What To Do When His Girl Isn't You

Chapter 4

I pull my shaking hands through my hair roughly. My stomach clenches and I quickly lean over the toilet, but I haven’t eaten all day so nothing comes up.

Get a grip on yourself, Aubrey, I tell myself.

I squeeze my hands into tight fists, my manicured nails digging into my palms. I take a few deep breaths and count to ten.

There’s no reason for me to be acting like this. It’s been five f*cking years since I’ve put myself through that. I should be way over it by now.

Still, though, I can’t help racking my brain for another option. Alexis practically laid out the perfect plan for me, but I can’t get myself to act on it.

It’s simple. The key to Max is soccer. But the thing is, I can’t do that. I swore to myself I would never, ever so much as look at another soccer ball in my life.

Damn you, Max Montgomery.

Okay, I think, okay. Max is just another guy. Guys are all the same; they’re ruled by their d*cks, regardless of b*tch girlfriends. Max is no different.

I stand up, wipe the makeup from my eyes and pull out my cell phone. It’s time to call in for backup.

***

I tilt the rearview mirror so it reflects my face. I add a bit more lipstick then climb out of the car. I smooth down my Stella McCartney dress and start strutting towards the door.

Tatiana is a godsend. I don’t know how she does it, but she does, every time. I always thought I had a lot of connections, until I met Tatiana. All I had to do was give her Max’s name, and she figured out that him and Alexis would be here tonight.

Normally, I stay away from high school house parties, but there’s a first time for everything.

It’s almost eleven, so the parties in full swing. I walk through the front door, and, as always, at least ten pairs of eyes snap up and rake over my perfect body.

I jut out my hip, enjoying the attention. It really never gets old.

I count to ten, then walk into the room. I sense at least three guys following me, but I ignore them. They don’t come in until step 3.

I scan the room looking for Max. It doesn’t take long before I find him leaning up against a wall, talking to Alexis and a few other people I don’t recognize. Step 1, completed.

The gods are on my side tonight. Max is standing right next to the doorway that leads into the kitchen. It’s like he did it on purpose.

I run my hand through my hair once for good measure, then sashay right past him into the kitchen. I’m almost positive he already saw me, but I still have to stick to the plan.

I grab a red Solo cup from the stack on the counter and survey the selections. There’s a few people hanging by the keg, staring at it like it’s a brand new Fendi satchel. I roll my eyes and start looking for a wine cabinet.

There’s a little wet bar right off the kitchen, and I immediately begin to wonder why everyone is fawning over a keg when they could be drinking the real stuff.

I scan the bottles in the wine fridge and smile in approval when I happen upon a bottle of my favorite brand of scotch.

I pour some into my cup, and down it in a single gulp. It burns better than I remember it, so I take another gulp, straight from the bottle this time. My lipstick leaves a dark red ring around the mouth of the bottle.

I toss my cup in the trash and walk back into the kitchen, feeling on top of the world and ready to dance.

I spot Max standing in the exact same spot as earlier and I thank my lucky stars for the second time tonight.