Page 110 of Honeysuckle
I smiled at him.
“What, Tuck…” Josh sighed.
“Coach tells me all the time the reason I play first base is because I take up space,” I said.
“Yeah, because you’re the size of a Mack truck, it’s unnatural.” Josh rolled his eyes, but I watched as they raked over my form.
“Why don’t you let me make the space? all you have to do is stay close.” I held out my hand to him and he stared at it. “I used to love those parties, but I was going out of my mind down there without you. Don’t make me go back alone.”
He met my hopeful gaze while I quietly begged him not to say no to me.
“Fine,” he said begrudgingly and pressed his hand into mine.
LOGAN
EverythingaboutDeltamademy skin crawl. Everyone was all over each other, and the deeper we went, the worse it got. Dean kept his promise—his large body parting the sea of people as everyone instinctively moved aside. I had tried to let go of his hand when we climbed the steps to the party, but he gave me the dirtiest look he was capable of and I surrendered to his grip.
It was weird being led through the sea of bodies because, despite what my previous assumptions of how tonight would have gone were, none of them even cared I was there. There was a group of them in the backyard playing beer pong. Cael and Clementine were clearly losing because Clementine’s cheeks were flushed red as she dropped the second-to-last cup back on the table and made a face like she might be sick.
“It’s okay, at least you’re pretty,” Cael teased, cupping her face as we rounded the table.
When Dean finally let go of my hand, I didn’t expect to feel the loss in my bones—but it hit me like a shiver. Luckily he didn’t notice, no one did, they were too busy cheering Ella on as she stepped back and bounced another ball across the sticky table top into the last cup on the other end. Dean stood close enough to me that his shoulder crossed over my back but he gave me room to breathe.
“Nice of you to join us,” Van said from across the table.
“He’s relentless,” I grumbled, not looking back at Dean, who was talking to someone else.
“You should have been down here anyway,” Cael added as Clementine chugged the last cup. “Alright, Plum, that’s uh…” he laughed and cleaned the beer that dripped down her chin with his shirt. He smiled at her like there was no one else in the world, and it was suddenly pretty clear why he was willing to go nuclear over her love. It was enough to make me want to gag. “No more beer pong…” he said to Ella between peals of laughter.
“Do you play?” Ella turned on me in her black tank top and jeans. Her hair was pulled up in a bun and in the hazy blue lights that shone off the surface of the pool her scar looked deeper, meaner than it had before.
I had never played, I had never been asked if I did.
Everyone stared at me, waiting for an answer.
I thought about lying, I could refuse to play if she asked next.
"I’ve never played,” I said honestly and the truth coming out of my mouth felt weird and left me oddly exposed to their ridicule.
“Perfect, means I’ll kick your ass easier,” she said, nudging Zoey.
“I never agreed to play.” I shook my head. “I don’t drink.” I shrugged.
“But he does.” Zoey pointed to Dean behind me.
“Half of us don’t drink anymore, it’s why we pick partners,” Ella added as Dean clued into the conversation. “Dean, will you drink for Josh?”
“Sure.” He caved instantly, flashing her a dopey grin.
“Just like that?” I grumbled at him.
“Yeah, so…” Dean scratched the back of his neck and turned his face away from Ella so he was closer to my ear. “We don’t really ever say no.”
“What?” I laughed and looked over at Ella.
“Yeah, we don’t say no to Ella.” Dean swallowed hard and it was then I realized he was serious.
“Oh.” I turned to look at her and she smiled at me. “Why don’t we say no to you?” I asked the blonde and she started to laugh.
