Against All Odds - Angel's Story(22)

“Hey,” she says as she pulls away from me so she can see my face, placing her hands on my shoulders. “You’re not only beautiful on the outside, you’re beautiful on the inside. If that fool can’t see how special you are, he doesn’t deserve you.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“It’s true, babe. Mr. Right is out there somewhere, just waiting for you. It may not be Riley, but you’ll find him someday. I promise.” Chase is my Mr. Right, I know it, but I don’t say that to her. She wouldn’t understand.

••••



By the time she leaves I’m feeling better. She insisted I drink a couple of glasses of wine to relax me while she worked her magic. I’m impressed with her handy work by the time she’s done. It’s been a while since I’ve worn a dress.

I went with the white dress she picked, but I paired it with a light denim jacket to dress it down a bit, and a thick tan belt around my waist and matching long tan boots. Dana left my long brown hair down, adding a few soft curls. My makeup is a little heavier than I’m used to, but overall, I love how I look.

I can tell by the look on Riley’s face when I open the door that he does too. When he licks his lips as his eyes travel the length of my body, it creeps me out.

I know I need to let Chase go and give someone else a chance, but I just don’t think Riley is the guy. He’s hot. Extremely hot, but that’s about it. He seems nice enough, when he’s not talking about himself, which has been often. The more I get to know him, the more I see how shallow he really is.

I must admit he looks handsome tonight. He’s wearing designer jeans and a nice button-down top. The cologne he is wearing though, is another story. It’s so friggin’ strong. What, did he bathe in it? It’s so overpowering that by the time we pull up outside the restaurant, I have a headache. I’m sure he thinks he smells wonderful, but he doesn’t. He smells like a perfume shop threw up all over him. He smells nothing like Chase.

While we’re seated at the restaurant, he gets a call. Once he’s off the phone he informs me that there’s a change of plans. We’re no longer going to the movies. His mates are going to a party and he wants to go. Great. Do I even get a say in this? I’ll be glad when this night is over.

After rushing through the rest of our meal, we head to his car. I really don’t want to go to this party, but I go along with it. The night can’t get any worse.

Around ten minutes later we pull up outside a house. There are cars everywhere, people littering the streets, music blaring. Shit. “Look, why don’t you drop me at home? That way you can go and have fun with your mates,” I say as he drives a few houses down looking for a park.

“I don’t think so. You’re coming with me,” he demands. Okay then. What an arse. His comment just confirms that he’s not the guy for me.

“I don’t even know these people.”

“So what? You know me.” He reaches over and grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze. “You’re my girl. Where I go, you go.” I want to tell him I’m not his girl, but I don’t. Instead I sigh before giving him a forced smile. I’ll give him tonight, but tomorrow this thing between us, whatever it is, is going to end.

Thankfully before he arrived at my house, I put my phone and some money into my jacket pocket. It’s something my dad always made my brother CJ and I do whenever we went out. “Just in case of an emergency,” he’d say.

I guess if I’m not having a good time and Riley doesn’t want to leave, I can always call a cab and make my own way home.

Once we’re out of the car, he starts making his way towards the party, not even waiting for me. I have to jog to catch up to him.

As we approach the house there are people everywhere. Some making out, someone passed out on the front lawn and even a girl vomiting at the side of the house. It’s not like I haven’t been to parties before, I’ve been to plenty, but I have a bad feeling in my gut about this one.

‘Trust your gut instincts’, my grandma always says. Knowing what I know now, I should’ve listened to my gut and turned around and gone home.





CHAPTER SIX

Chase



I really don’t feel like being here tonight, but I need to move on with my life so this is as good a place as any to start. Parties aren’t usually my thing. But, I made a promise to myself when I pulled up outside earlier, that I’d be taking someone home tonight. I have to. The sooner I get back to my old life, the sooner I’ll find the old me again.

The two girls on my lap are doing a good job of distracting me from my thoughts. That is, until the one person I’m trying to forget walks through the door. Fuck me. Worst part is, she’s with Riley fucking Benson. I push the girls off my lap and make my way to the kitchen. I had no plans of drinking tonight. Now that they’re here, I’ve changed my mind.