So Many Boys (The Naughty List #2)(54)

The music was loud. Really loud. We wandered in, Izzie and Kira immediately heading to the kitchen in search of cups while Leona and I decided to stake out the scene from the living room.

We stood by the fireplace and scanned the room.

“Do you think the copy-Kitten is here?” I asked, swallowing hard. It made goose bumps rise on my arms, just thinking about being watched. Again.

“Naw,” Leona said. “I doubt it, since Joel’s not here.” She turned to me. “But then again, you seem to be the flavor of the week, so there is a chance she’s tracking you.”

“Reassuring.” I felt my phone vibrate in my jeans pocket and held it up to check the number. I drew in a harsh breath. “It’s Mary,” I murmured.

“Shit.”

“Language.”

“Sorry, Tess.” But then Leona reached for my phone, plucking it from my hands and putting it to her ear. “Tessa’s phone,” she said into it, looking sideways at me.

Her carefully lined eyes narrowed. “Yeah, see, Mary, I don’t think Tessa’s all that keen on talking to you right now. Why?” Leona laughed, reaching up to switch the phone to her other ear. “Maybe because you’re a sneaky bitch? Maybe because we saw you kiss her boyfriend—ex, whatever. Doesn’t matter. You violated Smitten Kitten code.”

There was a mix of sickness and relief in my stomach. I didn’t want it said so bluntly about Mary and Aiden. Saying it made it real. But then again, I was just so glad to have Leona stick up for me. I hadn’t felt protected in a long time.

Leona sighed. “Sure,” she said. “I’ll tell her. Bye.” Leona pulled the phone from her face and looked at it as she clicked it off, averting her eyes.

“Tell me what?” I asked, my heart racing.

Leona pressed her lips together and turned, holding my phone out to me. “She said she’s sorry and that she didn’t mean for it to happen.”

Grief rushed through me. It was the only way to describe the ache that pulled at my ribs, making my lip quiver.

“Listen,” Leona said. “I know this isn’t the time, but I think Mary may be my main suspect.”

“I thought you said it was Chloe,” I mumbled, sniffling once. I hated to cry off my makeup, but I wasn’t sure I could hold it in. My phone vibrated again in my hand, and when I turned it over, I saw Aiden’s mother’s number.

Was his mom calling me or was he in town? I clicked it off, sending it to voice mail before shoving it deep into my pants pocket.

“Aiden?” Leona asked. When I nodded, she slung her arm over my shoulders. “Figures. Mary probably just called him and told him that you—” She stopped as I noticeably tensed. “Never mind,” she said. “I’m sure they totally don’t talk on the phone or anything.”

Just then there were some cheers from across the room. I looked up to see Chris come in, dressed in his jersey. Looking very…athletic. A few of his teammates began chanting his name, and he held up his beer cup in greeting, but it was obvious where his attention was focused. On me. I gulped and looked away toward the front window.

“Straighten up,” Leona said, adjusting her own posture. I blew out a breath, pushing away the painful thoughts of Aiden and Mary. I needed to try to accept my destiny as a Smitten Kitten and what was right for me. I glanced up to see Chris standing there, beaming with his perfectly straight teeth.

“I can’t believe you came,” he said, reaching up to brush self-consciously at his blond hair. “You look great.”

I would have thought he was just trying to be polite, but his blue eyes looked positively honest as he gazed at me.

“Right,” Leona said with a laugh. “I think Tessa’s T-shirt is from this year’s Balenciaga collection.”

Chris looked over at her, seeming confused. I smiled.

“It was a joke,” Leona muttered, shaking her head.

“It was funny,” I assured her, pulling down on the hem of my shirt to iron out some of the wrinkles. I really should have worn something a little dressier.

“Obviously,” she said back, and glanced around the crowded room. “Okay,” she said with a long breath. “I’m going to find Kira and Izzie and get a drink. You two”—she looked between us—“have a blast.”

“Thanks!” Chris and I answered at the same time and then looked at each other somewhat awkwardly.

“Good luck with that.” Leona widened her eyes, then eased her way through the bodies in the room toward the kitchen.

Once she was gone, Chris moved forward to rest his muscular arm on the mantel of the fireplace. His biceps were huge—he didn’t even have to flex. I relaxed a little.

“The party’s great,” I said, having to talk a little louder than was comfortable for being this close. “I think the entire school is here.”

“Only the seniors,” he said. “Trying to play the role, you know.” He smiled at me. “Stuck-up jock.”

I laughed. “And the cheerleader.” I pointed to myself. “How cliché.”

“I did have to turn away a few juniors earlier. It was sort of fun, although I know it’s not nice to say being a dick is fun.”

I flinched. Juniors? “Who’d you turn away?”