Make Me Bad(71)

Then he nods, a look of resigned understanding on his face. “Yeah. I guess I’d have done the same thing.”

His partner calls out to him, asking how long he’ll be. Colten holds up his hand before turning back to me.

“Listen, about the other day at your office…the stuff I said to you…”

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it.”

I know all the wrongs haven’t been rewritten for us. We still have a long way to go, but I don’t need him to apologize for looking out for Madison. If I had a sister, I know I’d act the same way.

I hold out my hand and he shakes it. Before he walks away, I continue, “Hey, I’m not sure what time your shift ends, but Andy’s birthday is tonight. He’s having a few people over to his house for a party.”

Meanwhile, said birthday boy is still sitting in my car, safe and sound with the doors locked. When we look over, he waves excitedly.

Colten nods, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Yeah, okay. I’ll see. This’ll take a while.”





“Do you want me to tell everyone you beat the guy up and then the police had to pull you off him?”

“No.”

“Okay. I’ll just say you had a knife and you were waving it around like a wild man.”

“Andy.”

“You’re right—no weapons. Instead, you unlaced your shoes and tied his hands behind his back with the laces. The police commended you for your hard work. Hometown hero, they called you. On Monday, you’re being presented with a medal.”

We’re in my car, at DQ, drinking milkshakes. Andy’s party has already started, but he said he was so “shaken up” from the events of the last hour that he needed to cool off. I remind him that we didn’t actually do anything.

“We were close to doing something, and that fear was real, my friend. I was worried I was going to have a little accident and ruin your nice leather seat here. You going to finish that?” he asks, grabbing for my half-finished milkshake.

“No.”

“Cool.”

“Happy birthday,” I say with a smile.

“Thanks. If it’s okay with you, I’m going to tell Arianna I helped the police detain him. She beat me at foosball the other day and I’m still trying to regain some ground in the manly man department.”

I smirk, leaning back against the headrest. “Andy, have you ever thought that maybe you’re not a manly man? You’re wearing a pink gingham shirt.”

He looks down and runs his hand across the button-down. “Arianna says it brings out my eyes.”

His eyes are brown. I don’t tell him she’s full of it.

“Ready to go to your party?”

“Give me another ten,” he says, sucking down the frozen chocolate treat. “I want to make an entrance. Think word will have spread about our good deed yet? I really want people to clap when I walk in.”

I don’t have the heart to burst his bubble.

If pressed, I’ll lie and tell Arianna he saved the day. It is his birthday after all.





21





Madison





Ben lied.

First, when he wouldn’t tell me where he was going. Second, when he told me he’d be on time for this party.

I’ve been at Andy’s house for half an hour now and Ben still hasn’t showed. Andy isn’t here either.

“Bet they went to a strip club,” someone jokes. A group of people snicker near the drink table and I pour myself an extra inch of wine before heading right back to where Kevin and Eli are sitting with Arianna.

She’s madder than I am. Apparently, Andy just disappeared too. We have no idea where they ran off to.

“I planned this whole freaking party for him and then he bails? I’m about to pop all these balloons and kick everyone out.”

I hand her the extra glass of wine I poured. Honestly, I was going to double-fist it, but she needs it more than I do.

“If it helps, you look really pretty.”

She’s wearing a leather miniskirt. Combined with her short blonde hair, she looks like a kickass Tinkerbell.

She offers a small smile as she accepts the wine. “Thanks.”

There are a ton of people here, cool kids, people I recognize from around town, and people who would have paid me absolutely no attention before I started dating Ben. It’s not like we’ve announced our relationship on a billboard or anything, but we didn’t have to. Ben is…Ben. Everything he does is newsworthy in this town, and I suppose I’m just as intriguing now too.

“…what designer is she wearing…”

Ah, yes, the illustrious TJ Maxx.

“…do you think she got those shoes in Paris…”

I’ve had them for three years. I honestly think they just appeared in the back of my closet one day.

“…she really is pretty, but maybe it’s just the makeup? Do you think she’s had some work done…”

Do people not realize their voices carry?!

I get it, though. They’re all curious about how the dopey librarian won over the unattainable king of Clifton Cove.

When I find out, I’ll be sure to let them know.

I take another hefty sip of wine as a cute guy cuts through the crowd and makes his way over to us. His shaggy blond hair makes him boyishly handsome. I don’t recognize him immediately, which is rare for Clifton Cove.