Embrace (Evolve Series #2) (3 page)

“Penny for your thoughts.” Her gentle voice intrudes
on my woes.

“Why are you dipping your French fries in your
milkshake?” I ask, cringing but thankful for the lighthearted conversation
starter rather than what I’d really been pondering.

“Because it’s good and my mother isn’t looking.” She
bounces her eyebrows and snickers, like she’s really gotten away with
something.

 “I wish I wasn’t looking, either,” I joke with her,
“it’s disgusting.”

“Have you ever tried it?” she challenges me with a
smirk.

“No, and I’m not going to,” I fiddle with my straw,
slurping up the last of my drink

“Au contraire, mon frère. You
are
gonna try
it, and you wanna know why?”

This I gotta hear.  “Enlighten me, please.”

“Because you need a place to sleep tonight, and I’m
not letting you have my guest room until you try it. So grab a fry, you big wuss,
and get to dippin’!”

“Now how did—”

“Evan, I’m gonna let you in on a big secret. You can
never
get your cell phone far enough away or hidden well enough from a
girl if she really wants to see what you’re typing.” She winks this time and
giggles. “Annndd, I think you owe me eating another icy fry for that little
pearl of wisdom.”

That’s good shit to know, so I happily dip a fry in
her shake and pop it in my mouth.
Not bad.
Not good, per say, but not
bad.

“One more,” she teases, waggling a fry at me.

“No, no,” I protest, shaking my head, “I can’t stay
at your place. I barely know you. In fact, please tell me you don’t usually let
guys you hardly know stay with you.”

That pissed her off. Her eyes have narrowed to
slits.  “I will have you know,” her perfect fingernails drum against the table,
“that I have lived in my home for almost two whole years and not one man has
ever slept there. In fact, I’ve never even brought a date back there!”

“I didn’t mean to make you mad, Whitley. I’m sorry.
It just worried me because it sounded kinda unsafe. I wasn’t alluding to
anything
else.
”

“It would be unsafe if I did that, but I don’t. And
I may barely know you, but I already know enough to be absolutely sure I’ll be
safe and sound with you in my home. You, Evan Allen, are a true gentleman. You
couldn’t hide it if you tried.”

I grin coyly. “Oh yeah, how do you know that?”

“Because you didn’t like Sawyer talking down to a girl.
You hold open all doors for me. You led me to this booth with your hand gently
on my back,” she blushes, “and you’re arguing
not
to stay the night with
me.”

“Sounds like you’ve got me all figured out. So what
about you?”

“What about me?” She tucks her shiny, golden hair
behind her ears. The tops of them are pink; she’s nervous to be the one under
the magnifying glass.

“I don’t know. Pick something you want to tell me.
How about… What’s something you’re passionate about?”

“Singing,” she answers instantly, a glow taking over
her face. “I’m this year’s captain of the Lovely Larks, the school a cappella
group.”

“Very nice.” I nod with a grin. I can totally see
her as a singer. “You’ll have to sing for me sometime.”

“Someday.”

“Someday like tomorrow, or someday like it’s never
gonna happen?” I laugh, just kidding her.

“The day I figure out the perfect song to sing to
you,” she whispers, looking down.

I try desperately not to think of how that single
statement reminds me so much of someone else I know. Or at least, someone I
used to know. Someone I
thought
I knew.

“Okay, one more fun fact and I’ll feel safe sleeping
under the same roof as you,” I request, giving her a playful kick under the
table.

“My major is Music Education. I want to be a music
teacher in an elementary school, where the kids are still young enough to just
love the music.”

“You’ll be great at it.” I shoot her a wink.

“How can you be so sure of that?”

“The passion in your eyes when you talk about it.” I
shrug, the explanation self-explanatory to me. “You could never be bad at
something you feel so strongly about.”

I don’t know her well enough yet to pinpoint the
exact emotion that passes through her eyes before she centers her shoulders and
lifts her head just a little higher. “Thank you, Evan.”

“Thank you,” I give her a grateful smile and pop the
second dipped fry in my mouth, “for giving my sorry butt a bed. You ready?”

She nods and I stand up, offering my hand to hold as
she slides out of the booth. I settle the bill and hold the door open for her,
thinking how easy she is to talk to.

“
H
ere you go,” she says cheerfully, walking
into the room ahead of me, turning down the bedspread and sheet. Then she
fluffs my pillow and turns to me with a smile. “Do you need anything else?”

“No, this is more than enough. Thank you so much,
Whitley, for taking in this gypsy. Are you sure you’re comfortable with this?”

