The Boy Next Door Page 7

  I have no idea what prompts me to say it, but the question shoots out of my mouth before I can stop it. “You gonna come out with us, Mia?” I pause for a beat. “I doubt the chicks we’re supposed to hookup with tonight will appreciate that, but, oh well.” I shrug. “Sucks for them.”

  Her eyes widen as she slaps her hands against Beck’s chest, attempting to escape from his embrace. Fury flashes across his face as he levels a steely-edged stare at me.

  Fine, I’ll admit that it was a dick move.

  “Dude,” Beck growls, clearly pissed that I just dropped a bomb, “get the fuck out of here before I beat your ass.”

  I hold up my palms in a gesture of surrender. “Whatever. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.” Now that my work is done here, I swing away and head for the car. I can’t resist calling over my shoulder as I pass through the gate, “You got ten. Wrap this shit up, and let’s go.”

  Not waiting for a response, I stalk to the front of the stone mansion. He gets fifteen minutes, and then I’m out of here. Anger simmers in my veins as I slide onto the butter-soft leather. I’m not oblivious. I know Beck has been carrying a torch for Mia. I’m also well aware that he’ll make good on his threat to give me a beat down for jacking up his night once he gets out here. There’s a part of me that’s spoiling for a fight.

  After ten more minutes, I fire off a third and final text. I’m losing my patience. Scratch that, I’m fresh out. Hell, for all I know, he and Mia are still going at it. Although, she was pretty pissed off when I walked away, so that’s doubtful.

  You know what?

  Screw this, I’m out of here.

  I jam the key in the ignition as Beck yanks open the door and slides onto the seat beside me. “Took you long enough,” I bite out. “I was just about to take off.”

  “Too bad you didn’t do that when you realized I was busy,” he shoots back, clearly irritated.

  “Give me a fucking break,” I snort. “We both know Mia can’t stand your damn ass. What were you gonna do? Fuck her in the pool? You might not realize it, but I did you a solid. That girl would have hated you even more than she already does.”

  He presses his lips together and glares in stony silence.

  Here’s the thing—he knows I’m right. The tension gathered inside me loosens when he fails to respond.

  A grin slides across my face as I cup my fingers to my ear. “I’m sorry, what’s that?” I pause for a beat. “You’re welcome, Colton? Thanks for saving me from myself?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” he mutters, slouching on the leather and staring straight ahead.

  “Please. I couldn’t get Mia to come out with us if there was even a slight chance you would show up.” I cock my head. “Doesn’t that tell you something?”

  Of course it does, but Beck is nowhere near ready to acknowledge it.

  “Just drive,” he mutters.

  “You know I’m right,” I say smugly, starting up the engine and squealing out of the driveway before punching the gas. “I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it’s never gonna happen with that girl. You need to move the fuck on.”

  He slumps further into the black leather. “Maybe,” he bites out, “you should do yourself a favor and take your own advice for a change.”

  My jaw tightens as I stare at the dark ribbon of road stretched out in front of us. “Don’t think I’m not trying,” I mumble. “Every damn night, I’m trying to get over that girl.” There’s no point in specifying which one I’m talking about.

  He knows. Just like he knows why I’ve been in a shit mood for the last five months. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out.

  “You screw so much,” he says, “that I’m surprised your dick hasn’t shriveled up and fallen off. Remind me to buy you some balm for your birthday.”

  A hint of a smile lifts my lips, although it doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “Don’t I know it, brother.”

  A heavy silence falls over us as I crank the steering wheel and turn onto the main stretch of road. It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask about Alyssa. I haven’t seen her around for a while. And she blocked my ass on all her socials. Which...I can’t exactly blame her for. But tell me how I’m supposed to stalk that chick if I can’t see what she’s up to?

  I try to swallow down the words, but they refuse to budge. It’s only a matter of time before they burst free.

  One second slips by.

  Then another.

  “Did Mia mention Lys at all?”

