“Country club. Both our parents are members,” he said, still eyeing both Liza and me. “Do you want to tell me why Jess is saying y’all are getting married when you’re engaged to another girl?”
Liza laughed. “We’re not engaged. I’m engaged to someone else.”
I tilted my head and looked at her. “I thought you hadn’t said yes yet?”
Liza’s smile faded. “Well, when were you going to tell everyone about your engagement?”
“When I actually get engaged. I haven’t asked Jessica to marry me yet.”
Mitchell started laughing. “What a damn clusterfuck this is. Y’all all need to get your shit together.”
“What does that mean?”
Mitchell took a few steps closer. “Dude. What I walked up on was not just two old friends just having a dance.”
I shoved him a little. “Bullshit. You didn’t walk up on anything.”
He shook his head. “If you say so.”
“Yeah, I say so.”
Mitchell held his hands up and took a few steps back. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Liza,” he said.
Liza nodded and Mitchell walked away. When I turned back to her, I swear she had tears in her eyes.
“I’m ready to go home. I’m not feeling so well.”
I nodded and took her hand, but she instantly pulled away from me.
“I’ll um…I’ll look for Ava. You look for Jase. I’ll meet y’all at the truck.” I said.
Liza nodded, walking into the crowd of people dancing. I looked around for Ava, but I couldn’t find her. I saw Liza walk out the front door, so I pulled out my phone and sent Ava and Jase a text telling them that we were leaving because Liza was sick. Then I followed Liza.
I rounded the corner and watched as she paused next to someone’s truck, leaned over, and threw up.
“Fuck,” I said, running my hand through my hair. I ran over and pulled Liza’s hair back as she threw up again and again. “Damn it, Liza. How the hell much did you drink?”
She started crying as she looked up at me. “I don’t know.”
Jase and Ava appeared, running toward us.
“What’s wrong with her?” Jase asked as he placed his hand on Liza’s back.
“I just had too much to drink, Jase. That’s all. I don’t normally drink like that and then…” She stopped talking and shook her head.
“Then what, honey?” Ava said. “What upset you?”
Liza briefly met my gaze, but looked away. I stepped back and blinked slowly, thinking back to just a bit ago when she’d looked at me with pleading eyes. Did Liza still have feelings for me, or was I imagining it?
No, she was drunk—her ac
tions probably had no meaning.
Ava rubbed her hand up and down Liza’s back. “Liza, honey, are you okay? Can you make it to Walker’s truck?”
Liza stood up and Ava handed her a tissue to wipe her mouth. She slowly nodded and said, “Yeah, I feel better, actually, now that I’ve thrown up.”
Jase put his arm around Liza’s waist and led her through the parking lot. “Yeah,” he said, “you probably got some of that alcohol out of your system. Come on, let’s get home and sneak you up to your room like we use to when we were in high school.”