Playing Hard to Get(52)

“Nat!” I rush toward her and grab her hands, helping her stand. She’s wobbly on her feet, leaning into me and laughing way too loudly into my ear. “You can’t go to Logan’s like this. You’re drunk.”

“Oh, I’m going. I need to be drunk to face that crowd. We’ll take an Uber.”

“No, we won’t.”

“We will. You’re coming with me.” She smiles, her eyes hazy. “We’re going to wear the hottest clothes we own and show up at that bar looking like a million bucks. And then we’re going to flirt with other guys. We’re going to hang all over them. It’s going to be amazing because Derek, the rat bastard, and Knox, the king chicken shit, are going to get so jealous. They’re going to lose their ever-lovin’ minds.”

That sounds like a complete nightmare.

“I don’t want to do this,” I whine, letting her drag me out of the kitchen.

We’re sort of dragging each other down the hall, hanging all over each other and giggling uncontrollably. We go into Natalie’s bedroom first, because she’s the one with the closet full of slutty clothes—or so she says.

“Let me find an outfit for you.” She lets go of me and slides the closet door open, her expression turning serious as she flicks through the clothes hanging on the rack. “Ooh, what about this?”

She holds up a blood-red dress that is really nothing more than a scrap of material.

“Absolutely not.”

Nat frowns. “Why? I love it.”

“My tits might fall out.”

“That’s the plan, bitch.” She turns away from me and continues going through her clothes. I swear she only calls me names when she’s drunk, and I don’t even mind. “Ooh, how about this shirt?”

She holds up a tube top made of stretchy, sparkly material.

“This is a casual Tuesday night at a bar, not a hot Saturday night picking up men,” I remind her.

“God, you’re no fun.” Natalie shoves the shirt back into her very packed closet and keeps searching. “I want to witness Knox Maguire swallow his tongue when he sees you.”

“I’m not that special,” I remind her.

My best friend whirls on me, her eyes blazing with her anger as she reaches out and grabs me by my upper arms, giving me a shake. “Stop always putting yourself down. I hate that Bryan made you feel this way. You’re such an incredible person, and you don’t even see it. You’re smart and you’re thoughtful and you’re such a hard worker. You’re a great friend and you’re always there for me. You listen, and not many people listen, Jo. Trust me. Oh, and then there’s the fact that you’re beautiful and you have a bangin’ body. Like, if Knox can’t see that, then he’s a complete idiot.”

“He is a complete idiot,” I remind her solemnly, overwhelmed at the sweet words my friend just said about me. Pretty sure I’ve got tears shining in my eyes.

“Don’t you dare cry on me now,” she says, just before she chokes out a sob.

We cling to each other, crying, and I can’t help but give her a pep talk too.

“Forget that Derek guy. Knox told me he’s a player. You’re worth more than that,” I practically wail into her hair.

“But I want to play around.” She pulls away from me, her hands clutching my arms once more. “I don’t mind the idea of being with a player. As a matter of fact, I want to be a player too. Who wants something serious right now?”

“Not me,” I say with the utmost sincerity.

“Ah, okay. So we’re both going to play it then.” Natalie is about to turn back to her closet, yet again, but I grab her hand, stopping her.

“Nothing that exposes…everything. I want to look cute but sexy.”

“Cute but sexy.” She nods. “Got it.”

After much digging around and dismissing one item after another, we finally come to a conclusion. Natalie is wearing a cream-colored corset with a floral print and satin ribbon straps that tie on her shoulders, paired with jeans and her favorite brown sandals.

I’m wearing a white lace top with puff sleeves that cinch at the elbows, and the neckline dips into a deep V. Oh, and it’s cropped. With an open tie back at the top of my neck. It’s classy yet somehow also sexy. Revealing without being over the top.

I dug up a pair of black flowy pants that offset the shirt’s cropped hem. Once I try everything on, Natalie’s eyes practically bug out of her head as she stares at me.

“Knox is going to dieeee. All of the guys are going to die when they see you.” She stops just behind me in front of the full-length mirror, pulling my hair back into her hands. “Wear it in a ponytail.”

“No.” I shake my head. “I need to wear it down and straight. You should wear yours in a ponytail though.”

She hikes her own hair up and I nod my approval. “We’re going to show them what they’re missing.”

I start to laugh, but it sounds hollow, even to my own ears, so I press my lips together.

Is that what I want to do? Show Knox what he’s missing? After all…

I’m the one who walked away from him.





TWENTY





KNOX