rushing back inside the guest bedroom. Tyra must have just awoken because she was sitting up, hair all array and drool drying on her chin as she blinked sleepily at me.
“What time is it?” she croaked.
“Hell if I know. Pip-squeak, you won’t fucking believe what I just found out.” Not waiting for her to respond, I pulled Wren’s engagement ring from my pocket and watched the tired haze clear from her whiskey eyes.
“I still can’t believe he’s going to propose,” Tyra said for the fifth time since I’d spilled the beans.
I know I promised Wren I’d keep it a secret, but girlfriends—um, dear, close, personal friends with whom one shared a complicated relationship with were naturally exempt from such promises, right?
Tyra would make good on all of her many death threats if she found out that I’d known all along and didn’t tell her. A man’s got a right to self-preservation. Besides, I made her promise not to tell anyone.
“Well, he is,” I said as I stopped at a red light. I was taking Tyra home to shower and change. Wanting to keep my eyes on her, I’d made her leave her car at Wren and Lou’s. Pretty soon, we’d be calling them the Harlans. “And remember, you can’t tell anyone.”
“Why should I keep it a secret?” she shot back. “You didn’t.”
I could only sigh because I knew she wouldn’t listen and simply laugh at my threats. So much for secrets. “Just don’t tell Lou. It should come from him.”
“I would never do that,” she said as she reached for the glove compartment where I stowed the ring for now.
“What are you doing?”
“I just want to see it again.”
“Pip-squeak, I’ve shown you like eight times already.”
“So?” she mumbled as she slowly opened the lid.
My palms became a little sweaty when she carefully lifted the ring from the box and slipped it on her ring finger. Lou was a small thing, but Tyra was one inch from having to shop for clothes in the kids’ section. Needless to say, the ring fit a little loose on her finger. I didn’t realize that I was staring until someone behind me beeped their horn. I’d been so busy wondering what it would be like to see her wearing my ring that I hadn’t noticed the light turn green.
“Put it back,” I barked a little harsher than necessary. It didn’t fucking matter that marriage to anyone would never be possible; I was only eighteen for fuck’s sake. Wren would be twenty-one in a couple of months, and even he was pushing it.
When you know, you know.
Just as quickly, I shoved the thought away.
Fuck that.
“Be a dick,” Tyra mumbled as she obeyed. “That’ll get you into my pants.”
I snorted even as I strangled the wheel. My frustration was a direct contrast to the arrogant bullshit spilling from my mouth a moment later. “We both know I don’t need to get in your pants to make you come.”
I could practically hear the steam coming out of her ears as Tyra bristled in my passenger seat next to me. “Yeah?” she said, crossing her arms. “Well, I’d give you a six out ten in that department, which is above average but still average.”
Feeling her burn below the belt, I tucked my lips to keep from laughing as I focused on the road. Lying bitch. She seemed pretty satisfied with my performance last night. In fact, I knew she was.
“How would you know, virgin? You have someone to compare me to?”
Turning to stare out the window, she responded, “Maybe not, but that can always change.” Even from her profile, I could see her smirking. “We’re just friends, remember?”
Yeah, okay. This time, I was the one pissed off, so I turned up the radio to drown out my thoughts. I wish she fucking would. That would be the day she’d find out how jealous an asshole I could be, and my father would finally have his way.
Wisely, we didn’t speak to each other the rest of the way to Tigerwood Lane. When I pulled into Coach’s driveway, the weighted silence became a stunned one as we both stared at the visitor waiting by the front door.
“WHAT THE HELL IS SHE doing here?” I was the first to break the silence even though Vaughn had recovered quicker. I could feel him watching me as he waited to see what I would do.
“I don’t know,” he replied with a deep sigh. He ran his fingers through his gorgeous hair, and I