Breaking Even (Sterling Shore 5)

“She's so sweet and so pretty,” she says, and that makes me cringe.

Girls only call other girls pretty when they're ugly as hell. Wren owes me for this.

“We're taking a break. You guys are awesome,” Base Masters says into the microphone, waving at his crazed fans as he hops down from the stage. I can't believe Tag didn't tell me his cousin was in town.

“There they are,” Rain says, guiding me toward the group standing at the bar as Dane talks to them.

Dane eyes me when he sees Rain's hand on my arm, and I do what I can to move away from her grip. Rain Sterling—who used to be Rain Noles—is one girl I've never tried getting with because of that dick. Even when we were kids I knew better. Ethan—her cousin—always told me she and Dane would end up married.

The only body in our group that I don't know is the one with her back turned. Her waist is hugged by a semi-tight dress. It stops mid-thigh to show her short, lightly tanned legs. But it’s her perky ass that gives me the most hope.

Her hair is down and shoulder-length. It's a light brown that I don't normally care for, but I can play nice for a night.

“Wren had something to do,” Ash says to the girl as the club DJ prepares to play music and kill the silence. “But Rye is cool.”

I'm cool. Wow. That's like saying they see no hope in this going anywhere. Not that I'm looking for a relationship, but I'd like for Ash to build me up a little better than that.

Tag walks over and hands me a Corona, and I take a long sip, reaching for the ability to bite my tongue.

“Rye,” Ash says with a smile.

The girl beside her turns around, and my beer spews from my lips, soaking Tag who curses me. You've got to be fucking kidding me.

***

BRIN

Ah, hell. What did I do in a past life for karma to punish me so brutally?

Staring at Mr. Sexy who is just as shocked as I am, I almost cry. I should have known better than to think someone like Wren Prize wanted to go out on a date with me. But I had no idea he'd be affiliated with someone like Mr. Sexy—er, I mean, Rye.

Rye? What the hell kind of name is that? Is this the same Rye I’ve heard them talking about?

Of course it is. It’s highly unlikely this group knows two guys named Rye.

“You two look... shocked,” Tag says, smiling with mild amusement. “Do you know each other?”

Rye wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, still somewhat coughing on the drink that strangled him when he saw my face.

“Yeah,” he says dryly. “She's my neighbor.”

Tag looks from me to him several times, and then suddenly his laughter pours out just before Dane Sterling joins in, his laughter roaring out as well.

“The guy who put a spider in your room?” Ash asks, her lips curled in amusement, at the same time that Dane asks, “The girl who left you the ketchup bomb?”

“Yes,” Rye and I say in unison, glaring at each other like the war is about to take place here and now.

“Fucking unbelievable.” Tag laughs harder, doubling over. “So the girl who turned you into Tinker Bell is Brin? Sweet little Brin Waters?”

It's doubtful Mr. Sexy even knew my name. I didn't know he was Rye Clanton. Hell, I've heard them talk about him numerous times, and never had a clue it was the same guy who lived across the street from me.

“She's not sweet,” Rye growls, his eyes narrowing on me as everyone else joins in on the heckling.

Apparently they think I'm this sweet little girl who couldn't possibly break into a guy's house, steal his keys, and blow glitter through a hose and into his air vents. That took hours to do, by the way, and I still have glitter tickling the back of my throat when I inhaled by accident.

It looks like he got rid of most of it, but every so often the light hits his hair just right to show a few shimmers are still in there.

“Need a drink?” Rain asks me, moving her perfect blonde hair out of her face.