The Relationship Pact(39)

Naturally.

Ignoring the lump of uncertainty in my stomach, I find a pair of diamond earrings and put them on. I slip on my nude heels and exaggerate my breathing in hopes it evens out.

“You should’ve just had him leave the Landry’s and bring you home as soon as you found out he was a baller,” I chastise myself. “All of this was too easy. You were attracted to him because he’s your weakness all summarized into one frustratingly handsome package.”

I stand straight and look at myself in the mirror.

I imagine Hollis standing next to me. With the heels, I’ll probably come up to just under his nose. I envision his broad shoulders filling out a black suit jacket and his handsome face smiling down at me. I shiver.

A sound squeaks from the hallway, pulling me out of my daydream.

“Hey, Riss! Where are you?” Bellamy’s voice shouts from the foyer.

“My room.”

“Are you decent?” she asks. “Boone is with me.”

“I’m dressed.”

A few seconds later, my cousin walks into my bedroom. He stops in his tracks.

“Holy shit, Riss.”

“What?” I look down to see if there’s a hole in my dress somewhere, or maybe I have on two different shoes or something. “What, Boone? Does this look bad?”

When I look up, he’s smiling.

“In a purely I’m-not-your-cousin-and-just-a-guy opinion, I really hope you’re trying to drive this dude crazy tonight because you look gorgeous.”

I scrunch up my shoulders and grin. “Thanks.”

“Here.” He thrusts a box my way. “Looks like I made it just in time. It’s from Mom. She said this is a prototype, and she thought you might need a little good juju tonight.”

I take the black box from him and open the lid. A delicate rose gold bracelet with a tiny heart lays inside.

“This is so pretty,” I coo.

I slide it out of the box and onto my wrist as Bellamy comes bursting into my room like a hurricane. She holds a box of Cheez-Its in her hand.

“Did you bring those with you?” I ask.

“Nope. Got them from your pantry.” She sits on my bed and reclines back. “I don’t know why I never buy these. They’re so good.”

“Why would you when you just get them for free from me?” I ask.

“Good point, Riss. Good point.”

Boone and I exchange a look. He shrugs.

“Did you guys come together?” I ask.

“Nope. We pulled up at the same time,” Bellamy says. “What’re the odds of that?”

“Wade left this geeky magazine at my house the other day,” Boone says about one of his brothers. “I was flipping through it, and they suspect that people who spend a lot of time together can sense what the other person is doing and feeling.”

Bellamy tosses a Cheez-It into the air and catches it in her mouth. “What am I feeling right now then?”

“Hungry, I’d guess,” Boone says.

“Exacto.” Another orange square goes up and comes down with precision. She crunches it loudly. “I think Riss is feeling like she’s gonna get some of her football player boy toy. You look hot.”

I avoid Boone’s eyes and set the jewelry box on my dresser.

“Football player?” Boone asks, lifting a brow.

“I didn’t know,” I groan.

Bellamy chomps on another cracker. “She doesn’t even have to know. She just walks to the athlete dumpster and starts digging like a brain-dead raccoon.”

I glare at her.

“I don’t even want to know what that means,” Boone says, eyeing Bellamy.

“You’re right. You don’t,” I agree.

Bellamy puts the snack box to the side and sits up.

I heave out a breath. Turning back to the mirror, I pretend to be engrossed in smoothing out a nonexistent wrinkle in my dress.

“I’m going to be okay this time,” I say as much to myself as I do to them. “I have this one under control.”

“That’s probably a lie, but I’m all for you embracing your heart’s desires,” Bellamy jokes. “And I get why your heart is desiring that.”

Boone rolls his eyes. “What kind of football does he play?”

“College. Somewhere …” I say, unable to come up with the name of a university. “He’s getting some recognition from Lincoln Landry’s nonprofit. I went with him to Lincoln’s house last night.”

Boone’s eyes light up. “That’s a good sign.”

I turn to face my friends. “I think he’s a good guy. He’s nice. He’s funny. He’s—”

“Incredibly good-looking,” Bellamy adds.

Ignoring her, I continue. “He’s a little guarded, but that’s normal for some guys, I think. Right?”

“Can be,” Boone says.

I look back and forth between them. They’re both watching me, waiting on me to continue my take on Hollis. I don’t know what to say, though—mostly because I’m not sure myself.

I grab a roller of perfume and dab it on my wrists and behind my ears.

“You know what,” I begin again, “he’s only here for a few days. I didn’t know he was a football player, or I would’ve abstained from all things him. But here we are, and I’m not mad about it.”