CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Payton

ALMOST A WEEK later, I was walking out of school when my phone rang. I grimaced to see ‘SMA’ pop up on the screen. I almost ignored it. He’d waited six days to call me and, if I was being honest, I was hurt that he hadn’t called sooner. I thought we’d had a connection, but when day three, then four, then five passed without a phone call, I thought I was wrong.

Unfortunately, the truth was I’d missed him, so I answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, baby.”

I shivered as his voice washed over me. “Alex?” I played dumb.

“You busy tonight?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Seriously?” He sounded surprised and a little annoyed.

“Seriously,” I said. “I have plans with Macey. Why, what’s up?”

“Can you blow her off?”

I snorted. “No.”

“I wanted to take you out on the boat.”

“Well, then you can plan a day that works for me and we can go from there.”

He sighed. “Don’t get all pissy, Payton. It was just a question.”

“Was it just a question, Hawk? Because I was thinking you decided I was going to drop everything at your beck and call.” I unlocked my car and climbed inside. “It’s girls’ night out, which trumps you, handsome.”

“You pissed at me?”

Ohmigod, talk about clueless. “Why would I be pissed at you?”

“Okay, babe. You have fun tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Then he was gone. He hung up. I let out a frustrated squeal as I started my car and pulled out of the parking lot. I made it home in record time. I was probably irritated enough to speed, but I’d deny it if anyone asked.

My parents wouldn’t be home from work for a while, so I had plenty of uninterrupted time to shower and change for girls’ night out, and even had the minute chance of getting out the door before they arrived. Dani and her best friend were joining us, along with my sister-in-law, Bailey, and then Bailey and I were crashing at Macey’s place, so I packed a bag before jumping in the shower. Dinner and live music was the plan and it was at a place you didn’t have to dance if you didn’t want to. I was more of a homebody, so I would more than likely watch from the sidelines… well, unless I drank a little too much. Then all bets were off.

Once I’d applied my makeup and dried my hair, I set it in hot curls while I pulled out my second favorite little black dress. The stretchy material formed a fitted bodice and flared skirt that stopped just above my knees, while a sheer mesh decolletage sculpted a sweetheart silhouette. The open back had crisscrossing straps which tied in a pretty bow at the center which made me feel feminine and fun at the same time.

I did own a sexier dress, but I wasn’t really looking for attention, wanted or otherwise, tonight. I just wanted to hang with my girls.

This thought brought Alex to mind and I shook my head. The pull of a night out on his boat was definitely tempting, but I didn’t bail on my friends and I certainly didn’t ask ‘how high?’ when a man said ‘jump.’ It just wasn’t me. Even if the man was sexy as hell.

After completing my ensemble with my very favorite four-inch pair of cherry red Jimmy Choos (a major splurge on my part), I grabbed my purse, bag, and coat, and headed upstairs. The house was still pretty much dark, so I knew my parents weren’t home. Setting the alarm, I let myself out and locked the door.

“Fuck me, babe, you take forever to get ready.”