Lily Holladay was the bane of my existence. Not because I couldn’t stand her—no matter what she thought—but because I couldn’t get her out of my head. Dramatic? Definitely. But her stupid green eyes and freckled nose had made a home in the back of my mind since the day I decided girls were more than yucky. Unfortunately, soon after that, Lily decided that she hated my guts. Which led me to spend the better half of high school figuring out how I could turn those feelings around.
It wasn’t going well.
Needless to say, I counted my lucky stars when I caught her coming out of the house. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to the party, but the second I saw her in that damn green shirt that somehow made her eyes glow, my mood turned around.
I didn’t think the night could get any better, but then her best friend, freaking Madison Scott, dared me to date her for the entire summer.
And instantly I had the opening I had been searching for.
Lily’s eyes widened, and I thought for a second she was going to choke on her own surprise. I had to admit, even I was pretty shocked Madison went there. The girl had been shamelessly flirting with me all year and even though I flirted back, there was no chance I would screw up any opportunity with Lily by sleeping with her best friend. Maybe somewhere along the way she picked up on the fact that I had a thing for her friend instead.
In any event, I had never wanted to kiss her more than I did that specific moment.
“Madison, can I talk to you for a second?” Lily’s glare darkened as her friend simply shook her head.
“You’re up against two shots here, Lil. What’s your answer?” Hunter asked with a jiggle of the bottle.
Lily shifted her pleading gaze to me. All I could do was smile. No way in hell an opportunity like that was going to slip through my fingers. She must had read it on my face. After all, we had known each other a long time.
“I’ll take the shots,” Lily murmured.
My heart plunged to my knees taking all my breath with it. She hated me that much that she couldn’t even go along with a stupid dare for the summer?
Without thinking, I turned to her. “You’ve never been one to turn down a dare.” I dragged my thumb across my lower lip. She narrowed her eyes into slits, her own hand flying up to rest on her chin. Right on her scar.
“Lil, come on.” Madison tilted her head. “Two shots of that and you’ll end up in the hospital.”
Madison was right, which was precisely why Hunter had chosen it. He got entertainment either way. A forced truth or dare and if someone refused, he got to see them with borderline alcohol poisoning, which was enough ammo to torture them for the rest of high school.
“And a summer of dating him and I’ll end up in jail for manslaughter.” Lily stabbed an accusatory finger in my direction.
Geez, it wasn’t as if I was in on it. I was just as shocked as her. Ecstatic. But still shocked.
“You don’t have to do it,” I found myself saying. I don’t know where it came from, but if she actually planned to risk alcohol poisoning over a dare, then I needed to stop it.
Her pleading look turned back into a glare. “Oh why? So I can hear about this the rest of the year? You know what, fine, I’ll date you for the summer. On one condition—you do not get to date anyone else. If I have to suffer, then so do you and a summer of celibacy seems like the perfect trade.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine, Lil, whatever you say.”
Little did she know I hadn’t hooked up with anyone for a year. The last time made me physically ill, especially when I found out Lily saw.
Yeah. A story for another time.
She threw me one last dirty look before getting up and stomping up the stairs with the most dramatic flair I’d ever seen from her. I had a hard time keeping my eyes off her long legs. She should wear skirts more often.
“I guess the game is over,” Hunter called as he made his way upstairs. “Who wants to go swimming?”
The rest of the group jumped up and followed him. Madison lingered, beaming at me as if I owed her the world as I slipped my shirt on.
“What?”
“You’re welcome,” she replied as she got up, adjusting the green top that didn’t look nearly as mouthwatering on her. “I guessed you had a thing for her. I mean why else would you repeatedly turn me down?” She emphasized her point by sliding her hand down her side. “I’m giving you this opening, but if you hurt my girl all the deaths she has imagined for you over the years will pale in comparison.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I mock saluted her then slid my arm around her lower back. “Should we go find my girlfriend?”
Madison giggled as she walked away.
My summer was already starting out better than I planned.
We found Lily in the kitchen staring at the Jell-O shots as if she couldn’t decide if they would help her or not. The girl always had a calculating expression on her face—running through the various repercussions to her actions. I don’t think she’s ever stopped to just have fun. Not since we were kids.
Madison smacked a shot glass out of her hand the second Lily reached for it. “Let’s go, Lil.
