Star-Crossed ✔️

17

- 17 -

Tom Nubuck's house was massive.

Bigger than mine by a long shot. I'd been once before for some other party he'd thrown a year or two ago and it was incredible. He had the best food, the best music, and the hottest girls. This year, I was only coming for the food.

Tom was an NFL player who recently signed on with the Patriots after three years with the Bears, although I didn't follow football very closely. All I knew was he had enough money from contracts to throw a million parties like this and live comfortably. And comfortably he did live.

Noah and I stepped into the luxury foyer, tall ceilings and marble flooring greeting us upon entry. All sorts of big names loitered in the entryway as we paid our respects to the host himself. Tom apparently didn't immediately pinpoint Noah because he introduced himself and waited for the brunette to do the same. When Noah said his name, Tom's eyebrows raised in recognition.

"Nice to meet you, man," Tom said, clamping a heavy hand on Noah's shoulder.

When we got to the backyard, where the real party was, we slowed our gait to take it all in. Tom's pool was as big as Noah's house. There was a DJ booth with large duel speakers on either side of it set up at the far end of the pool deck, half-naked celebrities throwing themselves around him. This was a party everyone wanted to go to.

Noah blanched. "Wow."

We found a spot at an empty tall table and took a seat. I pulled off my shirt and hung it on the back of my chair. Noah didn't do the same, but relaxed as well.

"Looking good, Theo."

I turned my head. Kelsi approached carefully, her long blonde hair brushing the dips of her hips in a cherry red bikini that left little to the imagination. I'd give it to her; she looked incredible. "Says you," I said and gave her a half hearted embrace.

Noah eyed her, but didn't say anything. Kelsi slipped her sunglasses off and held out her hand to shake. "Noah," he mumbled, clearly not enjoying the endless introductions.

"Kelsi," she said with a smile. "Is Dustin here?"

I frowned, shaking my head. I fucking wish he was here. My best friend was the only one who made these kinds of events tolerable, let alone a night to remember. "He's back home. Family emergency," I said and Kelsi's lips turned downward in disappointment. "I could give you his number, if you want?"

Kelsi turned that frown upside fucking down in the blink of an eye. "I would love that," she said, slipping her phone out from the waistband of her bikini. "You don't mind, do you?" And I could tell she looked genuinely concerned.

Little did she know that Dustin was my brother from another mother. My soulmate, if you will. His happiness meant more to me than my own and I knew that receiving a text from the bodacious Kelsi Bravener would mean more than any childish hostility I held toward our history. I shook my head with a genuine smile and gave her his number, feeling a sense of victory playing Cupid for a night.

If only Cupid could help me out, too.

Kelsi left to join her friends by the bar and I relaxed back into my seat. "Who was she again?" Noah asked curiously.