I’ll be there. I want to talk to you.
“Oh. My God!” Gracie squeals when she sees it. “Maybe something will happen between you two tonight.”
“Do not get my hopes up,” I warn her.
“Yeah, G. You know how he is,” Hayden adds.
Ouch.
Oh well, it’s true.
“Tell him you’ll be there with your new friend and leave it at that,” Gracie encourages as I tap out my response.
Me: Hey! Yes, I’ll be there with my new friend. Can’t wait to see you.
I read the reply out loud before sending it.
“Get rid of the last part,” Gracie says.
I erase it and send this instead: Hey, yes, I’ll be there with my friend.
“Better,” Hayden says with a nod.
“He’s already typing,” I tell them, staring at the screen. That little gray bubble sits there forever, driving me mad with curiosity. Gracie resumes choosing Hayden’s outfit for the night as they discuss Franz the German and how much Gracie hopes he’s down for a make-out sesh.
Jackson: Hopefully you’ll get a chance to talk to me. I miss you.
I read his words out loud.
“Do not tell him you miss him! Don’t do it!” Hayden is practically screaming.
“I won’t, I promise.” I tap at the phone. Erase letters. Rewrite my sentence. God, it’s the worst.
Me: See you later!
That’s all I say.
And I think that’s enough.
The party is in full swing by the time Carson shows up, and we’re only about an hour in. I run to him the moment I spot him, the two friends he brought with him looking at me with shock on their faces. I don’t know what their deal is, but I give Carson a big hug, and he very carefully wraps his arms around me before they spring away from my body.
“I’m so glad you made it,” I say with way too much enthusiasm.
I might’ve had a couple of White Claws. So I’m buzzin’.
“We almost didn’t show,” Carson admits with an embarrassed smile. “These two didn’t want to come.” He jerks his thumb toward his friends standing behind him.
“What are your names?” I ask them, swaying a little bit on my feet. I need to keep my stuff together. Not act like a drunken fool.
“I’m Jonah,” one of them says.
“Danny,” says the other.
“Jonah and Danny, don’t crush your friend’s spirit,” I tell them, wagging my finger in their direction. “Let’s go find drinks for you guys.”
I lead them into the throng of people crowding the living room, making our way to the kitchen where all the alcohol is. Once we’re in there, the crowd lightens up a bit, and I find Tony sitting at the counter on a barstool, Hayden standing in between his spread legs with her arms around his neck.
“You two are cozy,” I say with a sly smile.
Hayden checks out the three dudes following me. “Hey, Snow White. Who are your friends?”
I laugh. “Carson, Jonah and Danny.”
They smile uncomfortably and nod toward Tony and Hayden. I can tell they’re not the partying type. Kind of nerdy.
Kind of adorable. Especially Carson.
“Let’s get you guys some beer,” I tell them. “You want cans? Or there’s a keg out back.”
“It’s almost out,” Tony says. “Give them cans.”
I dole out the beers and they all say thank you like the polite boys their mamas raised. I spot Caleb in the far corner of the kitchen, leaning against the sliding glass door and talking intently to Baylee. She’s waving her arms every once in a while, like she’s mad at him, and I wonder what they’re up to.
They’ve been off and on since high school. I once predicted they’d get married, but I don’t know…
Gracie bursts into the kitchen from the patio, leading a tall, pale, blond guy by the hand. She sends a disgusted glance in Caleb and Baylee’s direction before she spots me. “E-dog!”
I frown. “E-dog?”
“Just go with it,” Hayden whispers as Gracie drags her blond boy with her toward us.
“You look so good,” she says, crushing me in a hug and whispering in my ear at the same time. “Which one is yours?”
“Gracie, this is Carson,” I tell her once she’s released me. She crushes him in a hug too. “And his friends, Jonah and Danny.”
“Well, aren’t you two cute as a button,” Gracie drawls to the friends, who both turn red cheeked. She swivels her head in my direction. “This is Franz.”
“Franz. I’ve heard so much about you,” I tell him as he reaches out his hand and I shake it.
“Nice to meet you, E-dog,” he says with the utmost sincerity in his German accent, making me laugh.
“It’s Ellie,” I correct.
We chat and drink, and the conversation flows easily. Franz is nice. Quiet. Polite. So are Jonah and Danny. A couple of girls I don’t recognize stop to talk to our group, the two of them sidling up to the boys and engaging them in more one-on-one conversation.
“Looks like they’ve made friends,” I tell Carson.
“Good. They were both so reluctant to come with me,” he says, rolling his eyes. “They’re both total homebodies.”
“Are you a homebody?” I ask him.
“Yeah, kind of,” he admits, sounding bashful. “But I really wanted to see you tonight. Couldn’t believe you invited me to your party.”
My heart pitter patters in my chest. “What do you mean? Why can’t you believe it?”
“Well, look at you.” He waves a hand in my direction, his cheeks ruddy. “You’re—hot.”
“You think I’m hot?” I’m stunned. No one has ever, in my entire life, called me hot.
“Don’t act like you don’t know it,” he says, taking a step closer.
I smile at him, appreciating his nearness. His compliment. He’s taller than me, but probably not six foot. More like five-nine maybe? But that’s okay. I don’t need some towering giant like all the rest of the guys I know.
Like Jackson.
I shove him out of my mind and smile at Carson, who smiles at me in return.
“I don’t hear that word much to describe me,” I admit. When he frowns, I clarify, “Hot.”
“Oh. Well, that was probably rude of me to say.” His cheeks turn even redder, poor guy. “You’re pretty. And nice. I like your smile.”
“Aw, thank you. I like your eyes,” I say.
“Even with the glasses?” He touches the rims, and I can tell he’s self-conscious of them.
“Especially with the glasses. You look cute in them,” I say, my voice flirtatious.
See? I can do this. I can flirt with another boy. A stranger. I can have fun at a party and wear a tank top that’s a little too small. I can have a couple of drinks and not make a fool of myself for a guy who doesn’t give a shit about me.
Carson likes me. I can see it in his eyes. Read it in his body language. He’s leaning toward me, and I know if I asked him to take it slow, he’d take it slow. He’d respect my wishes. He’d respect me.
He’s definitely more my speed. Not as risky.