Lily’s mouth fell open in shock as the shot glass hit the ground and splattered the cabinets in red goop. Good thing no one was in its path. All it would have done was start a drunken argument if someone got dirty.
Lily opened her mouth to respond before her eyes locked on me hovering behind Madison. “What is he doing here?” she hissed. Only it came out as more of a yell and several people in the kitchen turned in our direction.
“Come on.” Madison gripped her upper arm and steered her toward the front door. “Let’s call an Uber. I’ve had several drinks and apparently you can’t hold even the tiniest bit of liquor.”
“I am not drunk! And why is he here?” Lily spun out of Madison’s grasp the second they stepped out onto the porch. “I seriously can’t believe you. I’m not the one who’s all hot and wet for him so why did you give me that ridiculous dare, huh?”
I knew Madison had the hots for me.
Madison gave a small shrug and tried to loop her arm through Lily’s. Lily shoved her away, face red from either repressed anger or alcohol. I wasn’t sure how much of that punch she drank or if we got to her before she inhaled a Jell-O shot.
Madison narrowed her eyes, and I was certain I was three seconds away from witnessing a catfight between two girls who have never fought a day in their friendship. I threw up my hands and stepped between them feeling like I was trying to reason with terrorists.
“Why don’t we go get some food, huh? Dick’s on me.”
“Fitting restaurant for someone like you,” Lily muttered under her breath.
“I love Dick’s!” Madison shouted then squealed when she noticed the group of kids hanging out on the porch twisted in her direction. “Burgers, you pervs!”
The kids laughed as they turned back to their conversation. Madison huffed and shoved her hair out of her face looking far more flushed than she did when we left the house. “What do you say, Lil? I think those shots had more kick than I was expecting and I could use some greasy food to soak up the alcohol. I’ll be grounded all summer if I go home drunk. Again.”
Lily chewed on her lower lip for a few seconds before groaning and giving in with a nod. She leveled a glare in my direction. “But, I’m only going because Madison needs me. Don’t get any sick and twisted ideas about this being a date.”
“First of all—” I took a step toward her “—I would never take a girl on a date to Dick’s. I’m classier than that. And second—” I pushed the boundaries of her personal space catching her off guard and allowing myself time to sink my hand in her purse to retrieve her car keys. “I’m driving.” I shook her keys in the air, narrowly missing her grabbing hand.
“Give me my keys, Parker. I’ve seen you drive and I would prefer not to die in a car accident.”
“I got a perfect score on my driving test, thank you very much. And I don’t know how much of that punch you ingested, so I’d rather drive us home.”
“You drank it too!” She pointed a long delicate finger in my face and once again made a grab for the keys.
“It was just a Coke. I have to help my dad with something tomorrow morning and I didn’t want to be hungover.”
“So why did you bum a ride off me then?” she whined and stuck her bottom lip out in the most adorable pout I had ever seen.
“Because Madison was with you.” I decided to go with a lie instead of laying all my cards out on the table and telling her it was because I wanted to spend the extra few minutes with her.
“I hate you,” she growled and stalked over to her car.
I hate to see you go, but I love to see you walk away in that skirt.
“I’ll turn that hate into love by the end of the summer, Holladay.”
Madison crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at me. “You better try a hell of a lot harder than that. If you think irritating her into submission will work, you might as well go and down that whole bottle of Everclear. It will be an easier death than what she’ll have in store for you.”
I smiled and draped my arm across her shoulders. “All I heard is that I have a chance.”
“You’re an idiot.” Madison shoved me off and stumbled toward the car.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later we sat in Lily’s car, enjoying our food. Well, Madison and I did. Lily sulked in the back seat, picking the smallest bites off the patty and sipping on her shake every now and then.
She hadn’t said a word since I got in the car. Not even to tell me what she wanted to eat. At least the menu wasn’t extensive. But I had to think back really hard to remember what her favorite shake was. My dad had taken us here at least once a month when we were kids. Back when we were friends. Lily always ordered the strawberry shake and proceeded to dip her fries into it before eating them.
I’ve tried it and it’s disgusting.
I glance in the rearview mirror and caught her popping a fry into her mouth sans shake.
Guess she grew out of that.
“This isn’t awkward at all,” Madison mumbled before taking a huge bite of her burger.
