“Do you think Fuller will make the team this year?”
“Coach wants Westley, though Killen might drop out because game times conflict with footy practice, so that’ll leave a spot for Fuller.”
Kennedy rolls her eyes at me. I wince before mouthing, “Sorry.”
When Luke suggested Kennedy and I join him and Dylan for dinner, I assumed he’d forgiven me for not going to the beach with him last weekend. He seemed happy enough to see me when I turned up wearing a tight mini skirt paired with a top that shows off my cleavage and midriff. I know I look good with my long strawberry blonde hair curled into a half up and half down do. I went all out hoping I could somehow put things right with Luke. We haven’t been dating all that long, but things already feel pretty rocky.
I also hoped that with Kennedy and Dylan along for the ride, we’d find plenty more things to talk about, just like we did on Australia day. But here we are at the Bayview Hotel, and Luke and Dylan are only interested in talking about their upcoming basketball season. Luke’s arm is around me and he’s stroking my shoulder, but I may as well not be here.
Kennedy looks at her watch. “Food’s taking forever.”
Only a few of the tables around us have received their meals. The Bayview is usually quick with their service, but it is unusually busy this evening.
“The place is packed, so we might be waiting a while,” I say.
“How’s MOD’s preparation for the festival going?” Kennedy asks.
“It’s going well, I think. From what I overhear at breakfast, anyway.”
“Asher isn’t having a field day about you and Ethan eating your first meals of the day together anymore, then?”
I frown as I think about it, even though I already know the answer. “No. He sticks to conversations with Ethan about the festival, but he doesn’t glare at me if I’m there.”
In fact, when Ethan asks for my input on anything related to the festival, Asher actually listens to what I have to say.
Kennedy’s eyebrows draw together as she studies me.
“What?” I ask.
“And you said your song for the showcase is improving.”
“I said we rewrote our song this week and it’s not as bad as it was. It’s still not great.”
“Asher doesn’t seem to hate you as much these days.”
“I think he’s too busy to hate me right now. Between his driving lessons and test this week, and now the upcoming festival, he’s had his hands tied. So, maybe his hate is on hold.”
Kennedy’s lips quirk up. “Or maybe he’s maturing. He is legally an adult now.”
I snort. Asher hasn’t been quite as scowly, I agree. He’s even started tipping his chin at me when he passes me in the halls at school. And, okay, he tolerates my presence over breakfast. But we’re certainly not friends, and any thawing of his attitude is hardly due to the fact he turned eighteen on Thursday.
Our meals come out, finally. Luke gives me a small smile when I make a joke about his giant appetite and the four sides he’s ordered, but then goes straight back to talking to Dylan.
“Hey, look who just walked in.” Kennedy points her fork in the direction of the door.
Asher opted not to make a big deal out of his birthday, stating we’re already planning a huge Easter party. Dinner on Thursday evening was takeaway from his favourite Mexican restaurant, and he made plans to go out tonight with Ethan, Maddie, and Ainsley. I never asked where they planned to celebrate, but they’re all dressed up for a big night out, so maybe this is just their first stop for the evening.
I side-eye the chaos around us. “I hope they booked a table.”
If they didn’t, they may not be here long.
The group talk to the waitress playing gatekeeper to the hotel’s restaurant section. Judging by the similar unhappy expressions all of them are now sporting, the conversation is not going well. Ethan cranes his head around, looking past the waitress, presumably for any sign of an empty table. When he sees us, a warm grin slides over his face. I offer him an apologetic smile. Kennedy, on the other hand, is waving him over.
“What are you doing?” I whisper-hiss.
Kennedy shrugs. “I want to hear about what they’re going to play at the festival. It’s better than sitting here listening to sports-talk.”
Disturbingly, I don’t disagree with her.
Luke and Dylan finally stop discussing basketball and look up in time to see the foursome reach our table. Luke glares at me as if I’m the one responsible for inviting them over here.
“Hey,” Ethan says to me and Kennedy before nodding to Luke and Dylan. “Didn’t realise you guys were coming here for dinner.”
