Always Forever

  “He was really old,” Roh says, wiping pretend tears from his dry eyes.

  “What was his name?” Misty asks. She places her hands on Roh’s seat, pulling herself forward. I shake my head, cupping my hand over my mouth. This story sucks girls in like flies to manure. Which is funny because the story is a load of—

  “Bullshit.”

  “Your dog’s name was Bullshit?” Misty clarifies, her nose crinkling.

  “I think it was Gullible,” I throw in.

  “No, that’s Misty’s new name,” Roh corrects. He chuckles, winking at her in the mirror. Her mouth falls open in response.

  “Oh, my God. You suck. I believed you. I felt bad for you.” She leans back, crossing her arms and tries to fight the smile stretching her lips. “Don’t tell that story to Sadie.”

  “Why not?” Roh scoffs. “It’s a winner.”

  “Her dog actually did die last month. She’s devastated.”

  “Shit,” Roh says. “Good thing she isn’t here.”

  Misty raises her brows, nodding. “Yep. She loves dogs. And Duke was like a member of the family. They’re all pretty broken up about it.”

  “Damn. I haven’t run into this issue before. Usually I just get pity laid.”

  “You were trying to seduce me with a story about a dead dog?”

  Roh glances over his shoulder, trying to decide if Misty is actually upset or just fucking with him. Her face is impassive and he doesn’t catch the twitch of her lips as he turns back.

  “No. Not you. I wouldn’t do that with you.”

  Misty makes a sound, airy and offended. “What? Am I not your type? Am I not attractive enough?” She ducks her head immediately and I can only guess she’s hiding another smile. I stay quiet, waiting to see how this all plays out, but I’m entertained as hell right now.

  “You’re probably most guys’ type,” Roh states evenly. “Just not mine.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m gay.”

  Her head snaps up, meeting his gaze in the mirror. “Oh,” she utters.

  Both fall into a silence. I wait for one to call the other out—I remember Misty telling me Sadie is a cat lover. And Roh isn’t gay—he’s wearing his “Vaginatarian” t-shirt at this very moment. But neither one says a word. I might be the only one aware that they’re both lying.

  This trip is going to be interesting.

  11

  Misty

  I direct Roh into Sadie’s parking lot and bounce in my seat, anxious for the chance to get out and stretch my legs. There are worse things than being trapped in a vehicle with two sexy men, I know this, but I’m not used to eight hour long drives two days in a row. I pretty much arrived in Chicago just to turn around and come right back home. Plus, it’s been kind of awkward hanging out with Kellin again. I’m glad I’ll have Sadie with me to alleviate some of the discomfort.

  “I’ll go get her,” I say to the guys. “Be right back.”

  Sadie meets me at her door, her long auburn hair pulled up in what I call the ballet bun. Sadie isn’t a ballerina—not since grade school—but she has whole-heartedly adopted the hairstyle. Every hair is in order, as usual, smoothed back flawlessly. But this is where that pristine dancer look begins and ends.

  Below the hairline Sadie is a temptress on the prowl whether she means to play that part or not. Everything about her is exotic. Her eyes are a soft brown, filled with flecks of gold, green, and blue. She calls them hazel, but that word just doesn’t do her justice. Her eyes alone can garner a person’s full attention until they look a little lower. She’s gorgeous. Voluptuous. Thick in all the right places. But her rare beauty doesn’t stop there.

  Sadie is smart, funny, and the absolute sweetest girl I know. She’s also spoiled, sarcastic, and opinionated. For all these reasons, she’s my best friend.

  I met her my freshman year of high school when we were fourteen. I was on the girls’ JV basketball team and that’s as far as my team spirit went. She was president of pretty much every group she joined—and she joined as many as she possibly could. We couldn’t have been more different if we tried, but for some reason, she and I clicked that year as we shared a table in science class.

  It might have been the way we evened each other out. Sadie was loud when I was quiet. She was popular when I was a loner. She had a small, complete family when I had a big complicated household.

