Addicted to You(41)

“You can play against Taylor. That will be fair.”

Fair? “Hold up.” I gestured to the cups. “You think I don’t want to play because I’m scared to lose to a boy?”

“No, uh, I just assumed you’d have fun playing against her.” He quickly backpedaled, but I wasn’t actually mad or offended. I was teasing.

Suddenly Landon was at my side. “Let’s play teams. Matt and Taylor versus Isla and me. How does that sound?”

“Works for me,” Taylor said. “But I’m driving, so Matt, you have to do all the drinking for our team.”

He looked pretty pumped about that news. “No problem there.”

Landon grinned. “Well, I’m pretty wasted. So Isla might have to do all of ours, too.”

I laughed but it came out as more of a nervous titter and I wished Colby hadn’t let me in on Landon’s feelings.

“But…then again, we’re going to kick your ass.” Landon tossed a Ping-Pong ball in the air and caught it. “We won’t be doing much drinking either way.”

“Oh, I see how it is.” Matt reached both his arms into the air. “Hang on, let me just do a few stretches.” Then he rolled his head from front to back. “Loosen up a bit.”

His little spectacle made me laugh, a genuine These are my friends; why not enjoy myself? kind of laugh, and my body finally relaxed.

“Hey, laugh all you want, but just remember half of my team is completely sober. We have a fifty-percent advantage.” He slung his arm around Taylor.

“Or disadvantage—have you never seen me play beer pong? I kind of suck,” she admitted.

“Shh, babe, this is the mental game. We’re just psyching them out. I know you can’t play for shit.”

I lifted my hair into a ponytail and pulled a hair tie from my wrist. “You do realize we can hear you, right?”

“You do realize I can hear you too?” Taylor added. “I mean, way to boost my confidence right before the big game,” she teased.

“I know, babe, and I’m sorry, but look—it’s working. Isla’s getting ready for a throwdown. She’s pulling her hair up and she’s all ‘Hold my purse.’ ”

“Purse?” Taylor mouthed.

I shrugged and forced back another smile. Game face, right?

Landon chuckled. “Okay, okay, let’s go. Someone needs to get their ass kicked before they just pass out altogether. I’m winning this game by merit, not default.”

As the game started, I found myself letting go. Colby drifted from the forefront of my thoughts. Forgotten were Landon’s supposed feelings for me. And I had fun. I laughed at how incredibly off our aims were. And when one of us succeeded by chance, we’d turn to one another and high-five without even a second thought. We were in sync. We were having fun. And we were winning. The perfect team.

Landon tossed the final ball. It bounced effortlessly into a cup, and I squealed as he covered his mouth with his hand. “Ohh, is that what I think it is?” he mocked the losing team. “Isla, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe we just kicked some serious ass.”

I stared at the table and nodded, my expression one of mock-seriousness. “Why Landon, I believe you are correct.”

He then busted out some sort of celebratory end zone dance.

Laughing, I nudged him and shook my head. “Okay, okay.” But when he wouldn’t stop, I finally grabbed both his hands. “Oh my god, we won. Now don’t spoil that with whatever this is!”

He flipped his hands so that he was now holding my wrist and tugged me into his arms. Then he pumped one hand into the air and shouted, “Victory!”

I laughed even harder, realizing that the one thing I really had to give Landon credit for was he knew how to have a good time. He was the epitome of fun. I glanced up just as he smiled down on me.

Yep. Definitely fun.

And interested in me. Without pause or hesitation.

Unlike Colby. Who hesitated. Every. Freaking. Time.

Speaking of whom, I’d just noticed. Silently standing in the corner of the room. Gaze glued to where Landon and I stood, still arm in arm.





Chapter 14


Colby didn’t look too happy as he silently made his way through the small crowd before disappearing down the hall. But I couldn’t decide if that made me sad or a tiny bit pleased. Maybe both? Obviously I cared way too much about the guy to want him miserable but he needed a wake-up call. If he didn’t like seeing me wrapped in a Landon-hug, he probably shouldn’t be shoving me into one. Because that’s exactly what he was doing. He’d made it clear that I should give things a try with his brother. And, well, that stung. It seems I’d been clear enough on my feelings toward him. And how had he responded? He’d offered up his brother.