I sneered at him. "His name's Nate?"

"Yeah." Adam leaned forward and rested his elbows on his legs. "He's bad news, like really bad news. I heard him and Kade are not a good team together."

I snorted, "Which Kade?"

"Mason." He frowned at me. "What'd you mean by that?"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes and popped open the beer. "I just meant that the Kade brothers seem close, it'd made sense if he was friends with both."

"Oh." Adam leaned back again and stretched out his legs. "I don't know about that, but I heard when he and Mason Kade get together, it's not good."

"You're scared of them?"

"No, but they played football together against me last year. I'm happy that I only get sacked by Kade this year and not both. Anyway, whatever. I'm sounding stupid, aren't I?" He gave me a grin.

I sipped the beer, but it tasted flat.

"Maybe I should go find Becky and get something to drink?" His blues sparked in good humor and another knot in my stomach unraveled.

When he left, I watched him go. My hands were curled into my chair and I jerked a hand up to finish my beer. Another was handed to me and I looked up. This one was from Logan. He had a sober look on his face, but he wasn't watching me. I shifted and saw that he was staring in the direction Adam had just gone.

When I took the cold can from him, it slipped from my hold. He caught it and sat in Adam's seat as he held it to me again.

I held my breath, but I didn't say a word. Something in me wouldn't allow it, but I opened the beer and put it in the chair's cup holder.

He stretched out his legs and lounged back for a moment.

Then he sighed.

I heard the small sound escape his lips and was confused. It was a sound that I'd make.

Laughter rang clear not far from us. I realized that Adam and I had picked seats farther away from the party. I didn't know if it for privacy or because of the loud music, but I was suddenly aware of the looks we were getting now. Had Adam and I gotten the same interest?

"They went to the city this weekend." Logan's voice sounded rough.

I glanced over and he lifted his head up.

"Mase went to go see our mom tonight."

We had both been watching the crowd and when two figures separated themselves from the rest and were headed towards us, he grimaced before he stood.

He didn't look at me. I didn't look at him, but he held out a second beer. I took it and then he sauntered away. The party-boy air was back with him when Logan neared the crowd. Some girls eyed him with sultry poses and his friends made way for his arrival.

When Adam and Becky stopped by the chairs, neither sat nor said a word.

Then Becky said in a rush, "Was that Logan Kade?"

I gripped the beer tighter and kept my voice neutral. "I wanted to ask about Jessica, if he was going to date her or not."

Something flashed in her eyes and she clipped out, "I heard that he told her to get lost. She's back to rubbing herself all over my cousin again. I just walked past them."

My hand gripped the can tight and I chugged the rest of it.

Adam shot her a look.

Becky's mouth opened and hung there. "I mean…she's not good enough for Kade. That's what I think. And my cousin's a loser, a first class loser."

Adam grunted.

She bit her lip and pulled a chair over. "Are you okay, Sam?"

I finished the beer and put it away. It was the last bit of alcohol that I'd consume that night or heaven help me, I would do something I'd regret later. I almost hit my mom once, I wouldn't be held back a second time with Jessica.

CHAPTER NINE

The party went late, but not late enough. Becky was stumbling drunk by the time Adam parked his car outside the two houses. He had to help get her inside and then asked if I needed a ride home. After he asked, he gave me a rueful grin. "Sorry, you're sober, aren't you?"

"I only had those two beers."

"Yeah." He scratched his head and Becky's snores soon thundered down to where we stood in front of her door. He laughed and shook his head. "She's something else, isn't she?"

"She likes you." I watched him carefully.

He stood still for a second and closed his eyes a fraction.

It was enough. I knew where he stood. "Stop being nice to her. You won't hurt her so much then."

He nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "I know. I do. I like Becky, just not that way."

I shrugged and started towards my car. "She's not Ashley DeCortts, but I think that's a good thing."

"Hey." He hurried to walk beside me. "Do you—would you want to meet for dinner tonight?"

I opened my car door and turned around to look where Becky's room was. "That's my only friend right now."

"She's my friend too and I could be another friend."

My laugh was genuine. "That's what you say now, but when I don't put out it's going to be a different story." My eyes narrowed on his. "Because I won't, you know. I never had sex with Jeff and I'm not going to start again with you. My first and only time was a mistake I will never make again."

"I know. That's okay. I respect you for that."

Another one of those knots unraveled in my stomach again. Why did it happen with him? And at times when I felt he was being honest?

I tilted my head to the side and studied him. "Are you really this nice guy or is this an act?"

He grimaced. "I'm nice. I am, but I'm not being that nice to Becky."

"No, you're not."

"She's the only person that you talk to. I didn't know how else to approach you without looking like a complete loser."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't shake the slight smile. "Try not going through the friend that likes you next time."

"Next time?" His hand caught my car door and held it open.

I looked at it, saw he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and stared him straight in the eyes. "What do you want, Adam Quinn?"

His eyes widened an inch, but he didn't miss a beat. "Dinner. Just dinner."

"And if I don't want dinner? If I want to bail? If I bring Becky with?"

His smile looked painful. "Then I think you're not being a good friend either."