Luke mutters something beside me that sounds a lot like, “Yeah right.”
“We have an extra big booth.” Kennedy slides her butt along the seat so she’s closer to Dylan. “You should join us.”
Ainsley scoffs. “What makes you think we want to sit with you?”
Maddie, who I rarely see because Asher never brings her home, forces a smile but doesn’t look any more pleased than Ainsley does with Kennedy’s offer. Luke and Dylan are still paying attention, and impossibly, they look even less impressed than Ainsley. Ethan looks relieved, though, and when I look at Asher, he’s looking back at me, as if it’s my decision whether we eat together. Hmm, maybe Kennedy was right about Asher not hating me as much. He isn’t protesting the idea the way I assumed he might.
I don’t get to mull that over because I must decide, and I’m going to piss someone off no matter what. If I say yes, Luke will likely be annoyed. But if I say no, Asher will have to go somewhere else for his belated birthday celebration. It’s not my fault he didn’t book a table, but I still don’t feel good about it. Besides, I’d much rather talk music with these guys than listen to our dates drone on about basketball for the rest of the evening. Luke’s always been passionate about basketball, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s punishing me because I chose to keep working on the showcase instead of going to the beach with him last weekend. If he is, Asher showing up probably isn’t going to help with that.
Hating the feeling of being caught in the middle, I shrug and try and look nonchalant. “If you guys can’t get a table, we have room.”
Kennedy smiles smugly even as Ainsley huffs, crossing her arms and glaring around the crowded restaurant.
Ethan doesn’t hesitate to scoot into the booth beside Kennedy. “No point in bothering the waitress again if you guys are okay with us joining you.”
With a scowl, Ainsley follows Ethan’s lead and sits down. We move around the booth so that I’m now on the end, with Luke next to me and Dylan and Kennedy beside us. In the U-shaped booth, we end up opposite the new group, with Asher and I facing off on the ends.
Luke and Dylan unwillingly acknowledge everybody else. And then they go back to discussing their basketball team again.
Kennedy grins, her eyes flicking between Ethan and Asher. “How are things going with your rehearsals for the festival?”
“Good,” Ethan says, filling us in on which songs they’re contemplating covering. Before long, we’re engaged in a conversation about which covers they should do, how they should do them, and what sort of tone MOD are striving for.
Eventually, the conversation moves along so that Ethan and Kennedy are discussing some of the partnered pairs who are experiencing conflict, while Maddie and Ainsley talk about Maddie’s next album.
Curious about which conversation Asher might be more invested in, I glance at him and catch him staring at the deep neckline of my top. Is he looking at my-
His gaze rises, and my heart thunders in my chest as our eyes lock and hold. Heat that I haven’t felt in a long time sweeps through me, settling low in my belly in a way that is far from unpleasant.
For a moment we just stare at each other, then his lips twitch, breaking the moment. “I think you spilt something on your top.”
Sure enough, I look down and see I do have a speck of pasta sauce just above my neckline. Quickly, I try to rub it off.
That’s embarrassing. And I don’t know whether I’m more embarrassed I seem to have spilt something on my breast, or that I thought my stepbrother was looking at me with something other than…I don’t know? I mean, he’s here with Maddie, who is gorgeous and famous and rocking an elegant navy-blue romper dress. I probably look like a child next to her.
“Thanks.” I force a smile.
He nods and turns to answer Maddie about something, but my eyes remain on him. He’s wearing a black textured button-down shirt, setting off the colours in the ink he has, but instead of his tattoos grabbing my attention, it’s the texture of his shirt that has me intrigued. Absurdly, I want to reach out and see how it feels to the fingertips. It looks really comfortable, too, and it probably smells of his favourite aftershave, Apollo.
At least, I’m assuming Apollo is his favourite because I saw two bottles of it in his room. The fragrance is far dark and earthy and reminds me of an adventure through the wild woods after rain.
That’s Asher, I guess, dark and stormy, and an adventure. Not always a good one, but certainly one that’s not been completely awful lately.