She bobs her head, smiling. “It feels nice to have
someone else here. I don’t know,” she pops her shoulders, “maybe we could make
popcorn and watch a movie, or sit up and talk, or something,” she bites her little
lip again, “if you’re not too tired.”

I try not to let the wonderment show on my face. How
is this beautiful, kind, trusting girl lonely?

“What movie ya thinking?” If she says anything Disney,
I’m jumping out the fucking window and sleeping on the sidewalk.

“I don’t care,” she says, the happiness in her voice
at the prospect of a movie buddy almost sad. “You can pick.” She grabs my hand
and pulls me to the living room like a kid at Christmas. “Come on.”

We get settled in on the couch,
The Avengers
about to start when she says softly, never breaking her fixed gaze at the TV,
“Evan?”

“Yeah?”

 “It was really nice meeting you.”

“You too, Whitley.
”

Chapter 4

Wingman

~Laney~

W
hen I walk into my Algebra class on
Thursday morning, he’s the first person I see. It’s the first time I’ve seen
him since that night leaving The K. I’d given up texting and calling; he wasn’t
going to answer. I heard from Sawyer that he’s living in Morgan Hall, one
building down and across the street from me, but that’s all the information I
have. Honestly, I don’t know why I let it bother me. This distance between Evan
and me started the minute we both left for college, but knowing that even
though he’s here now, close enough I could reach out and hug him, and we’re
still apart has an extra bite. I know he doesn’t want a hug from me right now,
but someday we’ll be on speaking terms… Someday we’ll hug again, right?

How I wish I hadn’t hurt him. It’d be so nice to
talk with him, to tell him about my mom, my life… I miss my friend. Evan will
always be the best part of my past and the minute he’s ready,
if
he’s
ever ready, I will welcome him back into my life with open arms. But I love
Dane. I’ve spent a lot of time lately thinking how I would feel if the roles
with reversed. What would I have done if Evan found someone new at UGA? I’d
like to think I’d understand and still be his friend, but maybe I’m wrong. And
if I’d have given up my team and went there for him… Well, when I throw that
in, I’m right back to knowing his reaction is valid.

I heave a sigh. I’m beginning to think there’s no
win to this situation. Even now, staring across the room at Evan’s downcast
eyes and stiff posture, the image of Dane’s heated gaze and sexy smirk fight
for headspace. I’m way too far gone to backtrack with guilt now, so I plaster
on a confident smile and head over to say hello.

“Hi, Evan.” I fold into the chair next to him and
get my stuff for class out of my bag.

He doesn’t look up but mumbles, “Laney. How are
you?”

“Good. You?”

“Oh, just dandy,” he snorts sarcastically.

I sigh, not knowing what to say. Maybe the more I
try the worse I make things? All I want to do is hug this wonderful guy and
make it better, but I know it wouldn’t. A hug is much less than he wants, what
he thinks he needs, and I can’t give him anything more. My heart’s no longer
mine to give anyway; Dane took it, he owns it. I wish Evan and I had just
stayed friends now. The few months we spent as a couple flew by, hardly a blip
on the radar, but ended with major, maybe irreparable, collateral damage.

Luckily, the professor walks in and begins as we sit
there, worlds apart, the silence screaming. Class seems to take forever, and
when it’s over, Evan’s out of his seat and through the door before I even have
my bag over my shoulder. No “goodbye,” no “catch ya later.” I try, God, do I
try, to hold them in, but I think it actually makes it worse… The silent
teardrops start to fall. Evan’s back turned on me just isn’t a view I’m used to
and I’m glad I’m not practiced at it; once is more than shattering enough.

When I need to talk something through, I talk to
Dane. When I need to cry, he holds me and tells me he’ll make everything
better. When I laugh, it’s usually because of something he said. But now, can I
really call him to boohoo that the hurt I caused is coming around to bite me in
the ass? Nah—I better not. A small snicker actually leaves me as I hear my dad
in my head. “You found your way in this mess; find your way out. It’s called ‘taking
your licks,’ Slugger.”

With Dad’s words in mind, I suck it up, wiping my
face with the sleeve of my shirt and snorting my runny nose in the most
ladylike way I can manage. Putting the problem with Evan out of my mind is all
I can do right now—I can focus on lots of other things, like school and ball
and Dane. Evan can wait until we’re both ready to talk face to face, right?
Maybe the guys will have some advice for me…or at least take my mind off
everything.  A girl can hope, right?

Trudging to lunch is a chore; if I was walking any
slower, I’d be headed backwards. Why I even bother with food I’m not sure. My
stomach is in knots and I glance around for my boys,
almost
perking up
when their friendly eyes meet mine.