  Fuck me. I’ve done my best to scrub that girl from every part of my life. Evicting her from my head and heart has turned out to be more complicated than I assumed.

  Beck scrutinizes me silently before tossing a crumb my way. Not that I deserve it with the bullshit I just pulled. He’s a better friend than I am. “Guess she’s studying abroad in London for the year.”

  His answer takes me by surprise. I blink and stare straight ahead as my lips tug down at the corners. “No shit?”

  “Yup.”

  My heart constricts. It’s like there is a vise squeezing it.

  “Huh.” That’s all I’m capable of forcing out.

  It’s weird to think of Alyssa not being here. At the same school. In the same town. In the same damn state. Hell, the country. Even when I was trying to ignore her, she was here. I could keep an eye on her. I caught glimpses of her around campus when she didn’t know I was looking.

  And now she’s gone.

  A heavy pit settles in my gut. I’m so fucking tempted to pelt him with more questions. This time, I keep them buried deep inside. In the months since our breakup, I’ve done my damnedest to move on. It hasn’t worked. So maybe...maybe this is for the best.

  Out of sight, out of mind...right?

  Let’s hope that turns out to be the case.

  Chapter Twelve

  Alyssa

  March of junior year...

  Jack grabs hold of my hand and laces our fingers together before flashing me a cheeky smile as we take in the shops on Oxford Street. The skies are overcast, but the weather is seasonable for this time of year in London, which means it’s about fifty degrees. We’re both bundled up in jackets. I can’t help but return his easy expression.

  Effortless.

  That would be the perfect word to describe my relationship with him.

  He’s handsome, charming, and so very British.

  I’ve turned into something I never expected to be—a cliché. I could listen to him talk all day long. And I flipping love when he uses words like—bullocks, bloody, and knackered. It makes me laugh every time. And the guy knows it, which is exactly why he does it. He gets a little twinkle in his dark eyes when my lips start to twitch.

  And he’s a footballer.

  Well, I mean soccer player. In England, it’s called football, and it’s huge. Like nothing I could have imagined. One of the big rivalries is Arsenal versus Tottenham. Having been born and bred on American football, I never paid much attention to professional soccer. A few high school games here and there, but that was the extent of it.

  When Jack realized I was totally clueless about the sport, he took the time to explain the rules, and over the months, I’ve grown to enjoy it. It’s fast-paced, and the fans are rabid. I would pit them against the most diehard football fans any day. He even bought me a scarf to hold at the matches we’ve attended when the team jogs onto the pitch.

  And watching him sprint across the field certainly isn’t a hardship. He’s thick and muscular and reminds me nothing of a certain someone else.

  We met at a pub while I was out with my roommate. Much to Jack’s chagrin, I friend-zoned him almost immediately. After that, I noticed we would end up at a lot of the same parties, and slowly, we started spending time together.

  It’s been...nice.

  Different than what I’m used to. I don’t have to chase Jack to get his attention. I already have it. He seems to have eyes only for me. From the very beginning, he’s made his intentions clear.
He doesn’t play games, and he’s not out screwing every girl who spreads her legs.

  It’s a refreshing change of pace.

  We’ve been teetering on the brink of...something for the last couple of weeks, but I’m not ready to delve into another relationship just yet—especially when my time in London will be drawing to a close. Even though I try not to dwell on Colton, there are times when he invades my brain, slyly wrapping himself around my heart and squeezing tight. He’s turned out to be a difficult habit to kick—even when we’re an ocean apart.

  But then again, what did I really expect? I’ve had feelings for the guy ever since my sophomore year of high school. It’s unrealistic to assume they would vanish over night simply because I wanted them to.

  The moment I realize the direction my mind has wandered, I shove those thoughts away and squeeze Jack’s hand, wanting to ground myself in the moment. Colton has been relegated to my past, and that’s exactly where he needs to stay. Jack, on the other hand, is my present.

