Outside the Lines (Rebel Hearts #1) (3 page)

Erin is washing pink frosting off her hands by the time I’m done eating. We go into the tiny break room to catch up for a few.
 

“I like the blonde,” Erin says, eyeing my hair.

“Thanks. I figured I’ll leave it for a while before going back to my original color. It’s kind of a pain to keep up with.”
 

A natural blonde herself, Erin laughs. “Yeah, but aren’t dark roots showing trendy now? Or was that last season? Er, maybe last year?”

“You’re guess is as good as mine.”
 

We chat about work, our Comic Con costumes again, and how annoying Erin’s husband David is. Really, he’s a good guy and is good to Erin. She married him rather young while they were still both in college and I couldn’t think of anyone better for my best friend.
 

“What kind of wedding duties do you have to do tonight?” she asks as we walk to the front of the store.
 

“I’m not really sure. I think just dinner at my parents, house then get to the country club a few hours before the shower to decorate.” I roll my eyes. “Is it really going to take that long to decorate for a shower? I get going all out for a wedding, but for a shower … come on.”
 

Erin laughs. “I’ll be there like half an hour before with the cake. And your new sister-in-law
is
going all out. The cake she ordered cost as much as a wedding cake. You don’t even want to know what the actual cake for the wedding looks like. It’s gorgeous and big, and I’m excited to make it, but damn, her parents must have some money.”
 

“They do,” I say and feel bad that I don’t know what they do. I should know this girl better, right? I pull my sweater closed, the mist had turned into rain, and give Erin a one-armed hug. “See you tomorrow.”
 

“See ya. Have fun tonight.”
 

I force a smile. “I’m sure it will be loads.”
 

*

I tip the glass of wine, getting the last bit of red moscato. Waste not, right? I set the empty glass down on the coffee table next to me and listen to my brother tell what I assume is a funny story about work. Everyone is laughing, but I’ve zoned out a bit, thinking of who I could take as a date to the wedding. It was still a while away. I had time to find someone. Maybe even a boyfriend.
 

And if not, there’s always Cameron. He’d at least be well dressed.
 

I look at the clock, wondering how much longer it will be before my dad orders pizza. My eyes wander around the living room. I know Mom’s nervous about what Danielle and her parents think of the house.
 

I’m fond of my childhood home, of course, but it really is nice. Mom and Dad kept it that way, with upgrades every few years, redecorating, and obsessive cleaning. I didn’t realize how much work went into it all until I moved out and had my own house to take care of. Along with the house, they have the cabins by the lake, renting out to vacationers who come to the serene town of Mistwood, Michigan. Between managing the dock and the rental boats, maintaining the Pinterest-worthy cabins, and keeping their own house clean, I don’t know how Mom and Dad do it.
 

My brother and Danielle are sitting on the love seat, arms linked and looking so in love. Jake is tall like Dad, but has dark-brown hair like Mom and me. We both have green eyes, much unlike our parents, who have brown and hazel eyes. People say they can tell we are siblings, but I’ve never seen it. He’s three years younger than me and has been a pain in the ass his whole life, but he is my baby brother and I love him. I want him to be happy. He’s a good guy and deserves it.
 

Danielle, on the other hand … well, I don’t know. I hope she’s worthy of my brother. I try not to obviously scrutinize her. She teaches sixth grade history here in Mistwood, so I assume the woman has patience to deal with pre-pubescent teens day in and day out. She is petite and pretty, with auburn hair and freckles dotted across her cheeks. They’ve been dating about a year and a half, and got engaged a few months before I took the job in Grand Rapids, making it hard for me to actually get to know her. She’s polite, excitedly talking wedding plans and details with the moms while the guys talked sports.
 

“Well,” Jake says and stands, giving Danielle a hand up. “You two better get going so you don’t miss your reservation.” His eyes fall on me.
 

“Where am I going?” I ask, pushing my hair back.
 

“Dinner,” Jake says, eyebrows raising, giving me a look that says I’m supposed to know this.

