Carly seemed much more at ease her second night at the Grille. I held back and watched her for a few minutes as she chatted with a group of college aged girls and directed them over to the bar. She seemed very much in her element. I was strangely excited about it. I guess it’s because if she liked her job she’d stick around for the whole summer, and for one reason or another I really wanted that.

“Hey, roomie.”

Her eyes lit up a little when she saw me. She must have been in a really good mood. “Hey!”

“I’m a little early, so I thought I’d bother you.”

“Why not bother Maddy? She’s outside.”

“Yeah, she’s not as much fun to bother anymore. She’s so perpetually happy.”

“The nerve. She needs to be moody and pissy all the time.”

“Not all the time, just some of it. She at least has to let me rile her up.”

“That’s exactly what a girl wants a guy to say about her.” She narrowed her eyes.

“You on the other hand are very easy to rile up.”

“Am I?”

“Uh huh.” I stepped closer.

“I think it’s the other way around.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Why don’t we see whose better at it tonight?”

“Who’s better at getting the other person irked?”

“Exactly.” She glanced at her watch. “Looks like you’re done bothering me.” She took off down the hall, and I knew she was clocking out. I waited by the entrance, and we walked out.

“Want to drop off your car? You can get changed and we’ll go. Brody’s meeting us at the party.”

“Brody’s coming?” She seemed surprised.

“Yeah, I think he wants to protect you.”

“Protect me from what, you?”

What was she getting at with that line? “No, from me ditching you or something. Which I wouldn’t do by the way.”

“I’m a big girl, Macon. I assure you I can take care of myself.”

“But you’re new here.”

“So? And by the way, I don’t need to stop home and change.” She started to pull her black t-shirt over her head. For a second I thought she was going to strip down to her bra right there in the parking lot, but she was wearing a bright pink tank top underneath. The bottom rode up, giving a glimpse of a strip of her lightly sun kissed skin. Before I could look for long she’d smoothed out the shirt and tugged down slightly on her black skirt.

I forced my eyes up to her face. “Okay, so let’s drop off your car.”

“Sure, see you at home.” She opened her door and got in.

I drove back to the condo in an insanely good mood. A female friend who’d make bets with me. I really was spot on about this girl.

---

The party was in full swing when we arrived. I recognized about half of the people there and assumed the rest were new in town for the season. I glanced around the room and noticed a red head smiling at me. I smiled back, and Carly snorted. I looked at her. “What?”

“Nothing…it’s just that I can’t believe that’s going to work on you.”

“What is?”

“That look she’s giving you. I bet she’s been practicing in front of the mirror or something.”

“Are you seriously going to critique every girl I notice?”

Carly laughed. “This is too easy.”

“What is? Ohh… got it. You were doing that on purpose.”

“Exactly. Have fun with the fake red-head.”

“Fake?”

“You think that’s natural?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Maybe?”

“Not a chance, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk to her.” She started to walk off.

“Where are you going?”

“To give you space, you can’t pick up girls with me around.”

“Sure I can. You’re my wing girl, remember? You’re the friend that helps me seal the deal.”

She groaned. “I don’t think you need my help.”

“I don’t need it, but it’s going to be fun.” I had no plans of taking the girl home, but it seemed like a great way to annoy Carly back.

Her face scrunched up. “Okay, fair enough.” There was a mischievous glint in her eyes that got me nervous, but I let it go.

We hadn’t even made it to the keg when the red head reached us. I could already nix her. A girl that made things that easy wasn’t even fun.

“Hi.” She smiled.

It didn’t mean I wouldn’t be polite though. “Hi, having a good time?”

“I was kind of bored.” She twirled a piece of her hair.

“Never a good sign for a party.”

“Then you should hang out with Macon, trust me he’s exciting.” Carly filled a cup from the keg behind me. “See you later, babe.”

I shook my head. She really didn’t get the wing girl idea. Or maybe that was just another attempt at her whole annoy me thing.

“Is that your girlfriend?” Red head asked.

“No, my roommate.”

“Oh.” I could see the wheels turning in her head. “So you’re single?”

“Uh huh.” I tried to pay attention to what she was saying as I searched around the room for Carly. How had she disappeared so quickly? She was supposed to be helping me get out of this situation and move on. “Can you excuse me?”

I needed to find her. I hadn’t seen Brody yet and otherwise she didn’t know anyone. I didn’t want her getting bored or anything. I headed outside and found her pretty quickly. She was leaning against the railing of the lower deck talking to Caleb Anders. Forget me. She was the one who needed a rescue.

“Hey, babe.” I used the same term she had.

“Hey.” She barely glanced at me.

Caleb did however pay attention to my arrival. He scowled as soon as his eyes set on me. “Hi, Macon. Didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

I smirked. “What can I say? It’s not really a party without me, is it?”

Carly laughed, and Caleb turned back to her. “Don’t mind Macon, he thinks highly of himself.”

“Yeah… I know that.”

“Wait. Do you guys know each other?” He looked between us.

“She’s my roommate.” I forced down the ‘you idiot’ part I wanted to add. Mouthing off to my boss’s son probably wasn’t the best idea. It was hard not to when he was practically breathing down Carly’s throat, and worse yet she didn’t seem to mind. Either she had really bad taste, or she was trying to annoy me more. I hoped it was the latter and decided to test it. “But I’ll leave you two to continue your conversation. I’m sure it’s been stimulating.”

“It has been.” She smiled. “But thanks for stopping by.”

I tried to get a read. Did she actually like Caleb?

I reluctantly walked away, but I still kept them in view. I knew she could take care of herself, but I didn’t want her getting hurt. Caleb didn’t date much, but he always seemed to go for the younger girls when he did. Getting mixed up with a rich boy with way too much time on his hands wasn’t good for anyone, especially not a girl as cool as Carly.

“You make me sick.” Brody rolled his eyes at me.

“I know I do, but is there a particular reason why I do at the moment?”

“You’re staring at her like a puppy or something. Either you like her or you don’t. And as much as I’d rather not have roommates who are dating, if you do like her I’d move fast. She’s not going to stay single long.”

“We’re just friends. Completely and utterly friends.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.” We had to stay friends whether I liked it or not. I couldn’t go down that road with Carly and screw things up for everyone.

“Then why are you over here alone staring at her like that?”

“Shut up.”

“I’m just saying…”

“I’m taking Carly home. I promised her I wouldn’t ditch her.”

Brody sipped his Coke. He rarely drank alcohol. “But I could easily drive her home too. I also live with her.”

I glared at him. “I’m driving her home, and I’m doing it soon.”

“She’s not going home with him, just watch the body language.”

“I’m watching.”

“She’s leaning away. He’s the one in her space, not the other way around.”

My body relaxed. “Good. If she wants to date I could hook her up with someone better than that.”

“Oh yeah? Who would that be? You?”

“Maybe it’s you, Brody. You seem to talk about her just as much.”

“Oh yeah? You’d be okay with me dating her?”

“If she weren’t our roommate.”

“Yeah… it’s all because of the roommate thing.” He turned to leave. “Keep telling yourself that, maybe eventually you’ll believe it.”

“Go to hell.”

“Nah, I’m just going to get another Coke.”