Lucky Number Four (10 page)

“Yeah, I feel the same way. Let’s get drunk
boy and head home.” I need to get the image of my encounter with
Colin out of my brain.

We make our way into the crowd, searching for
an inebriated Frankenstein, and after some pushing and shoving, I
catch a glimpse of a Modelteer. I push farther from him. Julie
squeals as she spots Kevin gyrating by himself to the music. We
each take an arm and make our way to the front door.

“Why are you movin’ me sooooo earlier,” Kevin
mumbles out.

“You’re going to have a major fuckin’
hangover as it is. Any more liquor and you’ll be in bed for days,
that’s why.” Julie sounds pissed off, but I know her. She’s
gloating that Kevin will suffer for his stupidity.

“I’m totackly in charck of my facials.” We
both laugh at his attempt at being coherent.

Thirty minutes later, we’re home, and Kevin,
minus his costume, is tucked in bed.

“Want something to drink?” Julie yells from
the kitchen.

“No, I think I’m going to head upstairs and
pour myself into bed. It’s been a long week and I have work
tomorrow.”

“Something happened tonight. Spill.” Julie’s
radar is up and spot-on.

“I’m just tired,” I say, and Julie pegs me
with a glare. “Okay, quit looking at me like that. It’s creepy. If
looks could kill, I’d be dead.” Julie smiles. “I had a little
encounter before you found me in the bathroom.”

“An encounter? Well, hurry up and share.
Inquiring minds need to know.” She sits opposite me, her elbows on
her knees and her head in her hands. A perfect picture of
sluttiness.

“It was Colin. I came out of the bathroom and
was ready to put my Velcro skirt back on after peeing.”

“For fuck sake, Dora, get to the juicy part.”
Julie’s frown line is so deep it looks like it might stay
permanently.

“Well, he came up to me and had this super
smexy grin, and he pushed me up against the wall—gently, of course,
because he’s a gentleman—and then he kissed me. Geez, Jules, I
could have jumped his bones right there in the hallway. My ex never
made me feel this way. I was a total hot mess. I wanted to wrap my
legs around his waist, but my legs were like limp noodles. That man
can start a blaze.” I close my eyes, remembering the feel of his
hard body pressed against mine and the frustration of the clothes
between us. Yep, I was a totally wanton woman. “Then we were
interrupted. I remembered where we were and who I was and the fact
that I don’t run in the same circles, and I stopped him. It wasn’t
easy, but I did it. Jules, I should have been dressed as a slut
tonight, because I totally felt like one after.”

“Dora, what the hell are you talking about?
You’re not a slut, just a horny woman who’s desired by an equally
horny, hot man. I think you should go upstairs and wait in his
bed.” She pauses to put a red-nailed finger to her chin in
contemplation. “Yes, I think that’s an excellent idea. Get your ass
up there and go for it. He fucking wants you. You know you want him
too.” Julie reaches forward and grabs my hands to emphasize her
point.

“Nope, not going to do it,” I say before
standing up quickly and making my way toward the door.

“You won’t forgive yourself if you don’t.
You’ll always wonder what you missed. I’m betting you’re missing a
whole bunch of fast, slow, dirty, sweaty sex. Makes me wet just
thinking about it.” Julie flops back in the chair.

“Night, Jules,” I say loudly as I close the
door behind me and head for the stairs.

I glance over at the clock again and cringe
at the realization that it’s one a.m. and six in the morning is
going to come really quick, and the coffee shop is always packed on
Saturdays. I’ve been thinking about my encounter with Colin, his
sizzling kisses, his rock hard body, and something else that was
rock hard too.

A sound interrupts my musings. I hear a
muffled voice coming from the door that leads to the living room.
Creeping out of bed, I put my ear up to my door and hear Colin,
Drew, and Liam’s voices, several more male voices I don’t recognize
and a mess of female ones too.

Great, they brought the party home. How the
hell am I supposed to sleep with Colin and a bunch of women in the
next room? Okay, so maybe they aren’t with Colin, but maybe my
rejection turned him off. What the hell? I don’t want him. He
doesn’t want me.

Irritated, I leave the door and flop down on
my bed. It’s going to be a long night.

I am so wound up. She’s just on the other side of the
door. I shouldn’t have kissed her tonight. At first I thought she
was enjoying it, but pushing me away made me think I made a huge
mistake. I want to knock on her door and apologize, but I’m really
not sorry. She was just as I imagined, so giving, and she made me
realize she is who I’ve been searching for. I will let things calm
down a couple of days and then maybe approach her. I can’t screw
this up, I really can’t. She is it.

The next few weeks fly by, and the weather
has changed drastically. I haven’t seen my roommates since
Halloween. The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Julie, Kevin, and I find
ourselves on the way to my parents’ house for dinner. I had been
able to avoid it for weeks, but the threat of my mom driving to the
city to see me convinces me to go. I finally broke down and told
them about my move, and my mom seems okay with it.

The traffic is light and it doesn’t take us
long to get to the house. Both of my grandparents’ cars are parked
outside, which is no surprise since unless they’re in the hospital
or majorly sick in bed, they’re always here.

My family is dysfunctional, just saying. My
mom is like I said before, a true medium/psychic. My dad is pretty
normal, considering he’s put up with my mom all these years. My
fifteen-year-old sister is a self-absorbed teen—always texting,
concerned about boys, hair and clothes, in that order. My
seventeen-year-old brother is a popular jock—always surrounded by a
crowd of admirers. Luckily, he doesn’t let it go to his head, and
is a really nice guy. I know it’s weird that a sister describes her
brother as nice, but it’s the truth.

Now the grandparents…where do I start? My
mom’s parents are…well, my granddad, George Anderson, is a normal
quiet guy. He usually lets Alice, aka Grandma, do all the talking,
which she does too well. She’s so outspoken that sometimes it can
be downright embarrassing. My dad’s mom, Beatrice Jones-Phillips,
is snooty. She’s materialistic and looks down on others not of her
status. My grandfather on my dad’s side passed over five years ago
from a heart attack, which many, including my mom, believe my
grandmother caused. I’m not saying my grandmother—yes, we call her
Grandmother—is evil, she just lives on another realm, above ours.
She’s the one who wanted to send me to that finishing school.

“Are we going in, or are you going to sit in
the car and daydream all day?” Kevin’s voice interrupts my
thoughts.