Page 22 of Life of the Party

“About?”

“He’s kind of, done with like, going out and partying and stuff, and I’m not.”

“I noticed that, actually. He doesn’t even smoke anymore.”

“I know! It’s frustrating. I’ve tried to be understanding, but…” I shrugged.

“Are you and Riley together? You worry about him a lot.”

“No, we’re not together.” I shook my head. “We’re best friends…at least we used to be.” I wanted to stop there.

“Go on.” He encouraged. It was hard to think straight with Grey so near. I kept my eyes busy, cataloguing the items on the shelves, and took a deep breath.

“Well, he met this girl…” I started, but I could tell my voice was about to break. I stopped, looking up at the roof, praying I wouldn’t break down, not now, not with Grey there, actually talking to me. What a way to impress him.

I cleared my throat and held it together. “Anyway, we’re over. It’s just over.”

The finality of my words hung in the air.

“That sucks.” Grey decided. I nodded; amazed we were having this conversation, amazed he actually cared.

“Yeah, it does,” I admitted.

“Did you tellhimto go screw himself?”

“No.” I laughed loudly, his question surprising me. “No, I didn’t. Maybe I should’ve.”

“It’s amazing what a simple ‘screw you’ can do to a man.” He chuckled. I laughed with him again, repentant.

“I’m sorry about that, I didn’t even think…it was the first thing that came to me.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Grey smiled. “I enjoyed it. Really.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll remember that.”

“Okay.” He nodded. “Mackenzie.” He stood up off his bucket and stretched out a hand to me. Hesitantly, I put my palm in his, praying my hand didn’t feel sweaty or sticky or gross. He pulled me to my feet, and suddenly, I was very, very close to him. Closer than I’d ever been. I drew in my breath and forced myself to look at him. Forced myself to meet his gaze.

“Come out with us tonight.” He grinned. His smile took my very breath away. “I promise, by the end of the night, you won’t even remember what you were sad about.”

I couldn’t even think rationally. Grey was asking me to go out with them. Somehow I managed to keep a calm exterior, but the Mackenzie within me was doing a very childish and horribly embarrassing triple-arm pump of exultation.

I gave Grey a wide, dazzling smile.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He chuckled again. “Eleven o’clock. We’ll pick you up.” He edged slowly out of the refrigerator.

“Great.” I nodded. Grey smiled at me again as he left, only to pop his head back into the fridge when I was cleaning up my mess a moment later.

“And Mackenzie?”

“Yes?”

“Get ready. We’re getting fucked up tonight.”

I beamed up at him. “Perfect.”

CHAPTER 10

Hurriedly, I wiped up the waitress station while Grey worked behind the counter, whistling as he stacked up the ramekins, the glassware clinking together. A surge of excitement spread through me, making my stomach churn convulsively. In an hour, I’d be out with Grey. One hour.

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