“That many fancy parties. But I do like clothes. A lot.”
My gaze swept over the rest of her closet, over the teetering piles of sweaters and t-shirts, over the lineup of jeans in every wash imaginable, over the column of shoes that ranged the gamut of sneakers to crystallized heels to every style of boots on the market.
“You’re drooling.”
I snapped my mouth shut. I wasdrooling-metaphorically speaking. I didn’t have saliva dribbling down my chin or anything.
“Another reason I would never get a roommate… She’d steal all my clothes.”
“Only if she was your size.”
“She’d probably get to my size to fit into my clothes.” She dropped down on her bed, then stretched her arms over her head.
I fingered the material of a black dress.
“You shouldn’t wear black to a wedding.”
“Okay.”
“Or white. Try the red one. Red usually looks good on us blondes.” She stuck her sleep mask back on.
I plucked the red one out and marveled at it.
The coffee machine gurgled, and then it beeped, and Sarah rolled back up.
“Stop eye-fucking it, and try it on.” She tossed her silken sleep mask on top of her mussed-up sheets, then got to her feet and walked back out to the kitchen.
While she was pouring coffee, I pulled off my t-shirt and slid the fluid, backless halter number over my head. Once the fabric settled, I unbuttoned my cut-offs and kicked them off. I stepped in front of the mirror. The dress was stunning. Too stunning. What if I ripped it or stained it or- “Told you it would look awesome.” Sarah was leaning against the gigantic doorframe, clutching a mug of coffee between her fingers. A gold-foiled word was stamped on it-Princess. How appropriate.
“It’s really nice, but maybe…toonice?” My voice sounded slightly high-pitched.
“Would you rather wear something ugly? ‘Cause if that’s the case, I don’t have anything for you.”
“No. It’s just”-I smoothed the fabric of the flowy skirt-“it’s expensive, isn’t it?”
“Probably. Mom gave it to me.” She pushed off the doorjamb. “Look, I’m not going to force you to wear something you’re not comfortable with, but know that I most probably won’t wear it again. I try not to wear the same thing twice. So if you’re worried about ruining it, don’t. There are plenty more where that one came from.”
“That’s really generous.”
She shrugged, and her silk robe fell off her shoulder. She hiked the slippery material back up, then returned to the bed, where she sat cross-legged. “I had a question for you.”
I stopped admiring the dress.
“Why are you the only girl in your pack?”
“I always assumed I was a fluke of nature.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “Do youknow why I’m the only girl in my pack?” It struck me I used the possessive pronoun, so I switched it out for, “I mean, in the Boulder Pack?”
“Nope. No clue.” She sipped her steaming coffee. “Must be weird… Weirdly cool.”
“It’s definitely weird but not cool at all. I wish there were others.”
“You get all these hot guys to yourself. Why would you ever want to share?”
“They’re not all hot. Besides, none of them like me.” Anymore…
“Babe, pull off your blinkers. You know the way you were checking out the dress. Well, Liam was staring at you the exact same way all fucking night. Seriously, I almost screwed up my beat-juggling because of you two.”
“He stares at me because he doesn’t trust me. None of the Boulder wolves do. After he saw me talking with you, he was all up in my face about what we’d discussed.”
She rolled her eyes. “The Boulders think everyone’s out to get them.”
“And they’re wrong?”
“Well, yeah. Not everyone’sout to get them. The dudes are Neanderthals. Hot Neanderthals, but Neanderthals nonetheless. What would my very evolvedpack need with any of them?” She downed the rest of her coffee, then set her mug down next to a half-empty bottle of water. “They don’t have anything we don’t already have.”
“They’re all males.”
She frowned. “So?”
“They’re all stronger than I am.”
“Just because your muscles aren’t as big doesn’t mean you’re weak, Ness.” She tapped her index finger against her temple. “This’ll sound corny as shit, but the greatest strength comes from here.”
I pursed my lips, not because I thought she was wrong, but because I thought she was idealistic. It was easy to be idealistic when you possessed everything-from riches to security to status to family. I had none of those things.
She tipped her head to the side. “Here I thought you were this self-confident, arrogant girl, but you’re not, are you?”
“I make a good first impression, don’t I?” I raised a smile I wasn’t really feeling. “You’re also surprisingly different than I assumed. You’re actually nice.”
“Ha. I think you’re the first person to say that.” She twisted her long curls in a makeshift bun that held by itself. “Can you please tell my mother that on Saturday? I’d lovea front-row seat to that reaction…”
My smile turned genuine.
Sarah’s stomach growled long and hard. “I need food. Want to grab some lunch?”
I glanced at the glowing red digits on her bedside clock. “It’s 4:30.”
“Perfect time for lunch.” She walked over to another doorway and slid it open. Behind it sprawled a white marble bathroom. “So? You in?”
“Sure.”
While she showered, I delicately pulled the dress off and folded it neatly, then put on my denim cut-offs and navy t-shirt that felt incredibly ratty in comparison. I asked her twice more if she was sure about the dress. Both times won me headshakes and yeses.
We had food at Tracy’s, where I expected to run into some member of the Boulder Pack, but instead we ran into a couple Pines. Thankfully none of them were Justin Summix.
When I mentioned his name, Sarah wrinkled her nose and leaned over, burger suspended in midair, meat juice dripping onto her creamy coleslaw. “He’s the worst.”
I liked her more after that. And I already liked her quite a bit, so that was saying a lot. How I wished she were a Boulder wolf. But then I wondered why I wished she were part of a pack Iwasn’t even part of. And what did it matter anyway? In the end, she was a wolf like me. Just because we didn’t answer to the same Alpha-I answered to none for that matter-didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends.