Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 104766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
The crowd goes wild, cheers filling the entire house. But considering the place is packed, I’m not surprised.
A stupid grin widens my smile, but I swear to God I would be completely shocked if my face weren’t bright red right now. The thought of being the center of attention is almost crippling. I’m not normally so introverted, but my brother is usually with me.
As my brother and my twin, we go everywhere together socially. If he goes to a party, I go to the party. If he goes to the library to study, I’ll go to the library to study. He went so far as to show up on one of my dates to vet her, the asshole, hijacking the date as if my personal life and who I dated was his damn business.
So the fact that I’m here at this party by myself, let alone the fact that I flew back to our hometown without him for the weekend…
Bonkers, man.
The crowd chants, and people swarm me, and I’m transported to Wisconsin, right back to school, where in public places everyone recognizes me as part of the Colter legacy, the brothers who can do no wrong. Campus royalty.
People crowd me, suddenly want to talk and get me to have a good time. Drinks are being thrust in my hands even though I’m already holding a cup of beer.
Eventually, I forget my inhibitions.
Eventually, I forget that Tess Donahue is on the other side of the room looking wicked cute. Eventually, I forget how pretty she is and how sexy she is in that green top, and I forget that she’s my best friend’s little sister.
CHAPTER 8
TESS
ON THE FIRST DATE I’VE ALWAYS GOT MY FINGERS CROSSED LIKE, PLEASE, LET HIM BE WEIRD LIKE ME.
I’m up early the following morning.
Not by choice, of course. My original plan had been to sleep in late, considering we were up until all hours of the night and probably didn’t get home until after one o’clock. I was even too tired to take off my makeup, if that’s saying anything…and I almost always take off my makeup.
Wiped out.
Exhausted from all the laughing and drinking, my ears are still buzzing from the loud music.
The first thing on my agenda for the day was supposed to be: do nothing. Be lazy. Get a cute coffee or latte. Play on my phone. Read. Mindlessly watch Queer Eye, my favorite new obsession.
But that’s not what happened, is it?
No.
No, it did not because my roommate (for the weekend) was up bright and early at the ass crack of who-knows-when, chipper and chatty, and woke my ass up by bouncing on the edge of my borrowed twin bed.
“Rise and shine, buttercup!”
She is seriously so damn lucky she was sliding a fresh latte in my hand with a smile before I could protest.
I grumbled, but who can be angry with someone who brings you a sweet coffee treat in the morning?
Not I.
“Why are you waking me up? I’m on vacation.”
Miranda’s laughter makes the mattress move up and down. “You should see yourself. You have the worst mascara and eyeliner bags under your eyes.”
Gee, thanks.
I shoot her a look, sipping from the cold latte cup I’m cradling in my palms. “Was too tired to wash my face.”
“Well, you can’t lie in bed all morning. Drew will be here soon to pick you up.”
I swear I shoot off the bed. “Pick me up? For what!”
Miranda only laughs. “Kidding. He doesn’t have a car, remember.” Rolling her eyes at me. “I just wanted to see the look on your face.”
I pick up a throw pillow and chuck it at her. “You’re a dick. But also, why is he picking me up?”
“Remember last night when I told him the two of you should hang out since neither of you have anything to do while Zero and I take his grandma to her doctor’s appointment and Grady works? Hello, you’re going to be sitting around doing nothing, so you’re welcome for setting up this date.”
“It’s not a date, and I’m not hanging out with him today. It’s awkward and not fun.” I press a hand against my forehead. Does she not see that I’m hungover? If not from alcohol, then from loud noises and fun?
There’s something to be said about partying with friends from home versus the ones at college. We’re not there to impress anyone, so no one had any inhibitions last night.
“That’s not what you told him.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I rack my brain for any memory of a conversation with Drew that could have involved us making plans, and the only one I can recall is the initial mention of it before we’d had all the beer.
Personally, I think Miranda is full of shit but have zero ways to prove it.
“We definitely had a convo with him once I got done lecturing you in the bathroom about being a party pooper.”