Page 4 of The Good Girl (Nashville Neighborhood)

“Lecturing me about how I wasn’t setting up beer pong properly.” He turned to glance at me, showing his disgust. “You should have heard the ridiculous rules he was making up.”

I grinned. You could take the boy out of the frat, but you couldn’t take the fraternity out of him. “I had to invite him, thanks to Patrick’s loose lips. Believe me, I tried not to.”

“I was going to ask Troy to play with you,” Colin said, “but change of plans now that Syd’s here. She can be my partner.” He gave his girlfriend a regret-filled smile. “Sorry, Mads, but I want to win.”

Madison pretended to look hurt and pressed her hand to her chest.

“Ouch.” I chuckled. “Is she that bad?”

“No, she’s not.” His statement was a matter of fact. “But Sydney’s going to crush you.”

What? I eyed Sydney with a ton of skepticism. “Are you, like, a genius at beer pong or something?”

“No.” She looked sheepish. “I’ve actually never played.”

There wasn’t a hint of concern from her brother, only curiosity. “Really?” When she nodded, he shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. We’re still going to win.”

It was so ridiculous, I couldn’t stop a laugh from escaping. He thought this girl—who’d never played before—was going to beat me? My competitive side reared up, telling me this would be a cakewalk.

My voice dripped with confidence. “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

TWO

Sydney

I was glad the beer was cold because that was all it had going for it. I hadn’t acquired a taste for beer yet and wasn’t sure if everyone secretly disliked it but had been gaslit into saying they did.

I needed the beer now because the way Preston had stared at me rattled me to my core.

All my friends in school had lusted over my brother and his friends. Troy Osbourne was usually who they wanted the most, but for me?

It had been all Preston Lowe.

Seeing him again made my feelings come rushing back. I’d had such a crush, it was embarrassing, and yet he hadn’t even recognized me. Had no idea I’d existed. And I was genuinely annoyed with how he’d gotten hotter over the years.

His milk chocolate colored hair was short on the sides and full on the top, swept back to reveal his handsome face. It was stunning how much he’d changed. At some point over the years, he’d grown into a man—one who looked so good it threatened to turn me into mush.

My weak knees made it difficult to follow everyone as Colin led the way inside the Lowe house. Preston’s dad was a doctor, and the large home had been built into the side of a hill. It allowed for a walk-out basement, and when I walked through the French doors, I took in the space.

There was a new-looking kitchenette to the side, and tile flooring gave way to carpet. The back half of the room had a wrap-around couch facing a big screen television, but in the middle, there was a long kitchen table. The chairs had been pulled to the side, and red Solo cups were arranged in a triangle on each end of the tabletop.

I’d seen people play before, so I understood the premise was to bounce ping pong balls into cups filled with beer, but that was about it.

“What are the rules?” I asked.

While Preston dug a package of ping pong balls out of a drawer in the kitchenette, Colin and Madison took turns explaining. I could toss the ball directly into a cup, or I could attempt to bounce it on the table first, but if I did that, it meant the other team was allowed to defend. I tried to focus on what they were saying, but it was so freaking hard not to be distracted.

Years of crushing on him weighed me down.

When Preston passed the balls out to each player, his fingers brushed mine, and it sent a spark zipping through my body. A cocky smirk tilted his lips. This had to be arrogance because he was sure he was going to win.

“Because I’m such a nice guy,” his gaze captured mine, “I’ll let the virgin go first.”

Oh, my god! How the hell did he know that?

Hopefully, no one heard the sharp breath I sucked in, because as I blinked, I slowly realized he’d only meant the game and not that the virgin label applied to me in the standard way.

Even though it did.

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