Series: Peach State Stepbros Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 79283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“You’re excited,” Taylor says.
“How can you tell?”
“The way you’re practically bouncing in the seat was a good clue, but mostly, just because I know you.” He tosses a quick look my way, smiling.
“You do.” And he chose me. Fucking wild.
“It’s why I like you so much,” Taylor says, as if reading my mind.
“Damn. You got game. You already have me. You don’t have to sweet-talk me.”
Taylor turns off his car. “I like to sweet-talk you.”
“I love us.”
He grins. “I love us too.”
We get out of the car and head toward the Alpha Theta Mu house. Music has the area bumping. We go through the house, and it’s already packed with people.
“Atlas said they’re in the backyard!” Taylor shouts over the music, just as my phone buzzes against my hip.
I peek at the screen. “Mila is back there too!” I shout back.
We work our way through the sea of people, and I suck in a deep breath of fresh air when we’re out back. There are tables and a keg and the scent of weed makes my nose tingle. The Alpha Theta Mu house is definitely on point tonight.
“There they are,” Taylor says, and we walk over to where Atlas, Troy, Colin, Ash, Marty, Mila, and her girlfriend, Alexis, are. They’ve only been dating for about six weeks, but my friend is already head over heels for Alexis.
“Hey, you two.” Mila grins.
“What’s up?”
“Happy graduation.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not all my schooling.” I still have grad school to complete my architecture degree.
“It’s not going to be the same without Troy in the frat anymore,” Marty says.
“One less person to bug you,” I reply.
“Or is it one less person for Marty to bug?” Taylor asks, earning the finger from Marty.
“Remind me again why I agreed to DJ?” Lance steps up to us. “What am I missing?”
“Being the DJ?” I tease, since he can’t really do that from here.
“Ha-ha. Payton is taking over for a bit.”
“We were just talking about how different the frat will be without Troy,” Taylor catches him up.
Lance shrugs. “Well, at least we still have our Task Frat Challenge Master.”
“He didn’t seem to help you win this year,” I remind him.
Sigma Alpha was the official winner of the Task Frat Challenge for the year—whatever the hell that means—which I know has grated on Lance’s nerves.
He glares at me playfully. “Well, Ty Lancaster better enjoy the victory while he can because Alpha Theta Mu is gonna bring it.”
Ty’s the president of Sigma Alpha, whom Lance might describe as his archnemesis. All in good fun…at least I think it is.
We fill our cups with beer and sit around talking for a while. Eventually Dax shows up, making his rounds to talk to all the good-looking guys here tonight. I can’t stop thinking about what Marty said, though. While some of us will still be around Peachtree Springs and some will still be going to Peach State, it’s going to be different now.
“What’s wrong?” Taylor wraps his arms around my shoulders, running his fingers along my nape.
I playfully start bouncing my leg like a dog, and he laughs.
“What’s wrong?” he asks again.
“Nothing really. Just thinking about the fact that we’re all growing up.” We’ve all gotten so close over the last four years. It’s weird when life moves forward.
“It’ll be different for sure, but there’s other exciting things in all our futures. Plus, I can’t imagine all of us not being friends for the rest of our lives. We’ll visit Atlas and Troy, and Old-Ass Atlas will yell at us to get off his lawn.”
“Hey, fuck off. Who said I will still want to be your friend when I’m old?” Atlas interrupts.
“Because you love them,” Troy tells him.
Atlas shrugs. “I guess.” But he’s smiling, then gives me an up-nod.
I hate to get a little emotional, but the beer is getting to me, so I raise my Solo cup and say, “To friendship. May we all annoy Atlas and frustrate Marty for the rest of our lives.”
“To friendship,” they all say, and we clink the cheap plastic together in a promise.
“Now, unless you want me and Tay to pull an Ash and Colin and start getting busy in front of everyone, I need to take my man home.”
“I’ll call a car,” Taylor says. “I can come back for my ride tomorrow.”
We say our goodbyes and go out front to wait for the car.
“You okay?” Taylor asks.