Then I looked at the guys again, who am I kidding, they both looked like they fell off the cover of Men’s Health or something, girls would notice them anywhere. They were both so tall, both blonde and maddeningly gorgeous. Theo was properly buff, all muscle and tight t-shirt. He had close cropped blonde curls, beautiful blue eyes and ridiculous dimples. They were in long shorts and t-shirts. They fit in perfectly to the lake party scene as I glanced ruefully down at my own jean clad legs.
“College party at the lake.” I answered Matt. Running a hand through my hair. I tried my best to act nonchalant. My hair had grown really long since I saw them last and it now hung heavy against my neck in the heat, falling in waves down my back. Why I hadn’t pinned it up today was a mystery to me.
“You’re so funny,” Matt deadpanned. “I meant what bringsyouhere?” He was looking at me a little bit more intensely now. Suddenly all colour drained as my brain caught up slowly to what he wasn’t saying and I started looking around frantically. Theo put his hand on my arm to get my attention and to reassure me.
“Calm down, he’s at the other end of the lake, we went for a wander to check out the merchandise.” Theo was willing me to believe him and get me to calm down, I could tell by the intense way he was looking at me.
“Merchandise?” I replied scathingly, knowing full well he meant girls. These two were serious players, they were never with the same girl twice and in a town like Big Sky, that had been an accomplishment.
Theo grinned and winked whilst Matt cleared his throat and looked at me expectantly, still waiting for the answer to his question.
“I go to school here.” I said, shrugging somewhat defensively. Both guys exchanged looks and frowns.
“You can’t,” Theo replied. “School started weeks ago and this is the first time you have been anywhere.”
“I can’t go to school here?” I demanded incredulously, I could feel myself bristling.
“He means we haven’t seen you dumbass, not that you can’t attend school.” Matt clarified.
“I keep to myself,” I muttered, “this is my first social.” Stupidstupidlake party, why hadn’t I said no to Robbie? Stayed safe and deluded in my cosy apartment and just studied. I kicked my foot at the ground in frustration.
“Hey,” a finger went under my chin and I looked up at Matt who was frowning down at me with concern. “Don’t be sad Lil’ Bit. It’s best to get it out now than meet him in the halls or on campus.”
He was right, it would have been horrific to see them on the grounds anywhere with no warning. Why were they here, they were supposed to be a long long long way from here.
“Why aren’t you in California with Colton?” I asked. “I thought you were all going there? You guyswerethere, what the hell happened?” I flipped my hair out of my eyes.Really why had decided to wear it down today?I was seriously regretting so many things suddenly.
“Colton had to change to be closer to his dad’s business in Denver, don’t ask, we didn’t, he said he had decided to change schools, so we changed too. To be fair, this is a good school, pretty much does what the last one did. It’s no biggie.” Matt shrugged. Theo nodded. He was currently listening to us whilst scanning the park. I knew who he was looking for; I felt something quiver inside at the mention of Colton, those green eyes of his haunted my dreams still.
My head whipped back to Matt, “Wait, you’reallhere?”
Matt nodded; he had the decency to look sympathetic. My knees were turning to jelly and I let myself slump against the tree as I slid down to the ground with my head in my hands. This couldn’t be happening. Oh God, this couldn’t be happening. Of course where one would go the others would follow, this was not good. I thought I had been so clever, I thought I had been sheltered.
“Sorry Lil Bit, we didn’t know you would be here. I swear he doesn’t know you are, neither of them do.” Matt crouched down beside me and Theo glanced down too, he nodded his confirmation of what Matt had said. “I thought you had stayed abroad in Scotland with your grandparents, I put feelers out and no one knew where you were, you vanished.” Matt continued.
I looked at Matt and could feel the tears building, Matt was always the gentlest one out of the four of them, he treated me like a little sister.The four of them!Oh God I was going to have a panic attack, I had to get out of here.
“Ok – so you can’t let him know that you’ve seen me, either of them.” I looked sharply at Theo, he would tell Colton if he wasn’t told not to. “I know to look out for them now. I have been here for a while, classes started four weeks past, I’ve not seen them so it’s easy to keep avoiding them. Especially now I know they are here.” I nodded, speaking more to myself than to them. “Plus, there are thousands of people who attend this school, I’m likely to never just walk into them. I’ll stick to my normal routine and avoid socials. I was hoping on doing that anyway.” I looked at them both. “I’m only here for Robbie and he could have come himself. He has friends here.”
Matt was frowning. It wasn’t good when Matt frowned, I found myself frowning back at him. “So, you and this Robbie...” he started.
“He’s a friend.” I quickly cut him off; I showed them my left hand. Theo paled significantly. Matt started to swear.
“You’re engaged!” Matt spluttered. He ran his hand through his hair. “Jesus Ari, are you nuts? Do you know what this will do to them, tohim?” He was glaring at me.
“No! I’m not engaged you moron! I wear the ring, guys leave me alone.” I slipped my hand back in my pocket, hiding the unknowingly offending item.
Matt visibly calmed down. “Can’t you just tell them no?” He suggested.
“No doesn’t seem to work on boys with too much testosterone and some ridiculous notion they need to sleep with as many girls as possible in their youth.” I snapped back. I rolled my eyes. “Yes guys I have just described you both.” They smirked as they knew it. “This works...mostly.” I muttered the last part. It was quite scary how many boys the ring didn’t seem to bother, in fact, I worried for their future wives.
Theo had turned his attention back to me and he was frowning as he was quite obviously thinking something over.
“Why can’t we just take you to them and get it over with?” He asked. Which to be fair for most people was perfectly reasonable. I mean it was only my ex. Yeah,onlymy ex and his brother, oh sheesh kebab, the brother.
“Because it would be horrible and she’s been through enough, we need to think of a plan.” Matt said quietly. Theo looked at him and then looked away in defeat. I looked up at Matt and he smiled softly.
“Ok Lil Bit. You need to get your cute butt out of here. They’re on the other side but they have quite a gathering, as you can imagine. We’ve been gone too long, someone may come looking. We can’t be seen with you if we want to keep our good looks and not have a mini riot on our hands.” Matt smiled, Theo grunted out a laugh.