Page 66 of We Own Tonight
I take her small hand in mine and smile. “Let’s go surprisethem.”
Her one friend, I remember. Nothing specific, but she was who came back stage and urged Heather to come with me, I make a mental note to thankher.
There are a few guys standing over by the front of the yard, pointing at something on the ground, and the smell of food cooking on a grill fills the air. I’m in suburbia and completely out of myelement.
We exit the car and the two guys who were shooting the shit stop and look. “Heather,” guy number one calls hername.
“Hi, Peter.” She smiles andwaves.
They both head over and Peter extends his hand. “Hi, I’m PeterBergen.”
“Eli Walsh,” I say, shaking hishand.
I watch as recognition sinks in. “Right, of course.” He looks at the other guy. “Eli, this is ScottMcGee.”
We shake, and Scott stares me down. What the fuck is wrong with him? “Nice to meet you both.” I try to keep my instant dislike tomyself.
I wrap my arm around Heather, pulling her into my side. I don’t like these guys, well, the one atleast.
“Same here. The girls are around back,” Peter says toher.
“Thanks.” She smiles, but it isn’t a real one. It seems I’m not the only one who doesn’t care for thesedickheads.
“What’s their issue?” I ask once we’re out ofearshot.
She laughs. “Nicole and I hate them. Scott is the worst, but Kristin just makes excuses for him. Peter isn’t that bad, he’s just a sheep and follows what the first idiotsays.”
We make our way around the back of the house, and I take it all in. Kids run around in all directions, spraying each other with water guns. The women all have their backs to us, laughing and arranging the food table. It’s exactly like the parties my mom threw when Randy and I werekids.
“Heather!” one of her friends yells and then drops the bowl she was holding. “Holyfuck!”
Heather steps forward, pulling me with her. “Danni, this is Eli, I hope it’s okay that I brought adate?”
I flash one of my million dollar smiles and move toward her. Her eyes haven’t moved from my face, and I’m pretty sure she’s shaking. “Thanks for having me. Heather said you have the best party of thesummer.”
“I-I-I,” she stammers. “You’re . . . you . . . in my . . .Eli.”
Heather laughs and nudges Danielle. “I wanted you guys to meet himofficially.”
The girl I remember comes walking straight up to me. “I’m Nicole, we met briefly, you may not remember because you were kind of busy trying to get in my best friend’s pants, which you did. Good job onthat.”
“Thanks.” I laugh. “And I remember you from climbing thefence.”
She huffs and gives Heather a dirty look. “Yeah, she’s an asshole for that, but it seems you found your way over it as well. Don’t fuck it up, and I won’t have to blow your nutsoff.”
“Nicole!” Heather screams and turns to me. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve warned you about her. We think she has a mental disorder that affects her ability to think before shespeaks.”
I burst out laughing. “I likeher.”
“Oh, God.” Heather covers her face. “Don’t feed the animals, Eli, theybite.”
I say hello to her other friend, who I assume is Kristin since she stands there like a statue without saying a word. Her gaze moves from Heather to me and then back again. I’ve never understood the awe of famous people. We’re normal and have the same issues that everyone else does. The only difference is that I travel, have no friends, and I deal with other famous assholes. It’s not all it’s cracked up tobe.
Heather and two of the girls head inside to get some food together and probably talk about me. Nicole laughs when they ask if she’s going to help, and instead, sits beside me with a beer in each hand. “You’re going to need this.” She hands me one of thebottles.
“Thanks.”
“I want you to know that Heather isspecial.”
