He raises an eyebrow. “Damn. Can’t help it. You’re—”
Whatever he was about to say is cut off.
“Knox, you look like a mechanic with that wrench in your hand. Nice. Let me snap a pic for posterity,” says a voice behind us.
My breath hitches. I flip around and chills dance down my spine. It’s Dane who’s spoken, and with him are Chance and Liam. Dane takes his phone out of his pocket and takes a picture of us.
Chance has that stricken look on his face again, like this morning.
Liam laughs and I focus on the big footballer. His white hair is still long in the front with those stupid swooping bangs. He smirks at me, meeting my gaze, and I shiver. It’s the first time we’ve come face-to-face all day, and I’m extra glad our schedules don’t overlap.
Chance sends an angry look at Knox, his jawline grinding. “Dude, we’re going to The Coffee Bean to hang. Aren’t you coming?” he asks, his voice accusatory, his attention bouncing from me to Knox.
Chance looks almost…
Acting out of instinct, I flip my hair out of my face, and his eyes follow the movement, a hungry look there.
I straighten my shoulders, adjusting my white shirt, which is noticeably sticking to my skin in the heat. And, guess what—Chance’s gaze goes there too, lingering on my chest.
Well, well.
My anger stirs. He has the nerve to look at me as if he wants me, yet he called me a slut? Out of everyone here, he should have believed me.
“Yeah, unless you’re too busy helping her,” Liam adds snidely.
Knox gives me a glance then looks back at them. “Nah, I have studying to do. You do too, Dane.”
Dane sweeps his eyes over me, a knowing smile on his face. “Got to admit, this moment is priceless though. Knox and Ava. Ava and Knox. How does that sound, Chance? Has quite the ring to it, doesn’t it?”
Chance flushes red.
“Shut the fuck up,” Knox says sharply.
Dane pulls his hair out of the manbun he has it in and shakes it out, the strands brushing his jersey. He points those eyes that are so much like Knox’s at me. “Wanna join us, Ava? I’ll buy you whatever you want if you don’t have the money.”
Oh, what a little prick. My hands fist.
“What the hell, Dane?” Chance says. “Be serious!”
“Yeah, babe,” Liam adds. “Maybe we can talk about that video of you dancing. Do you remember that? You’ve got some sweet moves on you, I’ll give you that—”
“That’s enough!” Knox roars.
There’s silence, and my heart races.
There’s an undercurrent of tension between them all, and part of me senses it may not just be about me—but maybe it is? Shit, of course it is. Last year their team sucked and they all blame me.
I lick my lips nervously. Here I am, alone in a school parking lot with four of the football players who were at that party, and as much as I want to be cool, my hands tremble—
“Yo, Ava! You good?”
I start when Wyatt pulls up in a souped-up black Chevelle with a hot pink stripe down the hood, rap music blaring and the motor so loud I’m surprised I didn’t hear the vehicle approaching.
We all turn to look at him. He’s wearing a Camden baseball hat and a wide grin.
Maybe it’s something he sees on my face, because he turns his car off and gets out, sauntering over to us.
He tosses a casual arm around my shoulders as if we’ve been friends forever. “You doing good, locker neighbor?” Locka neigbah. He scans his eyes over the group and lingers on the jack I still haven’t put away. “You need a ride?”
“I’m good, just had a flat. Someone cut my tire. Knox helped me change it.”
Liam laughs, quickly covering it with his hand when Knox scowls.
Wyatt narrows his eyes at Liam then looks at me. “Heard you got into Arlington Dorm. Saw your name on the resident list when I checked in after school. Looks like we’ll be living together—well, on different floors. They tend to keep the boys separate from the girls, although you are welcome to drop by my room any time. I make a mean bowl of popcorn.”
“Yeah, I haven’t had a chance to check in. I still have some errands to run.” I keep my eyes on his face because panic flutters, lingering just under the surface.
His arm tightens around me. “I’ll help you move in. It’s furnished already, but for the love of God, bring your own sheets ’cause theirs are rough as hell.”
“Yeah, okay.” I bet my sheets would horrify him too. “I have to drive back to Nashville and grab some things then meet someone, so I’ll be there later.”
“I’m out of here,” Chance growls, his shoulders tight with tension as he stalks off toward an Escalade several spots away.
“Yeah, I’m bored already,” Liam adds before following him.
Dane makes to follow them, but Knox grabs his jersey and snaps him back. Dane doesn’t put up much of a fight and I hear Knox muttering under his breath, words I can’t hear. Dane settles for staring at the ground.
Chance and Liam get inside the black Escalade and peel out.
Relief hits me. Two down.
Wyatt’s giving me directions to the dorm and tips on parking when Knox’s voice cuts in, his tone soft. “Ava, if you’re okay, I’ll go.”
I glance at him, trying to maintain a neutral expression. “I’m fine. Thank you for the help.”
He’s still holding his wrench, and his face…it’s not shuttered this time. In fact, it’s layered in emotion as he watches me with Wyatt. “Take care of her at that dorm, will you?” he says to him.
“She’s in the best of hands,” Wyatt murmurs.
He and Wyatt exchange a long look, then Knox nods and gives me one last glance, his face back to stone.
He and Dane walk over to his car, their heads close as they talk.
Once they’ve pulled out, I turn to Wyatt, who’s now inspecting my new tire. He tells me I’ll need to get a new one because the spare sucks. Yeah, I know.
“You know the football players well?”
He shrugs, a meh expression on his face. “I play baseball, and jocks tend to hang out. We’ve been to a few parties together, but I ain’t like them, see. I’m no Shark.” Shak. He breaks out another grin. “Stupid name, right? I mean our mascot is the Dragons. I’m still considered new here, and they don’t like outsiders, but when you’re me, you don’t give a fuck.”
I study that eyebrow piercing, the sleeve of tattoos on his forearm, a mix of hummingbirds and roses intermingled. Recognition hits.
“Oh my God! You’re Wyatt Carrington! Your dad—your dad’s the lead singer of the Snowballs, right? Indie band from Boston? Started his career as a model and switched to music back in the nineties?” Serious drug problems, lots of rehab…
A slow blush starts up his neck. “Most people don’t recognize me until I tell them—”
“No, you look just like him. Geeze. I love their music. How did you end up in Sugarwood?”
“My mom’s originally from Nashville. She went here. My parents divorced and I came with her last year when she moved to Franklin, Tennessee. It’s about an hour from here, so I was able to get a dorm.”