I laughed because it was true. Normally I’d be all over Lily, making her as uncomfortable as possible because at least it was some kind of reaction. But Madison’s words kept coming back. I wouldn’t get Lily to like me by irritating her into submission. Digging myself out of the hole I created would require some effort to not be a dick.
Dick.
Dick’s.
This was the perfect place for me.
I laughed and took a sip of my shake.
“What’s so funny?” Lily demanded from behind me.
“Nothing.” I bit into my burger. I could have told her she was right about that comment, but that’s not the impression I wanted to leave her with. I could be more than a dick. Sure, it was my reining personality trait, but deep down there’s more.
There had to be, right?
“Can we go home now?” Lily tossed her food into the bag before setting it down on the floorboard.
“I’m still drunk,” Madison complained from the passenger seat. The alcohol seemed to hit her full force on the drive over.
“You can sleep over,” Lily offered and pulled out her phone. “My mom won’t be home for another hour. Which is good because I’m still wearing your damn clothes.”
“And looking smoking hot might I add.” Madison sent her an over-the-top wink then turned to me. “Tell your girlfriend she looks hot.”
Lily groaned.
I liked drunk Madison. With her as my cheerleader, I might actually have a shot.
“Lily, you look smoking hot in that skirt.”
“Bite me, asshole.”
“Ouch.” Madison reached for the bag that Lily threw her food in and tossed her wrappers in. “That’s no way to talk to your boyfriend.”
“Keep it up and I’ll send your drunk ass home to be grounded.”
“Okay. Fine. Whatever.” Madison held her hands up in defeat but not before sending me a wink.
“I saw that,” Lily grumbled from behind me.
I chucked my wrappers into the bag then started the car. Looked like I might have to rely heavily on Madison to turn Lily around. If that was the case, I couldn’t have her grounded for the whole summer.
I-5 was relatively clear for a Friday night and I pulled up into Lily’s driveway within twenty minutes. Just in time for Madison to gag and thrust open the door to spew her burger and God knows what else all over the pavement.
Great.
Lily wasted no time jumping out of the car to help her friend. I hopped out and rounded the back of the car. We needed to get her inside pronto before Lily’s mom got home or my dad looked outside to check on the commotion. He was a known night owl and I could just imagine how well it would go over with all of our parents that we arrived home with a very intoxicated Madison.
I lifted Madison up into my arms and nodded toward the door. “Get the door, I’ve got her.”
Lily blinked at me a few times as if she couldn’t believe I was helping before letting go of her friend’s hand and making her way to the front steps.
The house was dark and dead quiet as we entered. It was a good thing, I guessed. At least that meant her mom wasn’t home yet.
Lily pointed to the stairs as she simultaneously set her purse down and flicked on the entryway light. I didn’t need her direction. I had been in her house plenty of times when we were younger. Unless she moved her bedroom, I knew exactly where it was. First door on the right at the top of the stairs. Coincidently, it happened to face my bedroom.
Madison groaned in my arms, letting her head loll to the side. I really hoped she didn’t barf on me. That would be a little harder to sneak past my dad. And the last thing I needed was to get grounded.
I set Madison down on Lily’s bed and took a cursory glance around the room looking for a trash can or something I could leave by the bed in case she hurled again. I couldn’t help but notice that Lily’s room looked nothing like it did when we were kids. Of course, I hadn’t been in her room for at least four years, but I remembered it being a lot more pink.
The pink was gone though. The walls had been painted off-white with a teal accent wall behind her bed. Her comforter matched with a teal-and-white paisley print. All of her stuffed animals and Barbies were gone. There were no unicorn or boy band posters. Those had been replaced by hanging shelves lined with books and picture frames devoted to her and Madison.
The only thing she seemed to have kept from her childhood was a pair of beaded curtains that separated her closet from the room. Their neon flowers were tied off to the side and out of the way of the door. I smirked as I took them in. I bought those for her ninth birthday. I couldn’t believe she kept them.
Lily stormed into the room carrying a pan and a glass of water. “My mom just pulled in. You should go.”
I gave her a nod as she set the glass on the nightstand and the bucket on the floor. I really wanted to stay and badger her about the fact that she kept one of my gifts. But, I didn’t need Ms. Holladay coming in and seeing me in a room with a scantily dressed Lily and a drunk Madison. We’d all get grounded then and it would ruin the entire summer.
And that would just ruin all of my plans.