A Mess of a Man (Cruel & Beautiful #2)(9)

The rest of the gang are scattered. The night wears on and at one point, when I’m coming out of the bathroom, an arm snags me, pulls me around the dimly lit corner and I find myself being kissed. I’ve no doubt it’s Trevor, his lips and mouth still familiar all these months later, but why am I picturing a dark-haired sinfully sexy stranger instead?

“Mmm, that was nice.”

“Trevor, that went beyond what I consider just friends.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been dying to do that forever.”

I blow out a frustrated breath.

“I take it I’ve just blown my hopes of any chance with you,” he says.

“To be honest, I don’t know what to think. Every time I look at you, an image of you and that girl pops into my head.”

“Can’t you let that go? I have. That was only a drunk moment. It was nothing.”

“But that’s just it. It was something. To me. And I worry it’ll happen again.”

He picks up my hands. “It won’t. I’ll never do anything to risk losing you again.”

I shrug. “Let’s drop it.”

“Will you still consider Friday, then?”

I nod. “I’ll text you tomorrow. I’m staying out here, but I’ll check as soon as I get home.”

“Sounds cool. And thanks, Sam.”

I watch as he walks away and any number of women would be drooling and chasing after him. Why not me?

Later that night, Berkeley, who I’m glad came home with us, Britt, Lauren, and I all sit at the counter in the Mitchell’s kitchen, eating and drinking. All the girls start quizzing me about Trevor. But the big question is about us going to dinner. When I drop the bomb, they all give me hell.

“What do you mean you don’t know if you want to go out with him?” Lauren practically yells.

Sticking my finger over my lips, I say in a very loud whisper, “Hush! You’re going to wake your parents!”

“I don’t care. You’ve wanted him to come crawling back, telling you how sorry he was for how long now? And now that he has, you say you’re not sure if you even want to go? What the hell, Sam?”

I groan, “That’s not exactly true. I’ve always said I wished he would crawl back and say he lost the best thing ever. I mean, what girl wouldn’t after catching her guy kissing another woman? And I’ve also said I doubted I could trust him again, but that he was starting to get through my wall. It’s weird, though because when I was coming out of the bathroom, he kissed me, and nothing.”

Berkeley asks, “Whad’ya mean, nothing?”

“I felt nothing at all. It was like kissing the wall. Or my stuffed koala bear.”

Lauren answers me. “You don’t even have a stuffed koala bear.”

“Well, if I did, that’s what it would’ve felt like.”

Lauren is quick to reply. “Ugh, you’re so damn picky. You know what? You don’t have a jerk magnet. You’re just too, oh, I don’t know what you are.” Her hands fly up in the air.

Berkeley throws an arm around me. It’s a good thing I’m sitting or it might have knocked me down. “Hey, leave her alone. If she doesn’t like him, she doesn’t like him.”

I stick out my arm, yelling, “Wait! I didn’t say a thing about not liking him. That’s not it at all. I don’t trust him. And now I feel there’s zero chemistry. How can you date someone when there’s no chemistry?”

“Chemistry shemistry. That’s crazy. Chemistry is overrated. That all goes away anyway.” Lauren hops to her feet and stands there, looking convinced of her statement.

“Oh, really? When?” I ask.

“When you both have false teeth sitting in dishes on your bedside tables,” she says.

“Eww! That’s nasty, Lauren! And besides, I brush and floss.” This is the first we’ve heard from Britt. I think she had too many Red Headed Sluts tonight.

“Thanks for that commentary on your dental hygiene, Britt,” I say. She stands up and bows. Oh, God, help me. “So, Lauren, what you’re saying is that chemistry isn’t important. And neither is trust, apparently. I call bullshit on that. How many guys have you dated without either of those?”

“Oh, my. You are getting emotional over this. You even swore and you never swear,” Lauren commented.

“Quit trying to distract me. And yes, I do swear, but not very often. I swear all the time in my head, but you know how my mom is. She would always get after us if we so much as got close to saying a bad word, always wanting Laney and me to be proper young ladies. Now answer the question,” I demanded.

“A ton. You know what I think? I think your Produce God has your thoughts all skewed.”

“Produce God?” Berkeley asks.

“Yes, you know, Whole Foods guy,” Lauren explains.

“Oh, right.” Berkeley says.

“He has not.” I disagree.

“Has too.” Lauren argues.

“Whatever,” I huff. I notice we haven’t heard from Hayley, and when I glance around, it’s no surprise to find her asleep on one of the couches. It’s probably a good thing because I’m sure Happy Hayley would side with Trevor too.

Lauren adds, “If he’s not important, you should go out with Trevor anyway. If it’s not fun, you have a miserable time, or ultimately decide you’ll never ever be able to trust him again, then that can be it. Don’t see him again. At least you tried. If you don’t try, Sam, you might be kicking yourself in the ass. What if Produce God never calls? You don’t even know him.”