Renegade Hearts (Rebels of Sandland 1)

“Yes.”

“Why? Don’t you hate him?” I wasn’t sure how to answer that one. Yes, I did hate him, but I wasn’t totally heartless.

“He asked me to and I felt bad. The guy had half his eyebrow hanging off, Liv. What can I say? I had a moment of weakness.”

“You’re having a lot of those lately where those boys are concerned.” She tutted and folded her arms over her chest, letting me know she didn’t approve of my actions.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, feeling defensive all of a sudden.

“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

I stirred my latte absent-mindedly and bit my tongue. I knew through Effy that things with Zak hadn’t quite gone to plan for Liv. Not to mention, I hadn’t been the best friend to either of them recently, but I’d kind of been distracted. It was a weak excuse, but it was the only one I had.

Suddenly, I heard Liv give an “Ooo” sound and I looked up to see Chase Lockwood stroll into the café and wander over to the counter. He gave the waitress a nod and a smile and leant against the till as he chatted to her. Not a hair was out of place and he had that killer smile painted on just for her. I hadn’t told Liv or Effy about my encounter with Chase in the woods at the party. I felt seedy even thinking about it. But I regretted that decision the minute Liv called out his name and beckoned him over to join us.

“What are you doing?” I said, slinking further down into my chair, hoping he’d just wave and move on. I had enough going on in my head without adding Chase Lockwood’s bullshit to the mix.

“Ladies. Nice to see you all.” Thankfully he didn’t pull a chair over to join us, he just stood there grinning.

“How are you, Chase. We haven’t seen you since the bonfire. You doing okay?” Liv asked in a flirty manner that made me question what her motives were exactly. After what she’d said about him not being what he’d seemed at the bonfire, I’d assumed she wasn’t his biggest fan. But right now, she was acting like she was putty in his hands.

“I’m doing okay, I guess. Things at home are a bit tense. My dad was talking to yours on the phone when I left just now, Em. Sounds like something big is going down.”

I shrugged. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say to that. My dad had been a small-time investor in some of Chase’s dad’s businesses, but I didn’t think they were that close.

“Sounds like you need a little pick me up, Chase,” Liv purred, giving him ridiculous puppy dog eyes.

What was her deal?

He nodded then looked straight at me. “I sure could. Maybe if Em agreed to go out on a date with me that’d give me something to look forward to.”

I almost choked on my latte. I gulped it down and looked up at him. I would tell him hell and freezing over had come to my mind, but Chase didn’t know I’d heard him that night, and I didn’t feel like airing my dirty laundry in the middle of this coffee shop. Not yet, anyway. He was being so gentlemanly, and it’d just make me look like a bitch.

“I… I can’t,” I muttered, wiping my hand over the coffee that had splattered over my chin.

“She’d love to go on a date,” Liv piped up. Effy gave her the same evil glare as I did.

“Would she? I can speak for myself you know. I’m-”

“Great! You free Friday? Say eight?” He didn’t care what I said. He was quite happy to bulldoze his way in via Liv and her couldn’t care less attitude.

“No…” I tried to argue.

“Yes. She’s free. Pick her up at eight.” Liv didn’t even look at me and I grabbed her knee under the table to squeeze it and tell her no, but she ignored me.

“I’ll see you at eight then, Em.”

Chase wandered off with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face, taking his coffee to-go from the waitress and giving her a wink as he went. I’d never realised quite how smarmy he was before. In fact, he took smarmy to a whole new level. I gritted my teeth ready to ask Liv what the fuck she was on.

“What the hell was that for? Why did you do that? I don’t want to go on a date with Chase Lockwood. I’m not going.”

“Fine, then don’t go. If you did go though, it’d give Ryan the kick up the backside that he needs to get his ass into gear.”

“What are you talking about?” I didn’t like arguing with my friends, but I was ready to go all out on Liv’s ass.

“Oh, come on! Ryan is hot for you, Em. And I know you like him too. Maybe, if he gets wind of this date, he might finally do something about it and ask you out himself. Then maybe the rest of us can get a break from hearing about all the dramas between you two.”

Oh, hell no.