  Possibly my future.

  Even though everything remains uncertain, I’m excited to figure it out.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Colton

  August of senior year...

  “Hold the elevator!” I call out, forcing myself to jog through the lobby of our apartment building. Sure, I could take the stairs, we only live on the third floor, but I’m wiped. We’ve been practicing on the turf under the blazing, hot sun twice a day for the last couple of weeks. Every muscle in my body is screaming for mercy. A fifteen-minute soak in an ice bath wasn’t nearly enough to undo the damage Coach inflicted this morning.

  The man is a total sadist.

  Just as the metal doors are about to close, they bounce open again. I hasten my step, jumping on board, as a huff of relief escapes from my lips. My plans for the afternoon involve my queen-size bed and a long nap to recharge before heading back to the field for round two.

  “Thanks.” I glance at the lone occupant inside. There are three oversized boxes stacked in her arms, concealing her face. All I’m able to make out are curvy hips and long, sun-kissed legs peeking out from the bottom of her black athletic shorts.

  A quick glance at the control panel reveals that the button for the third floor has already been hit.

  “No problem,” she says, shifting the boxes around in her arms to get a better grip.

  As weary as I am, I can’t just stand here and let her struggle with the containers. Without a doubt, I can be an ass, but my stepmother, Jenna, did attempt to drill a few manners into my head. “Looks like you’ve got quite the load there. Want some help?”

  “Nah,” she says with a soft grunt as she moves the boxes again, “I’m in the home-stretch.”

  “You sure? I don’t mind giving you a hand,” I offer for the second time.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got them.”

  I lean against the wall of the elevator and fold my arms across my chest. “Must be moving day.” Over the past week, there have been a number of Wesley students getting situated in the building for the upcoming academic year.

  “Yup, I’ve been at it now for a couple of hours,” she confirms.

  I glance at the panel on the wall next to the door. “You’re on the third floor?”

  “Right again,” she says with a laugh. It’s deep and throaty.

  There’s something oddly familiar about her voice. My brows draw together as I wrack my brain. Fuck...I really hope we haven’t hooked up. That always makes for awkward run-ins. Before I can investigate the situation any further, the elevator jolts to a halt and the doors slide open, spitting us out onto the third floor. I slap my palm against the frame of the elevator so the doors can’t slide shut as she steps off the platform and into the hallway.

  As she takes a few steps, the top box wobbles, and I spring into action, grabbing it from her. Maybe she doesn’t want my help, but she’s getting it.

  “Thanks!”

  Our gazes lock, and my footsteps falter, surprised at who I find buried behind the containers. “Mia?”

  She looks equally stunned as her gaze widens and her body stills. “Colton.” There’s a pause as she forces out a greeting. “Hey.”

  Silence descends as we stare. It’s like neither of us know what to say. Just when the situation turns awkward, she clears her throat. “So...you live here?” An unenthusiastic note tinges her voice, and I realize she’s probably praying that turns out not to be the case.

  Unfortunately, I’m going to have to burst that bubble.

  “Yeah.” I point to the end of the hall. “Last door on the left.”

  Her lips sink at the corners as she reluctantly stares in that direction. “Oh.”

  Mia and I grew up together. I’ve known her since elementary school. We’ve never had a problem, although she definitely became more standoffish after my breakup with Alyssa. It’s not like I can blame her for feeling that way. I guess that’s what happens when you dick over someone’s best friend. You become a permanent fixture on their shit list.

  I jerk my head in the same direction. “Your place is over there, too?”

  “Yeah.” Her lips do more than just sink at the edges. They bow into a full-blown frown. Every thought and emotion is there to see as it flickers across her expressive face.

  We both realize why this has the potential to be a powder keg of a situation.

  Don’t ask about her, asshole.

  Don’t you dare do it.

  It’s been eighteen months since our breakup, but who’s counting?

