The Singles (73 page)

Butterflies settle in the bottom of my stomach, and I suck it in an effort to try to still their erratic flight. “I didn’t realize I had a time.”

The second Hazel places our drinks in front of us, he tips back his shot and shakes his head. “You wouldn’t have come in here if that were true.”

Thinking on his words in silence, I sip my mocktail. As soon as I’m done, he motions me close to him. “I want you to take me home, Evelyn, but before we leave I want you to know something else,” he says in a voice low enough for only me to hear. “If you get out your car and come into my place, I want more from you. I want to be inside you, taste every inch of you, and if you come in that’s what’s gonna happen tonight.”

Oh. Wow.

Panties, meet your destroyer,
I think at the pressure his words build inside of me.

I swallow past the lump in my throat. Scooting off the barstool, I start for the door, glancing back to see if he’s coming. He falls in step right beside me, and I feel his fingers splay on the small of my back. I suppress a shiver as I lead him to where my car is parked in a lot a block away.

“Did you know this thing is in Forza?” he asks me once we’re both inside. I give him a disbelieving stare. Not even two minutes ago he was telling me how this night would end with me in his bed, and now his expression is calm and collected and he’s talking about my car and a video game.

“I know now,” I say, checking my mirrors as I pull onto the street in the direction of his apartment. When I park in his driveway behind a silver Impreza that I assume belongs to him, my dark brown eyes lock with his blue ones. I start to grab my purse as a slow, sexy grin forms on his face.

“God, Evelyn, I—” he begins but his words freeze when an electric blue Fiesta pulls into the spot right next to mine. I watch in horror as Cari, his ex-girlfriend, gets out. She stares over at us, a momentary flash of surprise registering on her face before she smirks, sticks her epic rack out, and then walks up the drive to Rhys’ side of the duplex.

“What the hell is she doing?” he growls as we watch her let herself in.

“Well, apparently she has a key.” My jaw clenches, and I fold my arms over my chest and flick my gaze over to him. “So what
is
she doing?”

I see his muscles tighten up as he gets out of my car. Supporting his weight on the open door, he leans down and gives me a warning look. “Don’t you think about moving. I’m going to settle this and figure out what’s going on.”

Biting the inside of my cheek I follow his toned back as he stalks into his house. As each second passes by my face grow hotter and hotter in shame until my entire body feels like it’s on fire. There’s nothing quite like sitting outside a guy’s house—a guy I fully planned to sleep with—as he tries to diffuse a situation with his former girlfriend.

If that’s even what this is.

Who’s to say he didn’t ask her over himself?

Finally, when there’s still no sign of either of them and my stomach pitches violently because of the road my thoughts have swerved on, I jab my keys back into the ignition and drive away.

––––––––

“H
ey, do me a favor?” I stop Nathan just before he walks into sight singing the next morning. Side-stepping a girl who’s trying to get into class, he turns to me and waits for my request. “Can you text me the assignment? I’ve got a migraine from hell, and I’m going to run back to my room and take something before my afternoon class.”

He turns his lips into a sympathetic frown and nods. “Feel better. I’ll let you know if you miss anything important.”

Moving away from the door so a few people can walk through, I give him an appreciative look before heading down the hallway toward the stairs. Although I’m still pissed at Rhys, livid actually, I’m honestly not avoiding sight singing because of him today. I fully intend on going to our lesson this afternoon and telling him exactly what I think of him—as soon as I get rid of this headache. I’m massaging my fingers over my temples with my eyes partially closed, so I’m caught completely unaware when a strong hand closes around my wrist and pulls me into the concert band’s instrument room on the first floor.

Fear spirals through me. I pound my fists against a rock hard chest until fingers feather across my cheek and tilt my face up and Rhys’ beautiful blue-green eyes stare down at me. Sucking in a breath to calm my speeding heart, I close my eyes. Then I hit him one more time. To my satisfaction, he winces and backs up.

“You scared the hell out of me,” I gasp. He’s a couple feet away from me now, in front of a metal shelf lined with woodwind cases, with his dark eyebrows drawn together over his eyes. I settle my gaze directly on his eyes, and I quickly realize it’s a stupid, careless mistake.

An angry scowl creases his forehead. “You left without even telling me you were going.