Forcing my gaze away from my stepbrother, I focus on the conversation around me. When Kennedy asks me about some of the elements of the song Asher and I are working on, Luke tunes back into the conversation.
“And back to more conversation about the showcase,” he grumbles.
I turn and frown at him. “You and Dylan have been talking about basketball pretty much since we arrived.”
“I’m talking about my team. You haven’t even made it into the showcase.”
Ouch.
I look up to see Asher now watching Luke and me. Great. He has a front row seat to my not-so-great-right-now relationship with Luke. And just because Asher and I seem to be getting along better doesn’t mean I want him to witness just how much Luke hates talking about music. When Asher frowns at me, I smile weakly and look back at Luke.
“Music is as important to me as basketball is to you. And you’ve pretty much ignored us any time Kennedy and I have tried to change the subject since we got here.”
Luke’s mouth thins. “I don’t see why that matters now since your stepbrothers are here. It’s like they follow you everywhere.”
Indignation steals through me and I narrow my eyes at him. “They are not here for me; they didn’t know I was going to be here, and I didn’t know they were going to be here.”
Luke glares. “Whatever. I’m over all this conversation about the showcase. Even when I call you on the phone it’s all you talk about.”
Swallowing hard, I stare at him. “That’s not true.”
I have talked about it a lot, I know, but I always ask about uni and listen to him talk about basketball. I don’t think he realises he spends as much time, if not more, talking about basketball.
“It is. You’re either practicing or you’re talking about music. It’s like there’s nothing else in your life.”
“And what else is there in your life?” My whispers are now more like whisper-yells.
Reminding myself, we’re surrounded by our friends, who don’t want dinner and a show, I try and take a deep breath and speak more quietly. “All you’ve spoken with Dylan about since you got here is sports.”
Luke pushes his plate away from him as a waitress comes over to take orders from Ethan, Asher, Ainsley, and Maddie.
After looking forward to my meal I too am losing my appetite. I push my plate away just as a girl with long, blonde hair swinging down to her waist sashays up to us, propping her hip against the edge of the table. I recognise her as a senior at Rockstar Bay Academy last year; I think her name is Nicole.
“Hey,” she says to Luke and Dylan, “fancy seeing you guys here.” She flips her hair over her shoulder, then smiles at Ethan and Asher.
For once, Ainsley is pouting at someone other than me. I don’t think she needs to be worried about Ethan, though, because Nicole is more interested in Asher.
“Hey, Ash.”
There was a rumour circulating about Nicole and Asher hooking up last year. Maddie purses her lips, clearly unimpressed with the way Nicole’s attention stays riveted on Asher. But to Asher’s credit, he keeps his expression blank, nodding once in acknowledgment then going back to talking to Maddie, sending a clear message he’s here with her.
It’s been almost two months since they started dating, and after never seeing him with a girlfriend, it’s sort of surprising to see things go so well with Maddie. Then again, she is a very successful popstar, and a very talented musician, so I suppose they have a lot in common.
And as far as MOD is concerned, I guess it’s okay for Asher to have a girlfriend. Of course, it’s okay for Ethan to have a girlfriend, too, just so long as it’s Ainsley and not me. Bitterness and hurt tangle behind my ribcage as soon as that reminder hits me, so I shut that thought down. Hard. It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? I don’t love Ethan the way I used to, and Asher and I are working together without killing each other. So what if he forced Ethan to dump me because he hates me and thinks I’m a user?
Nicole looks back at Luke, finally realising Asher isn’t interested. “Do you have the notes from Physio 101? I missed the lecture the other day.”
“Yeah,” Luke says, giving her a big, cheesy grin. “I’ve got them. Do you want to get together and go over them?”
“That’d be great,” Nicole says.
I feel invisible. And I can feel my face burning with the sting of humiliation when Asher and Ethan both swing their gazes to me. Surely, it’s obvious to Nicole that Luke is here with me. I know that doesn’t mean he can’t study with her, but she’s flirting and he’s definitely receptive.
