I slip on my coat, grab my clutch, and lock the door behind us. Greyson decided to drive us girls there and leave his truck overnight. Getting a cab home was going to be expensive enough, and he didn’t want us to have to pay for one there as well.
He’s growling something at Hannah when we reach the truck and I have to supress a giggle. It’s no doubt about her flimsy, little dress. I told her he’d have a conniption when he saw it. He swats her on the ass, and she laughs before he takes turns helping each of us into his monstrous truck.
It really is huge. I swear, even if Beth took a running start, she wouldn’t be able to get in it by herself.
Twenty minutes later, we’re parked in town and headed towards Bill’s. The town is busy with activity. People are on their way to parties and bars, and some are just drinking in the street. I’ve buttoned up my coat all the way, and even then, I’m still freezing. I’m always bloody freezing.
We’re almost at the start of the line when I see Jami and Jay walking towards us. My heart literally skips a beat from just looking at him. He’s wearing a black, fitted dress shirt and black slacks. His hair is wild and I have to fight the urge to run my fingers through it. He’s laughing at something Jay is saying, which isn’t uncommon. Jay’s a funny son of a bitch, but the sound of his laugh makes my heart squeeze.
Jay is the first to notice us, and he let’s out an embarrassingly loud catcall. “Well if it isn’t the sexiest motherfuckers in Rock Falls.” He blows kisses at each of us girls, and when he gets to Hannah, Greyson growls before she swats him in the stomach. Jay drapes an arm across Peyton’s shoulder and winks at her. “You girls know I love it when you bring me fresh meat,” he teases, and she blushes hard.
“Leave the poor girl alone, you fiend,” Beth says, pulling Peyton out from under him.
“Don’t be jealous, baby. You know there’s always room for two,” he coos suggestively wrapping an arm around her waist.
She slips out of his grasp, shakes her head, and laughs. “Ugh. As if.”
The girls all bust out laughing at her use of the famous Clueless line. The Rhodes sisters have a thing for quoting movies. You get used to it after a while. In fact, I think it’s almost rubbing off on me.
Jay moves down towards me and picks me up in a massive bear hug. “John, you’re looking smashing this evening,” he says in what I assume is supposed to be an English accent. Then he gives me a kiss on the cheek and I laugh. Not because I’m interested in him, but just because he’s without a doubt the funniest person we know.
“Looking quite dapper yourself, Mr. King. A tattooed James Bond if you will,” I tease back as he releases me from his hug. I turn to say hello to Jami, but when I meet his eyes, the anger behind them catches me off guard and my words falter. “Uh… Hi…Jami.”
He looks at me but doesn’t answer. Instead, he turns his attention to the rest of the group. “Are we going inside or what?” he snaps.
“Is this everyone?” Hannah asks.
“Of course it’s everyone,” he answers back a little too harshly, earning a glare from Greyson.
I don’t want to be the one to say anything, but Beth saves me from my growing curiosity when she asks, “What about Malibu Barbie?”
Jay starts to laugh. “Who the hell is Malibu Barbie?”
“Kelsey,” Beth clarifies, rolling her eyes and gesturing to Jami.
“That’s done,” Jami answers shortly before he starts walking towards the door.
“Well, alrighty then, grumpus!” Beth shouts after him, and we all follow behind them.
I try not to take note of the little happy dance going on inside my head that began when I heard him say that they’re done.
Even with tickets, it takes a while for us to get inside. Bill’s looks like a completely different bar tonight. There are black and white balloons covering every square inch of the ceiling, their strings dangling down. Everyone is dressed in formal black-and-white clothing, and all the beams are wrapped in white twinkle lights.
The place is almost at capacity and it’s only ten thirty, so we decide to split up. We take the boys’ coats and send them inside to find us a table. It’s a long shot, but what the heck?
It takes us girls almost twenty minutes to check all the coats before we actually head into the bar. I don’t usually like to toot my own horn or anything, but even I’m well aware that the four of us look smokin’ hot.
Greyson had texted a few minutes ago that they found a small table in the back, so we weave our way through the crowd, dodging a few handsy assholes along the way before we finally reach them. I’m shocked to see Jackson, Hannah’s ex, at our table, and I’m double shocked to see that the person he’s talking to is Greyson. I raise my eyebrows at Hannah and she shrugs. I guess she didn’t know he was coming either. It’s an odd turn of events considering that, the last time they were in this bar together, Greyson used Jackson’s face as a punching bag just for talking to Hannah.