  By now, I should have moved on. Alyssa Williams should be nothing more than a blip in my past. One of the many girls that I’ve screwed. But that’s the last thing she’ll ever be. No matter how much I’ve tried to eradicate her from my brain, she’s still there, gnawing away gleefully at the back of it. What I’ve come to understand during the time Alyssa has been gone is that she will never be just a girl.

  She’ll always be the girl.

  The one I forced away because I was too chicken shit to open myself up and risk being hurt again. If I have any brains whatsoever, I’ll assist Mia to her door and pretend there isn’t a past sitting uncomfortably between us.

  Easier said than done.

  “So...Alyssa?” I wince as the words shoot from my mouth. “Is she back yet?” The possibility of her staying in London for our last year at Wesley has my heart constricting painfully in my chest. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been mentally counting down the weeks until her return. I’m not even sure what the point is. After the way I blew up our relationship, it’s doubtful she’ll ever look at me again, much less engage in idle conversation.

  It’s not a surprise when Mia’s expression becomes shuttered, and she glances away. Her lips press into a tight line, and I wonder if she’ll brush off the question.

  Hell, maybe she’ll tell me to go fuck myself.

  Anything is possible.

  After a long stretch of silent moments, she finally grumbles, “Not yet.”

  “But she’ll return to Wesley for the fall semester?”

  She huffs out a breath. “Yeah.”

  If Mia thinks I’m at all deterred by her begrudgingly given responses, she’s mistaken. “Is she living here, too?”

  The dark-haired girl’s brows slide together as she glares. “Yeah. Are you finished with your grand inquisition? Can I move on with my life now?”

  Once I’ve confirmed Alyssa’s living arrangements, everything inside me loosens, and I can finally breathe again. Air rushes into my lungs. Until this very moment, I didn’t realize how oxygen deprived I’d become. It feels like I’ve been submerged beneath the water indefinitely. Only now am I able to fight my way to the surface and break through to the other side.

  Mia mutters something indecipherable under her breath and stalks down the hallway before I can grill her for more information. Since my legs are almost twice as long as hers, it only takes a moment to catch up. She stops one door short of mine before shifting the
boxes in her arms and attempting to dig around in her front pocket.

  “Here, give them to me.”

  “No, thanks,” she huffs, clearly irritated by my presence. Usually, this kind of ire is reserved solely for Beck.

  “Come on, Mia. Don’t be stubborn. Let me help.”

  She shoots me another steely-eyed glare. “I suppose giving in is the quickest way to get rid of you.”

  “There you go.” I flash her a grin. “Just focus on the positives.”

  She snorts before rising to her tiptoes and stacking the containers on top of the one I’m already holding. Then she slides the key from her pocket before shoving it in the lock and turning the handle.

  With her back propping open the door, she stretches out her arms. “I’ll take it from here.”

  “I got it. Just tell me where you want them.” Feeling nosy as fuck, I saunter into the apartment.

  She points to the living room/dining room combination. “Set them down anywhere over there.”

  I do as she asks before straightening to my full height and glancing around. There are boxes stacked everywhere. I’m overwhelmed just looking at the place. It will take weeks to put away all this stuff. Even though I know she’ll turn me down flat, I can’t resist throwing out the offer. “You want some help with all of this? I’ve got a few hours to kill before I need to head back to the stadium.”

  She releases a long breath, all the while surveying the cardboard shantytown that has sprung up on the outskirts of the living room. For a moment, I almost wonder if she’s actually considering the question. But then she shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll just take it a little bit at a time.”

  I shift my weight from one foot to the other. “You sure? I’m willing to lend a hand.”

  Her voice softens, losing some of its rigidity. “I appreciate the offer, but no.”

  Since I wasn’t expecting a different outcome, I shrug. Hell, I’m kind of surprised she didn’t toss me out on my ear as soon as I set the boxes on the floor. “All right then.” I meander to the door. “Guess now that you live here, I’ll see you around.”