“Hey,” I manage, slouching into the seat beside
them, not capable of fighting Sawyer off his immediate attack of my tray like I
usually do. No, today I peacefully concede my whole plate over to him; this
should be their first clue as to my mood.
Boys.

Zach’s mesmerized by his phone, as usual, so I kick
him under the table. “Ow!” He rubs his leg. “What the hell was that for?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Tell me something
interesting.”

“Avery says hey,” he says, staring at his phone
again.

“Oh my God, if that’s the best you’ve got, I’m
screwed.” I bang my head on the table.

Sawyer stops inhaling his, make that
my,
food
just long enough to interrupt. “Avery, huh? Kirby get on your nerves too?”

Okay, this is a conversation that may actually keep
me entertained. I could use a diversion.

“Kirby’s cool. She doesn’t get on my nerves, but I’m
definitely more into Avery,” he says, smiling shyly.

Yes!
I lost twenty bucks on Sawyer, but just
won the same with Zach’s confirmation, so I break even!

“Well, no wonder Kirby’s gone if you’re getting
into
Avery more.”

“Sawyer!” I smack the back of his head. “Say nothing,
Zach, I mean it.” This conversation is going downhill fast but actually gets
worse when Sawyer speaks again.

“Sig party tomorrow night, man, you in? We’re
heading over when I get off, ‘bout eleven.”

“Who’s we?” Zach asks.

“Me and Evan.” Sawyer darts one eye at me, shifting
a bit in his seat.

“Nah, man, y’all go. I’m gonna hang with Avery. What
are you gonna do, Laney?”

“Um, not go to a party with Sawyer and Evan.” I
laugh halfheartedly. “I’ll be doing whatever Dane has planned, I’m sure. And
Sawyer?” I stare at him until he reluctantly meets my eyes. “I appreciate you
taking Evan under your wing, honestly. Just make sure you and I stay close too,
all right?” I give him a smile and wink. I’d really miss Sawyer if we grew
apart.

“You got it, Gidge.” He pulls me into his lap for a
big Sawyer hug. “I promise.”

“We’re
all
very lucky to have you, big guy.”
I kiss the top of his head and bend mine to his ear. “Please tell him I’m sorry
I hurt him,” I whisper, “and I hope he finds someone to love him like he
deserves.”

He nods, kissing my cheek. “So how’s my boy? He treating
you good?”

“Dane is wonderful; amazing in fact.” I climb out of
his lap, grabbing my bag and hugging Zach goodbye so I can leave on a high note.
It’s not like I was eating anyway… “Evan’ll be on the football team with you,
Zach. You should hang out and get to know him. He’s a great guy.”

His green eyes meet mine, a sweet sympathy in them.
“Sounds good, Laney. I’ll holler at him.”

I give him a curt nod that his smile tells me he
knows means “thank you.”

“Walk me to class, Sawyer?”

He stands and offers me his arm and a smirk. “That’s
a real good look on you.”

“What look?” I look down at my outfit, which is nothing
special.

“Happy.”

I blush, embarrassed he can see it written all over
my face. “Yeah? Feels pretty good too.” I clear my throat after a few minutes
of quiet walking.  “So…his birthday is coming up and I don’t know what to do.
After the birthday he gave me, anything I do will seem lame in comparison. I
just want to make him as happy as he makes me.”

“Wrap your naked self in a bow and blow his candle
out.”

Oh dear God.

“You should see your face right now.” He bends over
laughing, clutching his sides, and I whack him…for the second time today. He’s
on a roll. “Okay, seriously…if I know Dane, the best thing to give him is alone
time with you. No outside world or bullshit.”

“How do I pull that off? I live in a dorm and Tate
lives with him right now. Alone time is scarce these days.”

“Hmmm.” Lines crease his forehead with deep thought,
suddenly replaced with a huge, beaming smile and a snap of his fingers. “I got
it! Dane has a cabin in Rockhurst, like 40 miles from here. Take him there for
the weekend. I’ll get you directions. You could cook for him, strut around
naked, whatever.”

“Really? Ya think? I was thinking maybe a puppy, for
when Tate leaves and he’s all alone in that big house again.”

Sawyer laughs and wraps a ginormous arm around my
shoulder. “Gidge, dogs are all well and good, and it’s true that men like them,
but he’d rather have a kitty. Your kitty.”

I can feel how red my face is and I’m not sure why I
ever let his words shock me. “Why do we let you speak again?”

“Cause you love me and I have great ideas, of course!
Go with the cabin, I’m tellin’ ya.”

We’re at the door to my class now so I give him a
quick squeeze and peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Sawyer! You’re the best!”