An Unexpected Start: A Prequel to An Unexpected Hunger Read Free Page A

going.”
    I ignored his lame ass attempt at staking his claim.
    “How about you?” Alexa asked me.
    I felt Kiley come up behind me. She grabbed a hold of my hand again. “Yeah, we’re going,” she replied.
    I didn’t appreciate her answering for me. What kind of game was she trying to play?
    “I guess we’ll s ee you there then.” Alexa’s gaze fell on our hands.
    Brandon pulled her away before I could get another word in. She didn’t look back at me. Actually, it looked like her and Brandon were getting pretty cozy.
    I separated my hand from Kiley’s. “Let’s go.”
    * * * *
    It didn’t take Kiley long to end up shitfaced at Jackson’s. I’d lost her to her friends somewhere outside. I knew what too drunk to function looked like, and I wasn’t in the mood to be puked on.
    I’d only seen Lexy once since we got here. There were so many people. The beer I’d been milking was warm, and I was starting to get a headache.
    “Hey, Ricky.” Someone grabbed my arm as I pushed through the crowded house.
    Dark hair and blue eyes. Shit. I had no clue who this chick was. Never admit you didn’t remember. It’s a good way to get a swift kick in the balls.
    “You are Ricky, right?”
    “I’m the one.”
    “I heard about you…”
    I could barely hear her over the music.
    I leaned in closer. “Whatever they told you is a lie.”
    She gave me this half smile. “I heard you’re pretty good at it.”
    “Well, maybe not everything.”
    She gave me a little laugh and started whispering shit in my ear. Something about finding a quiet room. I dunno. I stopped listening when I saw Alexa’s face.
    “Where are you going?” she asked when I started to walk away. I ignored her.
    “Hey,” I said to Alexa. She didn’t have the same smile she did at the dance.
    “Hey, Ricky.”
    “Where’s Brandon?”
    Her gaze bounced around the room. “I don’t know.”
    “You okay?”
    She shook her h ead. “It’s too loud in here. I can barely think straight.”
    “Come on.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her through the living room, to the steps, and upstairs. The first few rooms I tried were already occupied. I finally found an empty laundry room.
    Alexa leaned up against the dryer and pressed her fingers to her temples. I just stood there and waited, sipping from my piss warm beer.
    “I don’t know what I’m doing here,” she said.
    “What happened to your dress?”
    She looked down at her clothes. “I brought a change of clothes with me.
    “Damn, wish I thought about that.”
    She gave me a once over. “I think you look good in a suit.”
    I crept closer to her and leaned on the washer. “That’s the second compliment you’ve given me. Exactly how many beers have you had tonight?”
    She laughed. I almost died; the feeling was fucking heaven. Her smile tortured me. “None, actually. Brandon’s had enough for both of us.”
    “ How did you end up going to the dance with Brandon?”
    She gave a little shrug and looked down at the tiled floor. “He was over at the house with Drew one day and just asked me. I didn’t even want to go, not after everything that just happened. I mean , it’s barely been two weeks since Dad’s funeral. But you know my mom…she practically forced me into it.”
    I scratched the back of my head. Why the fuck was I so nervous? “They’re good at doing shit like that.” I was sweating like I did at practice. Hope I didn’t smell like it, too.
    “She just doesn’t get it, you know?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll never be that girl who wants to buy pretty dresses and get made up to go to a dance. I’d rather be working at the restaurant. I felt so out of place tonight.”
    “You definitely didn’t look out of place.”
    “Well, an amazing dress can work miracles for a girl.”
    “I dunno…” T ake a deep breath. It was just a conversation, you idiot. “You still look pretty amazing to me, even without the dress.”
    I could tell the comment