Page 76 of Life of the Party

Grey pulled me to him, wrapping his strong arm around my back and cradling me against his chest. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. That was beautiful…you play amazing.” I sniffled. I hated that I was letting Riley ruin our time together. “It’s stupid, I’m just…drunk. I’m sorry, Grey. Just forget about it.”

His blue eyes were pensive for a moment, and then a sudden thought occurred to him. “You’re thinking about Riley, aren’t you?”

My silence was the same as a yes. Grey sighed, and he hugged me again…but something had changed. The air seemed heavy now. He was suddenly quiet, sullen, his body tense beneath me. I looked up to find him frowning, lost in thought.

I realized then how stupid I was being, wrapped in my boyfriend’s arms, crying about another guy. “I’m sorry.” I wiped my eyes again. “That song just made me feel nostalgic, and I’m super drunk, and…” I stammered, trying to explain.

“…and, in love with him?” Grey met my eyes, searching them, looking for the truth. “You are, aren’t you?”

“What? No.” I shook my head in earnest, alarmed. “No, I promise. I know how it must look, but it’s not like that with Riley and me. He’s like…he’s like my brother, you know? It was a lot with him leaving today, but you have nothing to worry about.”

Grey dropped his gaze. “Mackenzie, if Riley’s who you want…if he’d make you happy…” He started, but then he shrugged, trailing off with a shake of his head, like he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

“Grey, no.” I sat up on my knees and grasped his hands, looking up into his face, imploring. “Please, don’t think that way. You’re on my mind, like, all the time. Riley’s just my friend, I mean, he’s not even my friend anymore, really…” I shook my head, anxious, angry at myself for letting this happen, for letting Grey doubt my feelings for even a second. Furiously, I pushed any feelings and all thoughts and images of Riley from my mind, determined not to let them surface again, ever.

We were over; we were done. I wasn’t going to let him ruin things for me.

I promised myself I would never agonize over Riley McIntyre ever again. Ever.

Determined, I climbed onto Grey’s lap, straddling him, my arms around his neck, my fingers in his hair. I pressed an urgent kiss to his lips.

“It’s you I want,” I promised in his ear. “You make me happy.”

Grey wasn’t convinced. He chuckled skeptically, wiping a tear from my cheek.

I looked into his deep blue eyes, into his perfect face. I knew what I wanted to tell him, but I hesitated, remembering how it went over the first time.

I took a deep breath, working up the courage.

“You don’t have to worry, Grey, at all. Because Iloveyou.You.”

Then I kissed him again, using my lips to convince him in the places my words had failed. Finally, finally, I felt Grey soften. When we broke apart, he was smiling again, giving me his sexy smirk. He shook his head, gazing at me fondly.

“You’re a bit dramatic, huh?” He chuckled.

“Why does everyone always say that—?”

My words were cut off then as he, smiling, swept me up in a kiss.

CHAPTER 30

I moved into Charlie’s house on a Friday. Mom and Dad came to help, but I didn’t have much stuff—just my bed and my dresser and a few suitcases of clothes, a box of pots and pans and a set of dishes I was given for graduation. Dad put my bed frame together in Katrina’s old room for me. We could hear him grumbling as Mom and I put my dishes away.

Charlie and I snuck excited smiles at each other, anxious for my parents to leave so we could get good and high. Mom didn’t like the place, I could tell. She and Charlie exchanged some awkward hellos, and then she started cleaning while Dad set up my bed frame and moved my mattress in.

Finally, everything was unpacked. Dad looked unaffected but I could tell my mom was stalling, putting off saying goodbye to me for as long as she could. I think she’d been in denial I was actually moving out, hoping maybe I’d change my mind during all the packing and planning—but I’d never stay home now, not when I knew how awesome it’d be on my own. Even if my parents renounced all their new rules (which they hadn’t) I wouldn’t even consider it.

My ultimate, total freedom was just moments away from fruition. Mom was cleaning everything she could get her hands on in an attempt to prolong the inevitable goodbye, and I could tell my dad was getting impatient. The entire house was sparkling by the time they gathered their things to go.

Dad patted me goodbye and his face was smug, like he expected me to come crawling back home once I discovered how tough it really was out on my own. I kissed his cheek, smirking to myself. I’d show him.

Mom had a tough time leaving. She was wringing her hands, her expression pained.

“You be sure to call us, if you need anything.”

“I’ll call.” I nodded.

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