“Why me?” I blurt. He did say the two of us, meaning me and Danielle.

“All the bridesmaids are going,” Danielle says with a smile. “And you’re a bridesmaid.”
 

“Oh,” I say and shake my head. “Okay. Uh, when are we going?” I glance down at my Star Wars leggings and oversized black shirt. My hair had been up and down in a twisted bun all day and was currently hanging in a tangled mess around my makeup-free face.
 

“We should leave in no more than ten minutes,” Danielle says, voice edging on annoyance.
 

“I’ll get changed,” I say and stand, hurrying up to my old room. Great. How was I going to get ready in time? I unzip my bag and throw out all the clothes I brought. I hadn’t packed much, since I anticipated lounging around the house, the bridal shower, then going home.

I trade my leggings for dark jeans and the baggy T-shirt for a white tank top. I pull a gray button-up cardigan on, buttoning it halfway as I rush into the bathroom. I splash cold water on my face, dry it, then apply eyeliner, foundation, and mascara as fast as I can. I speed brush my teeth and comb my fingers through my hair.
 
The natural waves are out in full force thanks to the rain and humidity. There’s no hope, so I rake it to the side and braid it. I’m halfway down the stairs before I remember I don’t have shoes, turn around, trip, and scramble to get them.
 

I make it back down in eight-and-a-half minutes.
 

“Thanks for going,” Jake says quietly to me and hands me the keys to my Malibu. Apparently, I’m the DD tonight too. “I really want Danny to feel like part of the family.”
 

I smile. “Of course. I want her to as well. And I don’t know her, so it would be a great way to get to know her.”
 

Jake beams, his eyes glazing over. Shit, he’s in deep. I broaden my smile, hating that a tiny bit of jealousy rolls around inside me. I want to be in love too. I want to plan a shower and a wedding and have everyone tell me how beautiful I will look in my dress.
 

Someday.
 

Maybe.
 

No.
 

It will happen.
 

Ugh.
 

I grab my purse and lead the way through the garage, unlocking the car. Danielle holds a pink Coach umbrella in one hand, the other on her head to keep her hair from blowing wild. The rain has picked up, and so has the wind.
 

“Hopefully your wedding day won’t be like this,” I say and get into the car. Danielle closes her umbrella, tucking it down by her feet, and gives me a horrified look. How dare I even mention rain and her wedding day?
 

“It’s usually nice here in July.” I smile. “So don’t worry.” I mentally curse at myself. Way to start a convo. “So,” I begin. “Do you have pretty much everything done?”

Danielle relaxes against the seat. “Pretty much. I have one final fitting for the dress, but that’s not until a month before the wedding. I’m trying to lose a few more pounds of course.”
 

I raise my eyebrows and cast a glance at her. She is thin enough already. Why brides always think they had to be model thin … I’ll never know. “I think you look great,” I tell her honestly.
 

“Thanks,” she says and lets out a breath. “I don’t look like the girl wearing my dress in the magazine ad.”
 

If possible, my eyebrow hikes even higher. I turn onto the main road and head into town. “You do know those ads are Photoshopped as fuck, right?”

She twists, giving me that same startled look. “Yeah, I’m sure they are a bit.”
 

I laugh. “Not just a bit. They are a lot. I worked a graphic design job for two whole weeks and was given photos to manipulate the hell out of. I felt evil to all womankind for doing that, hence the quitting. And it didn’t pay well. At all.”
 

Danielle just nods. “Well, whatever. I still want to look good.”
 

This isn’t going so well. “I’m sure you will. You’re really pretty. And Jake has always been super picky. So knowing he chose you means he thinks you’re really pretty too.”
 

“Thanks.” She smiles. “So, you program software, right?”

“I used to. I took a new job in Grand Rapids like half a year ago. I build websites.”
 

She nods. “I’m so bad with computers. I can use Word and log onto Facebook and that’s pretty much it. I couldn’t even think about making a website.”
 

“It’s really easy,” I say. “Well, for me. But I like that stuff.”
 

