dark blonde hair is in a bun, and she’s wearing a small tank top that is so tight I can see every line of her body. “I’m sorry. I thought I might run into you here, but I didn’t realize how ill-prepared I’d be. I wasn’t expecting you to have moved on already.”
I almost admit that I haven’t. I haven’t even slept with another girl since we broke up. I was planning to the night I nearly ran over the cat—Juliet.
She looks toward Olivia and Rose. “Short dress, big smile, bigger flirt…” she describes Rose, and I nearly choke on my laughter.
“That’s Rose, Jade. Remember? I’ve known her for over a year. We’re friends.”
Jade looks back at Rose, and as she does, Olivia glances over at her. Liv’s gaze dances over Jade, and then me before she smiles and turns to Rose and says something. Rose swings her attention to me, working to place Jade. I can’t recall if the two actually met, and Jade just doesn’t remember, or if I showed Rose a picture of Jade before because Rose’s face turns grim and almost angry before Liv says something more, and the two walk away.
Jade turns back to me as they fade out of sight. “I’m sorry. I’m not the jealous type. But everything about you makes me feel upside down and backward all the time.”
I smile, trying to remember what my sober and conscience thoughts would think about this situation and her. Then I remember I’ve only drunk half a beer because I told Olivia I’d drive her home. Still, my thoughts feel muddled and clouded when they rest on Jade. I consider Liv’s words, and Jade’s hope of finding a fiancé and lifelong partner this year. The disappointment I’d felt when it seemed she realized I didn’t fit that bill.
“How have you been doing? How’s your knee?”
“I’m working on getting it back to normal.”
She smiles, her eyelashes fanning her cheeks as she looks up at me through them. It’s a seductive move that she’s practiced and perfected. “You always were built like Superman.” She strokes my cheek, her gaze warring with desire and something that has her taking a step backward. “Maybe we can go see a movie or something that won’t make your knee hurt, soon?”
A scream has my attention snapping to the kitchen where Rose and Olivia had headed. A chorus of screams is followed by a shift in the crowd as someone shoves and another pushes, and then someone falls.
“Shit.” I search the crowd for Olivia’s dark hair. “You should go. Did you drive?” I ask Jade, already five steps closer to the kitchen.
“Why are you trying to be the hero?” she yells after me. “Let’s go. Let’s get out of here.”
I turn my head back to where the shoving has progressed into yelling and angry jabs being thrown both verbally and physically.
“Arlo!” Jade yells.
“Go home, Jade,” I yell back at her, fighting against the crowd that is spilling out of the kitchen toward me. I made Coach Harris one promise when he recruited me: no fighting, which should have my gimpy ass heading toward the front door, but guilt and a sense of responsibility propels me closer.
“Arlo.” Ian appears, his short, dark hair freshly buzzed as he scans the room. “Did you see what happened?”
I shake my head.
“Fucking assholes. Can’t people just have a good time?” He cranes his neck to look over the crowd, trying to locate the source of the disturbance while I continue scanning for Liv and Rose. I spot them in the back.
“Did the girls go in there?” Ian asks.
I nod, pointing toward them.
Ian nods. “I’ll get you in there. I’ve got to kick out whoever’s involved.” He moves in front of me, blocking my left side in an attempt to protect my knee.
“There,” I say, pointing to the far corner where Olivia’s huddled beside Rose, their eyes round with shock as a plate is thrown like a Frisbee, hitting the wall near them, shards of glass raining down and several more screams.
“What the fuck?” Ian yells.
Pax and Quinton appear with Bobby in the lead. He’s a defensive linebacker that makes even the strongest offensive linebackers reconsider approaching him. He lumbers into the room and yells, flashing the lights like my grade school teachers had done. “You assholes have an issue, you take it outside. What’s wrong with you? You don’t ruin a perfectly good party by acting like a bunch of rabid assholes. Get the fuck out, or