“Well, I should leave you to it, I guess,” Nicole says, looking at Asher once more.
“Where are you off to?” Luke asks.
“I’m picking up a quick dinner and then I’m heading to Tango with Jaycee and Noah, you know the club on 21st Street?”
Luke nods. “Yeah, I heard that place is pretty good.”
Nicole looks around the table, her gaze finally landing on me. With an almost sheepish smile in place, she looks back at Luke. “You could come. It will be great to hang out, spend some time together, and maybe even dance a little.”
She is practically propositioning my boyfriend in front of me, my best friend, and my stepbrothers. Even Ainsley, who I expect to be smirking at my discomfort, doesn’t look impressed. I wait for Luke to tell her ‘no’.
“Yeah, I’d love that.”
It’s all I can do not to explode on the spot. Adrenaline rages through me, making me ready to start a fight.
As soon as she walks away, I growl, “Are you serious?”
Luke looks at me and blinks, as if he forgot I’m sitting right next to him. “What’s the big deal?” he mutters.
“What’s the big deal? We’re here on a date. We’re here together, and you’re my boyfriend, and she asks you to go out to a club with her? A club she likely knows I can’t get into. Then she tells you she wants to dance with you? And you say you’d love that?”
“I’m sorry,” he huffs. He certainly doesn’t sound sorry, just annoyed. “I’m just…” he shrugs before looking resentfully at my stepbrothers. “I guess I don’t want to spend the rest of the evening talking about music. It’s a killjoy.”
Music is my life, my passion and my lifeforce, I can’t imagine not talking about it. But I’m angrier right now over the way he just willingly agreed to go out with another girl while he’s supposed to be with me. I knew Luke was a player when we started hanging out, but I ignored the fact because I was intent on getting over Ethan. Get out from one guy and under another. But if Luke acts like this when he’s right next to me, what is he like when I’m not around?
“Hey,” Kennedy says softly, grabbing my attention. “I’m going to call Mum and ask if we can get a lift home.”
“I can take Lilah,” Asher offers.
My gaze flicks to his and I’m surprised to find he’s serious. I can’t see pity in his eyes, but that must be why he offered, right?
That’s how messed up this situation is with Luke; even Asher and Ainsley feel sorry for me.
“You should stay, Lilah,” Luke says, sullenly. “I said I’m sorry.”
Ignoring Luke, I look at Asher. “Thanks, but you haven’t even eaten yet. I’ll grab a ride home with Kennedy and her mum.”
He frowns, his expression darkening a moment later, then he shrugs. “If that’s what you want.”
Perhaps he thinks I’m rejecting his offer because I don’t want to ride with him.
“This is a birthday celebration for you,” I point out. “I’d feel bad if I made you leave early.”
Besides, he’s out with Maddie, who is currently glaring at his willingness to cut out on dinner so he can take me home. As if he finally realises the same thing, Asher clenches his jaw and nods.
“I’m really grateful for the offer,” I say, giving him a small smile.
Luke glares at me, but Asher seems to relax some, and I quietly sigh with relief.
I’m not sure why it’s so important Asher believes me, but it is. He doesn’t look at me with disgust in his eyes anymore. Okay, so, maybe he’s putting his hatred of me on pause while we work on the duet. For some stupid reason the thought burns like I’ve swallowed battery acid. But I can’t think about that. What matters is that I’m in no rush to go back to the combative way we used to interact.
Especially when I’m telling the truth and I’d be happy to accept a ride from him under different circumstances. If Kennedy wasn’t here, offering to call her mum, I would accept his offer without hesitation.
In fact, there’s no one else here I’d rather ride with.
Not Luke and Dylan, not Ethan or Ainsley or Maddie.
The thought that after Kennedy, my next choice for a ride would be Asher and not Ethan shocks the hell out of me.
But it doesn’t make it any less true.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Next chapter, Asher and Lilah spend one-on-one time without it being for the showcase.
In other news, I’m uploading some of the lost chapters of the original Bet Me in the next day or two, so stay tuned.