The Punk and the Plaything (When Rivals Play #3) - B.B. Reid Page 0,54
Lou had said dinner was at eight, and it was now six minutes after. Would they wait for me to start or just assume I’d stood them up?
A moment later, my door opened, seemingly taking the decision from me. As Joe stood there, waiting for me to get out, I took a deep breath and grabbed onto my last bit of courage with both hands.
It’s going to be fine.
I had the feeling my monsters wouldn’t find me here.
Grabbing the gift I’d brought for my hosts, I stepped from the SUV and offered Joe a shaky smile. I then told him to come back for me in a couple of hours. I had four hours until my curfew, but I was planning ahead just in case this turned into a nightmare. There were rare times my father let me out—usually when I told him I would be making some sort of public appearance with Ever—so when he did, my curfew was at midnight. It was a Friday night, and while most of my peers didn’t have one or wouldn’t bother heeding it if they did, I knew, for me, it wasn’t an option.
It had been a few years since he’d done so, but I could still feel the lash of my father’s belt whenever I broke his rules or wouldn’t comply.
Walking up the paved path, I tried and failed to push away a certain memory from my mind. The night I stood underneath the stone archway up ahead and sang for two strangers while Jamie played his father’s guitar. It had been a cold, winter’s night, but I flushed hot with the memory—especially the reminder of Jamie sneaking into my bedroom and stealing me from my bed. He’d risked it all for his friends, and it only reminded me why I’d fallen for him in the first place.
When I reached the black-painted door with a window cut into the shape of a snowflake, the butterflies I hadn’t felt in a long time took flight. Slipping my hand in my pocket, I wrapped my hand around the harmonica hidden there and squeezed. Have courage.
Freeing my hand, I rang the doorbell.
Well, fuck. There was no going back now.
I could hear voices speaking all at once on the other side, and it sounded like they were arguing. A few seconds later, the front door was ripped open. Wren, who was seriously fucking mouthwatering with his dark-brown hair and stormy blue eyes, stood on the threshold, scowling.
“Hey,” he said, a note of surprise in his voice. “Barbette, right?”
Even though his tone was polite, I couldn’t help but fidget when he hesitated to let me inside. Hadn’t he known I was coming?
“Just Bee is fine.”
Before he could respond, Lou appeared, ducking under his arm, and I released a sigh of relief.
“For a second, I thought you stood me up,” she greeted with a grin.
“Not at all.” Returning her grin, I lifted the case of beer that hadn’t been easy convincing Joe to purchase for me. I was pretty sure he only caved out of misplaced guilt. The NDA he signed made him privy to my family’s private affairs without worry that he would ever speak a word. “I just couldn’t come empty-handed.”
Wren’s blue-gray eyes widened appreciatively, and then he was stepping aside and pulling Lou with him. I didn’t meet their gazes as I stepped inside their home. I didn’t want either of them to see just how nervous I was.
Even though I’d been here that night, I hadn’t seen the inside. Jamie had taken me home the minute I’d belted the last note and left as if nothing had ever happened. I was curious if the two strangers had found their fairy-tale ending, but stubbornly, I hadn’t wanted to give Jamie the satisfaction of leaving me in suspense. He clearly didn’t like asking me for help, which was probably why he never bothered and kidnapped me instead.
Looking around, I noticed how little Wren and Lou had, and yet I still felt the warmth of a home. My parents had filled our house with countless trinkets and antiques, but it had never felt like home.
Wren and Lou had kept their furnishings simple and cozy, and I knew that by the end of the night, I wouldn’t want to leave.
“This way,” Lou directed. “Everyone’s in here.”
Wren took the case of beer from me, and I couldn’t tell if he was being a gentleman or was just that eager for a buzz. It was only a few steps