Page 38 of Catch
“What’s going on over there?” Parker asked. She wasn’t clueless, but I don’t think she was ready for the truth either.
“Nothing.” I gave her what I thought was my sexiest grin, but it fell quickly when Andrew slid up behind Parker and put his arm around her shoulder. I swallowed hard and looked away.
“Looks like prom was a hit.” He made a production of looking Parker up and down appreciatively. She leaned away from him. I wanted to punch him.
“Gross. Don’t be creepy, Andrew,” Hayley said. It was obvious Parker was uncomfortable. “You should ask people before you paw them.” She pulled Parker away and tucked her safely between us. Parker’s arm brushed mine and chill bumps raced along my skin.
“Parker doesn’t mind. I always put my arm around her.” He took a long pull from his longneck. His eyes never left her.
“Parker’s too nice to tell you to fuck off,” Hayley said.
Zay walked into the kitchen and brushed his long bangs out of his face with his slender fingers. He wasn’t a big guy, but he was tall and scrappy. “What’s going on here?”
Andrew laughed. “Nothing. Just girls being girls. I’ll see you later, Parker.”
Hayley made a gagging noise when he left the kitchen. She turned to Parker. “Tell me you’re not into him.”
Parker looked alarmed. “No. He’s too…” She paused trying to find the right word.
“Predatory?” Hayley suggested.
“Gross?” I added. We all laughed knowing we were on the same page. “Don’t worry, Parker, we’ll make sure you aren’t alone with him.”
“Thanks.” She took another drink and hissed.
“You know, it’s okay not to drink if you don’t want to.” I held up my red Solo Cup. “It’s ice water. I put it in a cup so nobody questions me.”
Parker put her hard lemonade on the counter and took a sip from my cup. “This tastes so good.”
I grabbed another cup, added ice cubes, and turned on the filter on the sink. “Would you like your own?”
She held up my cup and took another sip. Her tongue darted out to catch a small drop of water on her upper lip. I was mesmerized. “No, I’m good with this one if you don’t mind.”
Hayley, standing behind her, gaped at me and quickly pushed Zay out of the kitchen. “We’ll catch you later.”
When it was just the two of us, Parker turned to face me. “What did you think about prom?”
We had danced as a group and every time I got close to Parker, she got pulled in a different direction. It was as if something was purposely pulling us apart. Hayley joked that Parker’s parents were probably watching us the whole time on hidden cameras and I was convinced she was right after three failed attempts of trying to dance with her. “I’m glad we’re here and not there.”
Parker tilted her head at me. “Why?”
It was now or never. It was just the two of us standing in the kitchen. I leaned my hip up against the counter and before I got lost in her blue eyes and tight body, I said, “Because I finally get you all to myself.”
Chapter Sixteen—One Minute of Truth
Present
I grabbed Hayley’s hand and pulled her to me before we walked up the driveway. “Thank you for doing this for me. I know you had a hard time getting away for the night.”
Hayley smiled at me and patted my hand. “I love you, but I did this for me, too. I’m invested in this now. This way, I have firsthand knowledge of how she is, how you are, and if you can have a friendship with somebody who destroyed you.” She gave me an angelic smile, but underneath her halo was a fierce woman who was used to fighting for her family. She blinked at me three times and increased the intensity of her smile.
I rolled my eyes. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
“The reunion of a lifetime. How do I look?” Hayley looked amazing. She had gone all out for tonight. She had her hair done, spoiled both of us with mani/pedis, and even though fall was here, she wore a sleeveless dress. She gained fifty pounds when her last was born but worked hard to lose it and, in the process, came away with a lean, muscular body.
“Too bad you’re married with five hundred kids. I’d take a crack at you.”
She kissed my cheek. “I wouldn’t leave Mike to raise my devil children alone. Nobody deserves that punishment.”
