stuff, and I’d loved it. It made me euphoric, which had been awesome. Just what I needed with all the stress on me.
But the downside?
I felt so good that I hadn’t properly eaten or hydrated while in LA. Then fast forward to the welcome-back-to-Seattle party at Kyle’s, where I might have done too much of everything. Afterward, I’d gotten as sick as a fucking dog.
Missed prom, missed a day where I should have made my woman mine. Now I only had one day to have her sweet side before the deadline to choose record labels. Then the hammer would drop, since neither deal included Lace. She’d be pissed, but she’d get over it.
“Thanks for making that drugstore run for me,” I said, playing nice. “The Gatorade helped.”
“No problem.”
“So, is Lace at the house with you?” I asked, acting like my interest wasn’t sharp.
“Yeah, man. She’s here.”
That was good. But was she alone? I didn’t like that Bryan had been MIA since the prom.
“I’m coming over,” I said. “I need to talk to her. I texted, but haven’t heard back from her.”
“She’s still pissed at you. The way she sees it, you haven’t done anything to smooth things over.”
“I know she’s freezing me out. I know why.”
But we were even after Kyle’s, and I got her a date for prom. She really needed to give me a fucking break. What other guy would wait this long to have sex with his girlfriend?
“If she tries to take off,” I told Dizzy, “let her know to stay put. I need to talk to her.”
• • •
Lace
“It was just prom,” Bryan said to Dizzy, his voice was clear, even though he was on one side of the closed bedroom door, and I was on the other. “Getting laid is a rite of passage. It didn’t mean anything.”
Stunned, I staggered away from the closed door. I had whisker burns on my skin in several unmentionable places, but what Bryan said burned a hell of a lot more.
Stupid, Lace. Believing what we’d done was more than it was, or that he’d meant the words he’d said after the second time we had sex.
Fingers curling into my palms, I stared at the bed. The sheets were tangled, probably still warm from the second time. I touched my neck, remembering the ribbon and what we’d done with it. My cheeks heated, I moved closer to the bed. Maybe it had meant nothing to him, but it had meant something to me.
I drew back the comforter, looking for the ribbon but didn’t find it. I picked up my guitar and the stand, setting them to the side. Then I scooped up the music that being with him had inspired. Opening the top drawer in my dresser, I dropped the sheets inside. That out of the way, I stripped the sheets from the bed. But I still didn’t find my ribbon.
I frowned, glancing at the door. No sounds in the hall. No knock on the door from Bryan to say he’d made a mistake, that he didn’t mean what he’d said to my brother. No, not even just a hey, the sex was great, but I have to go now good-bye.
Did he think I’d be too clingy or make too big of a deal about it afterward? Or worse, had being with me been just a terrible disappointment?
My vision swimming on those thoughts, I began to search for my phone.
Where was it? Maybe I had it all wrong. Maybe Bryan had to leave. Maybe he’d texted or left a voice mail.
Unable to find my cell inside my room, I remembered tossing it aside when I’d stripped down to my underwear downstairs.
Oh fuck! I looked out the window. It was already bright outside. Uncle Bruce would be home. Marching across my room, I threw open the door.
“Looking for these?” Wearing a disapproving frown, Dizzy held up my cell in one hand and my prom dress and shoes in the other. “Your phone fell out of your clutch. Not sure what happened with your clothes. But I can guess.”
“Don’t be an ass.” I took the items from him while flicking a furtive glance down the hall toward my uncle’s room. His door was closed, and I let out a shaky exhale.
“I found them before he got home from work. He doesn’t know anything.”
“Good.” Warmth hit my cheeks.
“But, Lace,” Dizzy said, shaking his head soberly. “War called just a little while ago.” He placed his hands on my shoulders, and I was glad