  As we got older, graduated high school and went off to college, we stayed together. After all the group activities and high school sports teams are done and over, and all the other friends go their own way, it’s all about the few friendships that last.

  And Sadie and I—that’s for life. I’ll be damned if I’m not the maid of honor at her wedding or she isn’t the godmother to my children someday.

  She rolls her suitcase out the door and shoves her sleeping bag into my hands. “I have one more bag.”

  “What the hell is all this?” I ask incredulously. “I said camping, didn’t I? I’m pretty sure I did. I can’t imagine I confused sleeping in tents with relaxing at the Ritz-Carlton.”

  “Just because we’ll be camping doesn’t mean I don’t want to look good doing it. And don’t forget, there isn’t going to be a washing machine handy. I’m not wearing dirty clothes.”

  “So you have fifteen days worth of clothing packed?” I ask just to verify.

  She quirks an auburn brow. “I have three weeks worth of clothing in case of emergency.”

  “A clothing emergency?” I have no idea if she realizes I’m teasing her right now or not. She’s too distracted, dragging her duffle bag across the floor. It must be too heavy to pick up, which is too damn funny to even comment on.

  “Look bitch,” she pants as she continues to fight the bag, “I might get wet or sweaty or something.”

  “Oh, you’re going to get both wet and sweaty when you see the surprise I have for you.”

  “Goodie. You brought me a present? Gimme.”

  “It’s out in the truck. You won’t be able to miss it. But don’t get too attached. It’s gay.”

  She pouts out her lips. “Boo. All the best ones are.”

  I sling her sleeping bag over my shoulder and pull her suitcase down the sidewalk, hoping she follows. Kellin and Roh hop out when they see me coming.

  Kellin steps in front of me, causing me to stop. He leans down, his fingers brushing mine as he takes the handle to Sadie’s luggage. His breath sweeps across my neck, provoking a full body shiver out of me as he says, “I got it.”

  I step back quickly, unable to meet his eyes. This is why I’m here. To get this out of my system. I shouldn’t be this affected by him.

  I shouldn’t be this affected by any man other than Luke.

  Luke.

  I should probably call him now that I’m doing this whole camping trip. Or at least when we get to our first stop, to let him know where I am. I pull my phone from my pocket and decide to just send him a quick text, letting him know I’m no longer in Chicago, camping with friends instead. I give him as much of our itinerary as I can remember and explain I may not have reception once we head into the mountains.

  “Are you sure he isn’t bi?” Sadie whispers as Roh tosses her duffle bag onto the truck bed.

  She’s staring at him like she wants to have his babies—not that I can blame her. I follow her gaze, watching Roh’s large arms flex with his movements. “He said gay,” I reply.

  “Exactly how illegal is sexual misconduct? Like, not a lot—just a little. Mostly ogling, but maybe some ass and penis groping?”

  I press my lips together. “Pretty illegal.”

  “In all states?”

  “You know it is.”

  “Damn it. You know, I read an article that claimed everybody is actually bisexual,” Sadie offers as she pulls herself inside the truck, no longer bothering to whisper.

  Roh slides into the passenger seat this time, letting Kellin take a turn behind the wheel. He turns sideways to look at Sadie, his tongue spi
nning the ring on his lip. I scoot in next to her and hook my seatbelt into place.

  “I find that extremely interesting,” he says, grinning. “Are you?”

  “Bi?” she asks.

  Roh nods.

  “Are you?”

  “I asked you first.”

  “I asked you second and two is bigger than one,” Sadie shoots back. She inches closer, her eyes fixed on Roh.

  “That depends on what we’re comparing.”

  “I thought we were discussing order.”

  “And I thought we were talking about sexuality,” Roh replies.

  “I’m not bisexual.”

  “Neither am I.”

  Sadie deflates, sinking back into her seat. “Guess that article was wrong,” she sighs. “Never believe what you read on the Internet.”

