“What?” I reply in disgust. “A fucking friendship?”
She looks so innocent then as she blinks back at me with big owlish eyes. I forget for a second that she’s almost four years older than me.
“Well … yeah.”
The bitterness only builds and builds inside of me. Before I start choking on it, I swallow hard and lick my lips. I break eye contact and pick the bottle back up from beside me. I take a swig of tequila and stare straight ahead.
“Fine.”
I feel her stare burning a hole through me until finally, she sighs and straightens in her seat, facing forward.
“Fine,” she repeats, ripping the bottle away from me.
This time, the silence that follows isn’t comfortable. It’s thick and insufferable. But neither of us seeks to fill it. We don’t speak a single fucking word, passing the bottle back and forth until it’s all finished and gone.
21
CONNIE
“How long do we have?” Jamie asks. She blows a pink strand of hair out of her face as she fiddles with the table full of refreshments, her face scrunched up in concentration.
I check my phone. “Like, thirty minutes?”
“Perfect,” she says under her breath. “I’m almost done with the table. What else needs to be done?”
“The booze is still in my trunk. Give me a hand when you’re finished?”
Jamie nods and smiles, eyes sparkling with happiness as she returns to her task.
It’s Saturday evening, just after audition week, and we’re busy prepping for the cast party. Well, maybe housewarming is a more accurate word. A little something to mark this new era for the theatre.
Casting was pretty seamless; three days and we had the actors picked out. To my delight, Mary-Beth auditioned and got the part of Kate. It’s a small comfort to have an old friend with me at the Remington.
I didn’t waste any time planning the party. I invited everyone,from the cast to the technical crew and even the renovation team. The more, the merrier—and nothing to do with needing an excuse to invite Huxley.
Things have been …fine… since the big snowstorm four days ago. It didn’t stop snowing until well after midnight. Eventually, I left Huxley to brood in the auditorium and took a nap in my office just to get away from the tense silence between us.
The torturous ride home wasn’t any better, but by the next day, it was as if we both had decided to pretend the kiss never happened. We’ve been pretending ever since while I continue to pick him up and drop him off from work.
I don’t even know why I stopped the kiss in the first place. What is it about Huxley that makes me so tentative?
Aside from that first time at Jamie’s engagement party, that is.
I have a history of not thinking about the consequences. Our one-night stand is a classic example of my impulsivity.
But would hooking up with Huxley again really be such a giant mistake? I keep blaming my reticence on him being Ozzy’s brother. But would that really be such a problem? Would Jamie even care?
It’s not just that.
As much as I like to entertain the thought of him and me, Huxley could never just be a fling. It would be too messy, with the family ties and all. It alreadyistoo messy. And I’m nowhere near ready to consider anything serious after what Oliver did to me.
It doesn’t mean I want Huxley out of the picture, either.
I’m standingnear the stage with Jamie and Mary-Beth, sipping on a vodka soda. Most of the cast and crew have arrived, and I’m buzzing with excitement. With everyone here, there are about thirty of us, and the auditorium is alive with music and conversation. EvenVirginia seems to be enjoying herself. After two weeks of killing her with kindness, she’s finally warming up to me. No one can resist my infectious charm for long.
My gaze sweeps across the auditorium, but there’s no sign of Huxley yet. I try not to make it obvious that I’m seeking him out in front of Jamie but thankfully she’s too busy catching up with Mary-Beth to pay much attention to my nervous antics.
When I finally see him walk in, I swallow sideways, choking on my drink. He’s cleaned up for the party. The burgundy sweater under his bomber jacket looks new, and even his blue hair appears freshly done. But I can’t linger long on those details when all I can see is Selina hanging off him, all smiles and fake designer boots.
