The Girl in the Love Song (Lost Boys 1)

The group laughed as he strode to the closet and disappeared.

“Oh, grow up,” Evelyn said to the guys who were still snickering. “My game. My rules.”

Everyone took a drink but me, and the seven minutes—timed by Isaiah—ticked down. Two minutes in, the closet door slammed open, and River strode out.

“Fucking asshole,” he muttered and stormed to the kitchen like a charging bull.

The guys looked ready to follow, but Evelyn wasn’t having it. “The game isn’t over.” She snatched a name from the pile. “Ooh. It’s me!”

“Bullshit,” Chance said. “Someone’s thirsty for the new guy…”

She gave her ex the finger, adjusted her bustier-style top, and vanished inside the closet. But without Evelyn holding it together, the game was over. The guys got up to join their quarterback in the kitchen. Julia and Caitlin wanted to wait for Evelyn, but Miller was still ten feet away, talking to Amber. Intimately.

I suddenly needed to get outside and get some air.

What’s wrong with you? River ask

ed you out. This is what you wanted.

Still feeling as I were on a boat tipping over mild swells, I carefully made my way to a lounger near the pool. Evelyn, Caitlin and Julia found me a few minutes later.

“Well, that was a waste of my time,” Evelyn said, fuming. “River’s right. That Holden is a fucking asshole. A psycho.”

“What happened?” I asked, alarmed. “Did he try something?”

She looked at me as if I were stupid. “No. That was the whole point. Instead, he just sat there, singing.”

“Singing?”

“Yes, Violet. He’s super drunk and—” The other girls began to giggle, and Evelyn shot them dirty looks. “Oh, shut up. I need to get super drunk.”

She flounced off, and Julia and Caitlin burst out laughing. “Vi, you missed it. Evvie stormed out of the closet and Holden went down on one knee in front of everyone, serenading her with that Shawn and Camila song, ‘Señorita.’”

I frowned. “But that’s a sexy song.”

Caitlin shook her head. “She didn’t find it sexy that he sang to her, ‘I love it when you call me señorita.’ It was pretty epic. That guy is crazy.”

Julia nodded. “Rich but crazy. A pity.”

I managed a smile and stood up. “Will you tell Evelyn I left? I think I’m done. I’m calling an Uber.”

“Already? It’s only ten o’clock.”

“Yeah, I’m—”

From inside the house, shouts could be heard, and the sudden smashing of glass. The house music suddenly went silent, and Holden Parish’s voice rang out loud and clear.

“Everyone shut the fuck up.”

And that’s when I heard it. The faint strains of a guitar.

I hurried back into the house. The Blaylock’s dining room overlooked the living room. Holden was standing on top of the dining room table. The smashed remains of the Patrón bottle lay strewn at his feet, shards glittering and scratching the polished mahogany. He barked at anyone still talking to shut up, lording over a room that had grew silent under his command.

For Miller.

My best friend was playing his guitar and singing “Yellow.”

Our song…