  12

  Kellin

  Day Two

  I made some last minute changes to the trip itinerary and added a tent park in southern Ohio last night when it was clear we weren’t going to make it into West Virginia at a reasonable hour. By the time we got to the campsite, we had just enough time to get the tents up before dark.

  There was some slow, awkward conversation—mostly between Roh and Sadie—but what made it awkward was that Misty and I weren’t really talking. When it came down to it, it proved difficult to jump into casual discussions with the one person I have nothing but regret over. She was just as uneasy with me.

  Then we all went to bed in order to get an early start this morning. In all actuality, I think it had more to do with the discomfort of realizing we’re all stuck together for the next two weeks. This wasn’t thoroughly thought out.

  I should be well rested, but I spent several hours wondering why in the hell I agreed to take this trip with Misty.

  The drive into West Virginia went much the same way. Sadie and Roh were the only ones talking, Misty and I contributing the occasional one-word replies or head gestures.

  We spent several hours hiking, and that should have been fun. It wasn’t. Because once again, I didn’t know what the hell to say. Eventually we ended up split, Misty and Sadie walking several feet in front of Roh and I, both groups in their own private conversations.

  Now I’m lounging in my Big Bubba chair with the organizer and side table—the boss of all portable chairs—enjoying a semi-cold beer as Roh builds the fire.

  “Is that all you brought?” I ask Misty as she huddles into the thin blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “You don’t own a sleeping bag?”

  She tucks a few stray hairs behind her ear and I notice they appear overly red.

  “No. I haven’t been camping since I was little. The last sleeping bag I owned was Hello Kitty and I outgrew it a long time ago.”

  “You’re going to freeze,” I say on a sigh. “The temperature is still dropping down into the low forties overnight here. That blanket isn’t going to be enough. You’re going to have to share with someone.”

  “I’ll be fine. I can share with Sadie if I get too cold,” she says disregarding my concern.

  “Um, no, you can’t,” Sadie chimes in. “I love you to death, but I’m not sharing a sleeping bag with you. One, your feet are always freezing—always. Two, you know I can’t stand someone all up on me when I sleep. And three, when have you ever known me to share well?”

  “I’ll be fine,” Misty repeats. “Sadie might be saying no right now, but she won’t be able to deny me when I’m dying of hypothermia.”

  Sadie shoots her a dubious look.

  “All right,” I say, letting it go.

  “So, what do we do now?” Sadie asks, lowering herself next to Misty on one of the logs placed around the fire pit. I should be nice and let one of the girls have my seat, but this chair wasn’t cheap, and I’ve been looking forward to this exact moment ever since I bought it.

  I can be nice another day.

  “We sit back and relax,” I say.

  “That’s it?”

  I nod and take a sip of my beer, knowing it’s easier said than done. “That’s it.”

  “I don’t want to just sit here. That’s boring.”

  “It’s not boring,” I say defensively. “You can watch the fire, look at the stars, talk, drink, and listen to music. It’s fucking fantastic.”

  She narrows her eyes at me. “It sounds boring.”

  I met Sadie exactly one time before yesterday, and that was when she threatened my life if I ever tried to contact Misty again after my epic fail at my brother’s wedding. It’s no secret I’m not her favorite person, and with good reason, but she agreed to come on this trip. Granted, it was probably to ensure I didn’t try to get with Misty, but she could still try to have a little fun.

  What happened between Misty and me was a long time ago. I’m a different person now. I’ve grown up, matured. And I not only regret my actions that day, but I’ve learned from them. I’d like to think I’m not nearly the asshole I was when I was seventeen.

  I’d like to prove that to Misty. I just need to learn how to talk to her again first.

  Do I still like Misty? Of course.

  Do I still want her? Hell yes I do.

  Am I going to try anything with her? I don’t know.

  Do I want more than friendship? I’m not really sure right now. Kelly and I just broke up. That shit still hurts. But I’m not willing to write anything off.

  I have two weeks. I’m not going to rush this. I have a lot to make up for. A lot of time missed. And I have no idea how she feels about me. She volunteered to come on this trip knowing it was going to be a lot of time together, so it gives me hope. But she hasn’t exactly been warm to me, either.