“Our lesson isn’t until this afternoon. And you’re supposed to be teaching.” I cross my arms over my chest, digging my fingernails into the backs of my arms. “So what do you want?”

“What happened to you last night?” His voice is low, and when I don’t answer he strides over to me and cups the side of my face. There’s no hesitation in the fingers splaying over my skin, no asking for permission. My body betrays me almost immediately, and I turn my head, letting his palm mold against my cheek. “Evelyn?”

My breathing comes out in shallow spurts, and my chest feels like it’s about to explode. Everything is weighed down because of this boy—no, this man—and it shouldn’t be.

“Your girlfriend showed up,” I say hotly, taking a defiant step toward him. My breasts brush up against his chest, causing his body to jerk. “I wasn’t going to just sit there twiddling my thumbs like an idiot.”

“You are impatient.” He traces his thumb over my upper lip. “As soon as I sent Cari on her way—and we’re not together, nor did I touch her last night—I came out to get you. I meant what I said about wanting you. Imagine my surprise to find you gone.”

“How the hell could you be surprised when—”

Drawing my lip between his thumb and forefinger, he shakes his head. “Again, Cari’s not my girlfriend. I had no issue telling her that and telling her to leave.”

Running his gaze over the full length of my body, one corner of his full lips tilts into a smirk. His warm breath tickles my face when he says, “You stood me up again.”

“It was on your personal time, so I’m pretty sure it’s not against the rules.”

Dropping his hands to my hips, he yanks me to him so hard we stumble back against one of the shelves, sending a box of reeds tumbling to the floor.

“You didn’t give me a chance,” he tells me again. He crushes his mouth against mine in a kiss that’s too short and yet far too long. A kiss that tastes bittersweet, beautiful, and makes my chest seize up in the worst pain I’ve felt in a long time.

Rhys drags himself away from me, leaving me dizzy, and I trace my nail around the outline of my lip. Once he catches his breath, he leans close to me again. “But since you asked, yeah, it’s sure as hell against the rules. Everything with you is against the rules, and I’m kicking myself for breaking them. You’re eighteen—”

“Nineteen,” I correct breathlessly, “My birthday was August tenth.”

“Still, you’re almost five years younger than me,” he growls, “And yet, all I can think about is you.” He shakes his head, and I’m unsure if it’s at me or himself, before he tells me, “When you’re ready to finish this, just tell me.”

***

“I
’ve missed you, woman! God, it feels like I haven’t seen you in years!” Kendra shouts four days later, on Friday, when I meet her at the front of my dorm. She all but tackles me as she launches herself into my arms.

“It’s only been six weeks,” I point out, laughing, but I hug her back as tightly as I can. I pluck her duffel bag out of her grip and swipe my student ID over the scanner by the front door. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you—I’ve been a mess without you.” And I have. Ever since Rhys pulled me in that music room four days ago, I haven’t been able to think clearly.

We take the elevator up to my room where we find Corinne trying on outfits for one of the many parties that will be going down tonight. When I shut the door behind us, she pops her head up, grinning broadly. “This must be the fantastic Kendra.”

“Oh God.” Kendra’s brown eyes shoot over to me. “What’s she been telling you about me?”

“Not nearly enough,” Corinne promises her before holding up two shirts for my inspection—one black and lacy and the other a fluorescent pink tube top. I point to the black one. “So, where all are you two going tonight?”

There are several bands scheduled to start playing in the next couple hours, and after that, I’ve been invited to parties all over campus—from Baseball House to the music fraternity and even to a few in-room parties from people I know from class. “It kind of depends on what she wants to do.” I glance at Kendra who lifts her shoulders slightly before I ask Corinne the same question. “What about you?”

She rattles off a list of parties she’ll be hopping to with her friends, and I get dizzy just thinking about it. After she finishes dressing, she stands in the center of our room and spins in a circle, and I give her an approving nod. “Be safe tonight,” I say, sounding exactly like Kendra, who gives me an amused look.

Grabbing her room keys, Corinne waggles her eyebrows suggestively. “Always. Have fun tonight, Evie.” To Kendra, she waves and says, “I hope we’ll be able to do something tomorrow so you can tell me all about Evie—she always tells me to piss off when I ask questions.”

