holds out her hand to him, he takes it, pulling Alex up as well. “If I have to dance, you have to dance.”

“You coming?” Alex asks the rest of us. Bodhi jumps up immediately—like he’s going to say no to dancing with a girl way out of his league. Alex is objectively gorgeous, the kind of girl you wouldn’t be surprised to find in a swim suit magazine. Still, I’ve barely spared her a few glances. I’m too distracted by her cousin.

Rose shoots me a furtive look. “I think I’ll sit for a while,” she says and I fight back a smirk. She’d rather stay here with me.

After they’ve gone, Will really does make a phone call, leaving me and Rose alone at the other end of the table.

“They seem fun,” I offer.

She makes a face. “They’re definitely fun. But they’re also loud and intrusive.”

I slide my chair a few feet towards her, leaning down so our faces are closer. “If they hadn’t interrupted us back at the bar, what would have happened?”

Her cheeks color but her blue eyes are fierce as she holds my gaze. “I would have asked you to dance with me.”