  Reconnecting our friendship could be her only intention. And I’m okay with that.

  “Seriously,” Sadie groans. “We need to do something. I only have two weeks of vacation, which was hell to get. I don’t want to spend it sitting around doing nothing. Let’s play a game.”

  “Drinking game?” Roh asks just as the fire finally roars to life. He flicks the ring in his lip with the tip of his tongue.

  Misty yawns into her hand, earning a glare from Sadie. “That sounds like too much work. I’m kind of tired.” She stretches her arms over her head and arches her back. I rake my eyes down her frame, from the tips of her fingers, over her toned arms, lingering on her chest—shirt tight against her breasts in this position—along her sexy legs, and all the way down to her toes, bare in her flip-flops.

  “Misty doesn’t drink,” I say. That earns me strange looks from both of the girls.

  “Um, where have you been?” Sadie asks. “Oh, never mind. You wouldn’t know. See, Misty grew out of her no drinking rule three years ago, about twenty minutes into Hope and Mason’s reception. She found it soothed her aching heart.”

  I flick my eyes to Misty, but she’s averting her gaze, suddenly enthralled by the fire.

  “What about Truth or Dare?” Roh offers. “You love that game, don’t you Jimmy?”

  “Who’s Jimmy?” Sadie asks, her eyes sliding back and forth from Roh to me.

  “It’s a nickname he gave me,” I say. A stupid nickname at that. I fucking hate it and he knows it, which is exactly why he likes to call me by it. I also hate Truth or Dare, thus the reason he suggested it as well.

  “Why Jimmy?” Misty asks. Her eyes meet mine over the flames. She’s the last person in the world I want to explain this to. I’d much rather beat Roh’s ass right now. He may be bigger than me, but I know his weak spots.

  “It’s short for Jimmy Neutron,” Roh explains. “Because Kellin’s a boy genius.”

  I take off my hat, placing it on my knee, and run my fingers through my hair. There are about twenty other things I can think of that I’d rather be doing at the moment. One of which involves my childhood fantasy of becoming invisible.

  “I don’t get it,” Sadie says. “You’ve never seemed very smart to me.” She flashes a smirk my way before turning back t
o Roh. “Explain.”

  “Let’s play the game,” I suggest, finishing off my beer and immediately reaching for another.

  “Okay,” Sadie agrees. “Roh, truth or dare?”

  “Truth,” he answers immediately, grinning like this is the funniest shit ever.

  Asshole.

  “Why do you call Kellin Jimmy?”

  Misty presses her lips together, trying to stifle a laugh. Even though I’m not in the mood to get into this shit tonight—or any other night for that matter—I can’t help but enjoy seeing her smile.

  “It’s meant to be ironic,” I say, answering for Roh. “Because some of the girls I dated—”

  “By which he means most of the girls,” Roh cuts in. He gestures at me, letting me know I can continue.

  “Haven’t exactly been the best decisions on my part.”

  Roh holds out his hand, counting off on his fingers. “Most of his exes are either bitchy, psychotic, or cheaters. Or variables of the three.” He peers over at me, giving me a knowing look. “All except Misty,” he adds unapologetically.

  “Is she technically an ex?” Sadie asks. Her lips plump up as she shifts her attention back and forth between Misty and I. “You guys never actually had a chance to get together, right?”

  I glance at Misty to find her gaze set on me. I give a little shrug and tip my bottle back, taking a deep drink.

  “Truth or dare?” Sadie says, her eyes pinning me in place.

  “I think it’s Roh’s turn,” I rasp.

  “No, man. I’m straight. Go ahead.” I flip him off and he chuckles, unaffected.

  “What do you want me to pick?” I ask Sadie. She obviously has something she wants to ask me or needs to get off her chest. I knew this would come eventually. I might as well get it over with. Fast and only a little painfully.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Dare?” I say, but it comes out as a question.