Trials and Tiaras (Untouchable #7) - Heather Long Page 0,109

you need.”

Be Nice

“It smells like boys in here,” Rachel complained as she followed me through the living room, where the guys sprawled on sofas and chairs, game controllers in their hands. “Oh look, boys.”

“Oh look, it’s the Cactus Queen,” Jake said with a droll grin that only widened when she snorted. “Did you bring the boy toy?”

“There is no boy toy,” she huffed and shot me a look.

“Now, now, Rachel, you can tell us,” Coop told her, patting the sofa next to him. “Any bestie of Frankie’s is a bestie of ours. I’m a vault.”

Arms folded, she smirked. “I’ll tell Frankie.”

“Hey, Frankie doesn’t spill anyone’s secrets.” Archie sounded almost incensed by the suggestion that I might.

“Exactly,” Rachel said, all smug. “Now, as much fun as I have hanging out with you idiots, I came to see our girl and she’s so much better looking and smelling.”

I snickered. “Be nice.”

Ian pursed his lips. “Our girl smells great.” He winked at me. “See, nice.”

Eyes rolling, Rachel turned to me, and I folded my arms and met her stare for stare. We had been playing telephone tag and texting for the last four weeks. We barely even caught up at school, and to be honest, we’d both been swamped.

But I’d missed her.

“Fine,” she said with a huge huffing sigh and pivoted to look at the boys. They’d all paused their game and returned her stare, smirk for smirk. If I didn’t think they enjoyed antagonizing each other so much, I’d be ripping my hair out. The silence elongated, and Rachel made a groaning sound before she finally said, “Bubba, your music kicks ass. Frankie let me hear one of the demos. You got skills.”

“Thank you, Rachel, I appreciate the feedback.” Ian’s slow smile had me biting back a grin as Rachel considered the other guys.

Archie raised his eyebrows, and I could practically see that vicious tongue of his prepping, but Rachel surprised me. “Arch, you kicked ass with booting your dad out of Standish. Hats off, man. Remind me not to piss you off. At least without being prepared.”

He laughed. “Maybe next time, I’ll call you in for backup.”

“Huh, I might answer that call.”

Pressing my thumbs to my lips, I kept my hands clasped together as Rachel squinted at Jake.

“Great restraint today, I think anger management is really working for you.”

Jake frowned. “Great restraint where?”

“At lunch, you didn’t knock those freshmen on their asses. Good stuff.” Pivoting she looked at Coop. “You don’t stink.” With that, she whirled to me all smiles. “There, I was nice.”

Except now Jake was squinting at her and then over at the guys mouthing ‘freshmen?’ And I’d bet money there had been no freshmen but there might be.

“Yes, you were nice,” I said. “Within reason. Now, true or false, do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend or both that you would like to have join us for a special event?” I’d been dying to ask her, but I wanted to ask her in person and the boys promised to not let it slip, particularly after how enthusiastic I had been about thanking them.

A week of almost nothing while I convalesced made me very horny. Good to know.

“Girl, you have a busy enough dating life, you do not need to worry about mine.”

I made a face. “Rachel, I’m not asking for top secret data. Just yes or no?”

“No.”

I frowned. “But I thought…”

“It’s done.”

“But…”

“It was an experiment, it’s over. Nothing to see here. So, I’m free and clear. You may run away with me now.”

Coop made a negative bzzting sound that earned him her middle finger. Pleased with her response, he fist-pumped.

I made a face. It was a good thing I loved them all.

“Whatever this thing is that you think I need a date for, I can borrow one of your guys, right? Or better, you and me can pair up.” But behind that smirky smile and teasing look were shadows, and they were making me crazy.

I wasn’t going to push it, not in front of the guys.

“That would be a negative, Ghost Rider,” Jake said. “Frankie’s very much taken. Coop can be your date.”

“Hey,” Coop said. “Don’t I get a say?”

The guys started ribbing each other, but I focused on Rachel. “You don’t need a date, but you absolutely have to come with us and you can’t tell me no. I want you there.”

“Done. Where are we going?”

“The Torched concert with backstage passes.”

Everything in her expression froze, and then Rachel did the last thing I’d ever expect—she burst into