I lined Devin up, using my left hand to mime my brother’s gestures behind the car. We directed Devin as he backed up into the rubber laid on the concrete during his burnout. My closed fist signaled his stop. Even as I jogged behind the car in the dark his engine revs grew higher. The roar of it drowning out the buzz from Isaac’s import.
It was an easy win as they tore off down the dark street. I was impressed that Isaac even kept up. Devin might not be Jordan or Aiden’s caliber of driver, but Jordan had helped him build that car. As long as he kept it straight, the car would put in the work for him.
“You going to Jordan’s tonight?” Vic grinned in the way big brother’s do, when their little brother gets put in his place for being too cocky. He tossed an arm over my shoulder. “Word is Aiden and Wendy are actually going.”
“Yeah, I saw her holding court with the ʻout-of- date’ bunnies.”
“She’s a cow.” He left me to jog off in the direction of Devin’s rig, his upper lip curling a bit.
As much as it was a bad idea on every level, I had to go to the party. Everyone else was going to be there, from my brother to Hadley. I had to make an appearance. If I didn’t, people would talk.
In a small town like ours, people always talked.
****
There were nights that called for a drink, even if you weren’t much of a drinker. To make my appearance at Jordan’s house it had become one of those nights. I stood amidst a sea of race fans and friends in his back yard. Christmas lights had been strung across the trees, the shop in the back was lit up and opened, and the entire yard was lined with cars.
“There are people everywhere!” Hadley gasped, flush faced as she approached me. “Like seriously, I didn’t know there were this many people in the entire county.”
“I think the entire county is here.” I touched my red plastic cup to hers with a laugh.
“Oh, you’re empty.” She glanced into my cup. After a sniff, she scrunched her nose. “But, maybe that’s a good thing. That’s strong!”
“What, not a vodka girl?” I teased.
“Nope, it’s whiskey or die. Well, maybe scotch too. But you get the point.”
I laughed and let her lead me toward the back porch. At the after parties, your contribution to being here was booze or snacks. All of which were put on Jordan’s porch. Whatever was left, he kept until the next party. So far, there hadn’t been many complaints.
“Talked to him yet?”
“Which one?” The question was a smoke screen. It was obvious who she was talking about.
“That one.” She angled her head as we started up the steps.
Jordan was standing right there, exuding confidence as well as stature. Everyone around him seemed smaller. None of them shined as bright. There was something there that drew my eye, that had always drawn my eye. Even if I tried to ignore it.
I didn’t even notice who he was talking to, I looked away so fast. My heart started to race and my hands went clammy. Our relationship was so uncertain, changing at every turn, that I didn’t know what to do with the sudden, overwhelming need that rose from my center.
With trembling fingers, I fondled the necklace at my throat.
“You okay, Raelynn?” Hadley’s pretty blonde brows knit together with concern.
“Yeah, I got a little dizzy.” It wasn’t completely a
lie.
“Are you sure you need another drink? Maybe we
should go sit down somewhere?” She bought my lie. How do you tell someone that there’s a guy that twists you all up into knots?
“No, I really need another drink.” Bolstering one’s self with alcohol wasn’t something I’d recommend. Yet, that’s exactly what I was going to do.
The only bottle of vodka on the table was the cheap kind. I usually stayed away from the bargain brand stuff, it gave me killer hangovers. Right now, that didn’t matter as long as there was cranberry juice.
I was tilting the bottle to pour when it was lifted smoothly from my hands. “I got you.” Jordan put the\ bottle of low-priced liquor down on the table before moving toward his backdoor.
He gestured for me to follow. Time stood still as I stayed rooted in that spot.
If I followed, everyone would see me follow Jordan into an empty house. At parties, people didn’t loiter inside. It had always been Jordan’s rule to keep the party outside. What would people think, what would they say?
I’d never cared what anyone thought of me before. I wasn’t as brash or opinionated as my sister or as reckless as my brother, but the opinions of other people had never dictated when or how I went about my life.
Caleb had always cared what people thought of him, of me. But he wasn’t here, he was nothing more than a memory.
I fingered the chain at my neck and followed Jordan into his house. The throb of music died as the door swung shut behind me. I was consumed by the relative quiet.
His home was immaculate. The kitchen granite gleamed and the steel appliances shined.
“My mom would kill for your cleaning lady’s number.” I had to say something. I couldn’t stand there and stare at his back. Though, watching the muscles move through the tight t-shirt made me feel things that I hadn’t expected.
“She has it.” There was a hint of laughter in his deep voice. Was there a sound on this planet sexier than that? I swallowed a deep breath and tried not to think about all the things that were sexy about Jordan Slater.
“Who?” It came out as more of a squeak than a question.
“You’re looking at him. I make Devin leave the door to the spare room closed when he’s here. I can’t stand to see stuff all over the place.”
“You should probably steer clear of my room; the floor is covered with clothes.” I tried to laugh, but there was something about the look in his eyes when he turned around that stole my breath.
“Probably, but then I’d be too eager to add to the pile.” Though my skin suddenly felt superheated, I shivered. “If I remember right, Grey Goose?”
“Yeah.” I focused on the countertop while he pulled a bottle from a cabinet by the fridge. It was work he’d done, granite he’d cut and placed himself. I’d helped clean the dust from the floors the day he’d put it in.
Jordan moved so smoothly from one topic to another, that I had trouble keeping up. I was still spinning from his comment about the clothes pile. “But really, the other was fine. You don’t have to—”
“I know.” He topped off my cup and handed it back to me.
“Thanks.” The silence stretched out between us, me spending the entire time trying to look at anything but him.
His sudden, booming laughter startled me. “Really, Rae?”
“What?”
“The only way I can get you to talk to me is to kiss you or piss you off. Explain that.” His dark eyes were alight with mischief.