And that’s why I haven’t lost my shit with Hunter. He’s been super cold toward me since our fight, but I won’t let it get to me.

I carry the mugs over to the living room and sit down on the couch with my own. After taking a sip, I ask, “How are the preparations going? The ball’s only in three weeks. Why do you have to get up so early?”

“Because it’s the only time the committee can meet. This year they want to go with a theme.” Fallon pulls a face that has me chuckling.

“Black and white is so overdone,” Hana complains.

“Yeah, and masked balls,” Fallon adds.

“Every theme has been done to death,” I mutter before bringing my mug to my lips. I swallow the warm liquid down, then grin. “You could go with bitches and playboys. That would fit right in on campus.”

Fallon snorts. “Can you imagine the committee's reaction if I propose that?”

“It would be hilarious.”

After a minute of silence, Fallon says, “What about rainbows? My dad always calls my mom his rainbow, and I love it. If we make that the theme, we can at least wear any color we want to.”

I get up and smile at Fallon. “I love the idea.”

Hana looks excited as she agrees, “Yeah, we just need to convince the other girls.”

A slight frown forms on my forehead. “Fallon, you’re the heir to the Reyes group. You don’t need to convince anyone of anything.”

She scrunches her nose. “I hate using my family name to get my way.”

When her coffee is finished, I reach over and take her mug. “Yeah, but at the end of the day, you represent your family. Don’t let people walk over you.”

She thinks over my words, then agrees, “You’re right. I’ll just tell them we’re going with a rainbow theme.”

“Thank God,” Hana sighs. “That will save us from having to listen to them argue for an hour.”

Chuckling, I go rinse the mugs so I can get to the gym.

I’m just about to leave the suite when Hunter comes out of his room. He’s dressed in a pair of shorts and a vest. I dislike shorts but on Hunter… damn him for being so hot.

Scowling at myself, I stare at Hunter while trying to figure out why I find him so attractive compared to the other guys. Yeah, I know my friends are good-looking, but with Hunter, it’s different.

Your heart’s beating faster because he infuriates you so much.

He catches me staring at him, and tilting his head to the left, he says, “Wow, that’s a nice shade of bitch you’re wearing today.”

Deciding not to ruin everyone’s day with another fight, I bite my tongue and roll my eyes at him. “Not today, Satan. Not today.”

Knowing that Hunter will be going to the gym, I follow the path to the woods behind the campus, and I fall into a steady pace as I jog.

I wonder how long Hunter is going to keep lying about what happened that night. With the trees and shrubbery swallowing me, my thoughts turn to the last time I saw Brady.Two Years Ago…

My heart pounds a mile a minute as I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

Wearing my favorite summer dress, I’ve taken extra care with my appearance. I’ve even foregone my usual boots for a pair of sandals.

Tonight is the night.

The thought makes my heartbeat speed up until it feels like it might jump right out of my chest.

Brady and I have been best friends since our first day of school, but things changed a year ago when we turned fifteen. I can’t believe we’ve been dating for a year already.

Brady was my first kiss… my first and only love. We’ve talked about having sex for a while now, and I’m ready to take the next step with him.

But first, we have to go to Jase’s birthday party.

Picking up the present I got for Jase, I leave my room. When I take the stairs down, I hear Dad laughing, but the moment I walk into the living room, the smile drops from his face.

His brows furrow. “Why are you wearing a dress?”

I roll my eyes and let out a sigh. “’Cause it’s normal for girls to wear dresses, Daddy.”

I notice how Mom tries to hide a smile by covering her mouth with her hand, but my cousins, Ryker and Mila, don’t even bother as they grin because Dad’s being his usual overprotective self.

“Yeah, but it shows your legs,” Dad grumbles, and it has Ryker chuckling. Dad gives him a dark scowl, “Does Logan let Mila go out looking like that?”

Ryker shrugs. “My father doesn’t have much of a choice in what Mila wears, because whatever Mom says goes in our household.”

Dad shakes his head, then looks at Mom. “Are you okay with Jade wearing that dress?”


Tags: Michelle Heard The Heirs Romance