“It sounds complicated to me. Sometimes I have to have my students help me hook up my printer.”

I laugh. “It surprises me how difficult it is for some people. But I guess that’s normal, ya know? It’s my thing. I like taking shit apart and adding new gadgets to my electronics at home.”
 

“Makes sense. Why’d you change jobs?”

 
I shrug. “The new job pays twice as much and it was a chance to get out of this town for a while.”
 

“Hmmm,” she says and messes with her hair, which managed to stay stick straight and smooth despite the weather. “I have too many friends to leave here.”
 

I know a backhanded insult when I hear one. “I stay in touch with mine.”
 

“The bakery is owned by your best friend, right?”

“Yep, Erin. She’s great.”
 

Danielle smiles again. “I was impressed with everything she showed me.”
 

“Yeah, Erin is super talented. She’s been into baking since we were kids. That’s how we met, actually. We were paired together in seventh grade Home Economics class.”
 

“You guys have been friends for a long time.”

“Yeah. She likes the same stuff I do.” I drum my fingers on the steering wheel. A few more minutes tick by.

“So, uh, what do you like to do for fun?” I ask, trying to keep a conversation going.

“I work out and have the girls over for wine night at least once a week.”
 

“Wine night sounds fun.” I like wine, and I like the night. “You guys just sit around and drink?”

“Kind of,” she says and laughs like it’s something super naughty. “We take turns bringing a bottle and some sort of dessert. We watch a show, like
Keeping up with the Kardashians
or
The Bachelor
, and drink and gossip. It’s a lot of fun. If you lived closer, I’d invite you,” she says with a smile and I know—and hope—she’s lying through her teeth.

A few minutes pass, and I try not to let the silence turn awkward and bother me. I tap my fingers on the steering wheel in tempo with the music. Danielle makes small talk the rest of the way, and the fifteen-minute drive to the restaurant seems to take twice as long. If this girl wasn’t marrying my brother, I’d never talk to her. We have nothing in common.

We get to the restaurant at 6:23 and hurry through the rain. Five well-dressed women are already seated. I guess they had more than ten minutes notice of this event. Supposedly I did too, and really, I probably did. I’m spacey like that.
 

“Sorry we’re late,” Danielle says and I can see her side-eye me, letting her friends know it’s my fault.
 

I slide into a chair, glad there is already a glass of red wine in each spot. I don’t consider getting somewhere seven minutes before a reservation “late.”
 

“Hi,” I say. “I’m Jake’s sister.”
 

The women murmur “hello” and go through introductions. I sip the wine and nod along, trying to remember everyone’s names. I’m not really a shy person, but sitting here with a group of girls who’ve been friends for years makes me retreat inside myself a bit. My cheese ravioli is good, and I get out my phone and Google costume ideas when the conversation turns to sharing sex stories. I have no recent sex stories to share, unless my adventures with the neon-pink Silent Knight count.
 

“What about you?” a pretty blonde asks. Her name is Chloe. Or Zoey. Hell if I know. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Not at the moment,” I respond.
 

“Oh, well, never mind then.” She doesn’t look surprised by my response.
 

“Do you have a boyfriend?” I ask.
 

“I just got rid of mine,” she huffs. “Total pain in the ass and so clingy. I want to date casually for a while, ya know, just for fun. You’re only young once!”
 

I smile and go back to looking up costumes on my phone. This is going to be a long night.
 

*

Since my parents have the worst internet connection in the whole wide world, I ended up going to bed early and waking at eight, which is early to me when I don’t have to be at work. I eat breakfast with Dad then go for a walk on the sandy path from their house to the lake. The rain has gone and so have the clouds. The morning still holds a chill, but as I look at the dawn light reflecting off the choppy water, I know it’s going to be a good day.
 

The sound of the small waves crashing against the rocky shore soothes me, and takes me back at the same time. I spent more hours than I can count out here as a child, sitting on the dock, playing in the woods and water, pretending, imagining, fantasizing that my life was grand and adventurous and I was someone else, someone important destined with a world-saving task.