Princess Next Door

“Even my awful taste in music?”

“I’m not sure about that yet. That seems a little touch and go for me.” She laughed. “Don’t be angry at your friends for caring, Zane. They’re your friends, and you always need them in your life.”

He gripped the back of her neck and pressed his lips to hers. “I won’t. I promise. We’re going to play on Friday night. Do you want to come and watch?”

“Yeah, totally. I’ll be in the front, jumping up and down.”

They finished their food and he brushed his hands off, standing up. “Now, show me that tattoo. I want to make sure it totally looks awesome.”

She stood up and lifted her shirt. The ink looked amazing, and he saw how beautiful it was even with it covered.

“It drove me crazy watching him put his hands on you.”

She rolled her eyes. “He didn’t have much of a choice. It would be impossible for him to ink my skin without putting some hands on me.” She turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Now you get to put your hands on me, and no one is here to stop you.”

He liked the way she thought.

Chapter Nine

Late Friday afternoon, Wynter was still at the school going through the grades that she and Tammy were dealing with. The kids were going to be off for a few weeks, and Tammy always liked to get everything in order. Her trip with Zane had lasted until Tuesday night when Tammy called her and asked for her to please come to work.

She felt so bad about leaving her friend to deal with everything that she’d cut her and Zane’s trip short. They’d been planning to stay away until Friday when he needed to be home to perform.

“Are you angry at me?” Wynter asked, stamping the book and closing it.

Tammy glanced up at her and frowned. “What?”

“You know, for abandoning you?”

This time her friend chuckled. “Nah, I’m not angry at you, honey. I think it’s been good that you’re doing stuff for yourself. Since you’ve moved out, I’ve seen how happy you are. It always drove me crazy watching you not really enjoying your life. I know Marshall and I settled down and had kids young, but we also had a really good life together. You deserve to have a little fun with Zane. He makes you smile.”

Wynter nodded, sucking on her lips and staring down at the book in her hands. It wasn’t just fun, at least, not to her. It had stopped being just fun last week when she realized that she loved him.

“It’s not just a little fun,” she said, not looking at her friend.

“What do you mean?”

This time she took a deep breath and stared up at her friend. “I’ve fallen in love with him.”

She expected Tammy to laugh or to ridicule. Instead, her friend just stared at her.

“You’re in love with Zane?”

“Yes. I’m in love with him, and I don’t need you to tell me how much my parents would—”

“Screw your parents. They don’t even count. They’ve not even come to see that you’re okay. They don’t get to decide everything in your life.”

“But—”

“No buts, Wynter. This is your life, and you can’t keep living it like your parents are going to judge you every second of every fucking day. They wanted you to live a certain way, but you chose differently. Don’t feel guilt over that. Feel fucking inspired by it.” Tammy held her hands up. “I’m sorry. I tried to be nice about it, but you shouldn’t feel guilty for not wanting the same things. You and Carey didn’t match. You and settling down young didn’t match. I’ve never seen you so happy since you started seeing Zane. He’s good for you.”

“His friends think I’m going to dump him and run back to my parents.”

“Prove them wrong. Friends are there to look out for their friend, Wynter. I’m there to look out for you. I had my doubts. I’m not going to lie. You were always bitching about him that first week, and his music. Then it’s like something changed. I’m beginning to think that little thing about your houses is so real.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not magical. Not at all.”

Tammy laughed. “You keep telling yourself that.” She slammed closed the final notebook she was working on. “Done. I am done, and now I get to spend the week with my husband and my kids. Sounds … dreamy.”

Wynter laughed as she looked like it would be anything but dreamy. Tammy often teased that being a teacher of other people’s kids spoiled her.

Hugging her friend, she stepped away. “You’re the best friend I could ever have.”

“Yeah, and I’m older than you, think about that.” Tammy winked at her.

Leaving the school, she stopped off at the grocery store to collect some stuff. Zane had given her a list of everything he’d need to show her how to make that lasagna she loved so much. They’d been so busy with other things that it was only now they were getting to it.