As soon as my roommate is gone, Kendra spins in my computer chair, taking in Corinne’s tropical-themed side of the room before she rubs her chin thoughtfully. “She’s very nice,” she tells me carefully, but I clearly hear what she’s trying not to say.

“She reminds you of me, doesn’t she?” Squinting, she holds her purple-painted thumb and forefinger a few centimeters apart, and I groan. I throw myself on my bed and prop my chin up in my hands. “Yep, that’s what I was afraid of.”

We spend the next hour and a half catching up. I learn that my ex is dating a girl I was friends with in high school and that Kendra’s been seeing a guy I’ve never met—some basketball player from Denmark. “Oh, and I’m thinking about trying out for the tennis team next year. I was pretty good at it in high school, so I figured why the hell not.”

Flipping over on my back, I stare upside down at her. “You make me feel lazy, I haven’t worked out in months. I think about it and then I end up downing a Coke. My mother would be so proud,” I say, thinking of how even in the weeks following Lily’s death, and after the revelation about my dad’s affairs, Mom still attended her yoga and spin classes religiously.

“Whatever,” Kendra snorts. “You and Lily were always freaks of nature. I used to be so jealous of you two because you ate as much as my dad and didn’t gain a pound.” My phone beeps on my desk, and Kendra leans over. “Nathan?”

“Yeah, we’re supposed to be meeting them for the show tonight.”

Fifteen minutes later as we walk across campus to the courtyard to meet up with Nathan and his girlfriend, we talk about plans for winter break. We’ve almost settled on a spot to head to for a weekend trip during that time, when I see Rhys. And he’s coming directly toward us. I almost lead her in the opposite direction, but then I pull in a breath and face him head on. I feel Kendra go still beside me as he grants her a brief smile.

“You got my email?” he asks me, and I nod. His request to cancel our practice this afternoon had come through early this morning, but it had actually worked out to my advantage since Kendra was in town. His eyes touch my floppy black fedora, and he twists his full lips to the side in amusement.

“One of these days,” he promises.

“I stopped wearing them around you,” I argue, and then I realize how rude I’m being and twist to look at Kendra. “Rhys, this is my best friend Kendra,” I tell her and she smiles broadly at him. Clearing my throat, I tell my best friend, “And this is my advisor’s assistant.”

After they’ve exchanged greetings, Rhys lifts his eyebrow at Kendra who responds by doing the same. “Does she wear these ridiculous hats everywhere?”

“Even in the shower,” she jokes, and he nods his head as if she’s confirmed all his suspicions.

“Thought so. Look, I’ve gotta meet some friends, but let me know if you need anything before midterms, okay?” I don’t miss his longing look or the words left unsaid as he brushes past us, his arm skimming my wrist. Letting me know that his invitation to come to him is still open.

Kendra pulls me close to her, and I pump my legs faster to keep up despite the fact that she’s a little shorter than me. “I think my own underwear just melted at the way that boy stared you down,” she whispers, sounding nothing like the Kendra I’ve known for so many years. “Good
God
. You didn’t mention he was that gorgeous. None of the voice guys you were friends with last year looked
anything
like that.”

“Rhys is—” I struggle to find the right word. “Different.”

“
Yeah
, I kind of figured that out,” she says.

Luckily, I spot Nathan then. He’s with a girl who reminds me a lot of Corinne except she’s a good six inches taller—slightly taller than Nathan—and her wild curls are dyed completely black. I wave them down and start to go over, but Kendra’s hand closes around my forearm, stopping me. “I just thought you should know that when you look at him—at Rhys—it’s obvious.”

“What?” I ask, but before she can respond, Nathan and Michaela come over. Nathan grabs Kendra into a bear hug like they’re long lost friends as I introduce myself to Michaela. I’m relieved to find that she’s just as easy-going as he is as we pick an empty spot on the grass and the shows begin a few minutes later.

There are a few bands I’ve heard of, like Red Denial, but also several that are new to me. I make it my personal goal to check out some of their shows over the next several months before summer break. When the music is finished shortly after eleven and the crowd starts to thin out, Michaela stands up, brushing the grass off her jeans. She turns to Nathan and says something very softly that makes him grin like the Cheshire cat.