She sounded out an audible sigh. Her hands found her hips. “Such a brat.” Then her smile switched and blinded me. “Hi! I didn’t know you were coming tonight. This is awesome. Hi, Mason.”

He glanced at her but shifted so he stood behind me. His hand rested in the small of my back. I knew he had checked out of our conversation.

“Hi.” I looked around. “So what brother won an award?”

“Oh, stupid Jake.” She gave a dismissal wave. “He’s such a brat too, but some science magazine thinks he’s a genius. I don’t know. Good for him, I guess. Not that he’ll go into science when he’s older. He wants to be like Adam. He’s already told me.” Her irritation was evident. “He wants to be the quarterback and nail hot girls. Those were his words. Hey, guess what?!”

I blinked from the sudden switch. “What?”

Her hand grasped onto my arm. “I met a boy last night! Can you believe it? I can’t. I had to keep looking at my phone all day to see if it was really true or I just had a great drunk dream. But it’s real. I’m in shock. We’re going out after this.”

“You are?” And then I took in her outfit.

The cheerleader uniform was gone. Thank goodness. I had assumed she wore a simple lacy red dress for the event, but maybe not. “Where are you going?” Her hair looked frizzy. I bit my lip as I knew she’d need to fix that.

“I don’t know.” Her hand curved into my skin and she started to bounce up and down. Her br**sts did as well and I clamped a hand on her shoulder to stop her. I shook my head. Then she rushed out, “I have a date, Sam! A real live date. I can’t believe it. I’m so over Adam. I think Rex wants to go to a party. I’m supposed to call him after this is done. He’s going to pick me up here.”

“Rex?”

Her head bounced up and down instead. “Rex Thursto.”

“Rex Thursto?”

“Uh huh. He’s really cute and skinny. I think he’s a pothead, but I don’t care. He liked how hyper I was. He said I was easy on the eyes, but then again they seemed glazed over. Oh well. I can’t contain my excitement. I’m so happy you’re here and I got to tell you. I wanted to text you all day, but then I didn’t. Adam said I shouldn’t—”

“Adam said you shouldn’t?”

She went still, caught in my crossfire. Her eyes twitched back and forth. The rest of her face was frozen. “Yeah. He did.”

“When?”

“Today.” Her voice had grown quiet. “Are you upset?”

“No.” I threw my arms wide. “Why would I be upset? You have a date and you were told by the guy who constantly jerks you around not to tell your friend? Becky, you’re smarter than that.”

Her cheeks turned red and she ducked her head. “I know. I know, but I mean—” She peeked underneath her eyelids at Mason and looked back down right away. “He said you were with him all day. I mean, why would you be interested in my life? You’ve got him…” She lifted a hand towards him, but it thumped back down against her leg.

“Becky.”

“I’m sorry. I just feel stupid. Why are you still friends with me? I even tried out for the cheerleading squad so I wouldn’t be a nerd.”

“You don’t want to be a cheerleader?”

“I do, but they’re so mean. I did it so that you wouldn’t leave me behind.”

I gaped at her. “Are you nuts? What friends do I have?”

She looked over my shoulder but flushed again and looked away.

“I have Mason and Logan. You.”

Her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked up again. “Really?” Her bottom lip trembled.

“Yes.” Then I sighed. “Now tell me about this Rex guy.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Since Becky seemed happy at my attendance, we didn’t stay for the entire event. We stayed long enough to hear that Rex was skinny. He had shiny blue eyes and his hair was sandy brown. It was messy the previous night, but Becky preferred it that way. He looked adorable when he smiled.

I gave her a polite smile as she chatted away about her dreamboat, but I knew I wasn’t going anywhere until I met this pothead. When Becky convinced her parents to let her leave, she called him to pick her up. It took ten minutes before she told him he could come over. She kept giggling. He would say something. She’d giggle some more.

By the time she ended the phone call, my nerves were stretched to their limits. I was glad Adam hadn’t shown his face. I would’ve taken out my irritation on him.

Mason remained quiet the entire evening. He always had a hand to my elbow or my hip. When he guided me somewhere, his hand lingered on the small of my back. But when Becky hung up with Romeo, he let loose a deep sigh and I tried to make myself relax beside him as well. Then it wasn’t long before a station wagon roared up to the front door. Becky received a text. She giggled some more and then skipped out to meet him. We followed at a more sedate pace, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Becky rushed inside the station wagon and the two had their lips locked.

Mason choked out a laugh. I elbowed him, but my lip twitched from the humor as well.

And then Becky let out a moan and they were onto the tongues. Already.

“Oh.” I shifted back, but Mason was behind me.

His hand was splayed out on the small of my back and he bent forward when it curved around my waist instead. His chuckle was low and smooth. Even though I flinched at the scene before me, another delicious tingle rushed through me. His hand held me tight against him and he nipped at my earlobe. “Think those two are horny?”