Page 57 of We Thought We Were Invincible
“Dammit,” I burst out, my face heating up. Everyone stared at me like I was losing my mind.
The rain pounded against the roof as Noah and Kat walked into the living room with trays of food.
“Hurricane snacks.” Noah offered his platter to Jay.
With the shutters up, the house had darkened, the air growing stale. I jumped up to turn on the overhead fan, needing something to do, then mumbled a few words and took off toward my room.
I couldn't take it anymore. The lying. The sneaking around. Nothing I felt was worth that. I wasn't made for subterfuge. My whole life, I'd been known for being blunt and too honest.
The door opened and Jamie slipped in behind me. Before I could protest, he pulled me to him for a scorching kiss.
“Jamie.” I broke away. “They're all right out there.”
“I don't care.”
I put a hand on his chest to stop him. “Yes, you do. That's the problem.”
With a growl, he stepped back from me.
“I need to tell you something.” I ran a hand over my braid, tucking in a few stray hairs, stalling. “I kind of told Jay about us.”
“You've got to be kidding me.” He sighed. “I shouldn't be surprised. Your precious Jay.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. I… nothing.”
“No, you don't get to do that. Tell me.”
“No one is ever going to live up to him in your mind.”
“You have no idea what you're talking about,” I spat. “Jay is my friend. My best friend. But you're… you know what, never mind.”
His face softened, heat returning to his eyes.
“I'm what, Cal?”
“I feel -” Before I could spill my guts, Colby knocked and pushed open the door, scowling when he saw the two of us together. He tried to hide it.
“What are you two doing?” he asked.
The lights flickered, but remained on.
“Nothing.” I brushed by him. “Absolutely nothing.”
* * *
“So,they canceled school again for tomorrow,” Morgan said when I threw myself down onto the couch beside her.
“Seriously?” I pulled out my phone to check out the radar. “Now it doesn't even look like we'll get a direct hit. The eye is way out in the gulf.”
“Which is why it's totally OK to go out tonight, right?” She winked.
“Probably not.” I glanced back toward Jamie and Colby. “But why should that stop us?”
“Oooo, your corruption is complete.” She laughed, throwing her arms around me. “There's a hurricane party. I doubt Colby would go since there's no way Kat would say yes. We could invite Jamie though.”
“No,” I blurted. When she eyed me, I amended that. “Let's do a girl's night.”
