She hasn’t been. After begging me to be her wing woman, she ditched me to spend the night with Andrew Wright, most of it with her tongue down his throat. Drew is the team’s star defensive back, a corn-fed country boy about the size of a Mack truck. He’s entering the NFL draft in a few months and I have no doubt he’ll have a Super Bowl ring some day.

“Oh yeah? What’s up, babe?” I ask, gripping her waist to keep her steady. She sways into me and I fall against Devin. He wraps his arm around my back, resting on my far hip. Unfortunately, it feels more reassuring than intimate.

“We won.” Michelle throws her arms up in excitement.

“I know. I saw.”

“I told Drew he had a good game.” Her voice is soft and wistful. “He’s so nice. Don’t you think he’s nice?”

“Yes, he’s nice. I saw you congratulating him,” I tease.

“We were talking.” They were making out. “But Kimmie made me go do shots and now I can’t find him.” She pouts.

Unsteady, she stumbles and starts to take me with her. Devin’s hold tightens on my hip, grounding me. He’s strong and stable at my back. My heart flutters at the sensation. Michelle shifts her eyes between me and Devin before narrowing on me. She pokes me in the chest, right above my racing heart. “Lisssteeen to meee, Jethie Birwd—” She draws out her words and slurs my nickname. “You know what you want, so you better go and you get it! You. Get. It.” A hard jab from those manicured nails punctuates every word. “Screw what everyone else thinks. Bunch’a punks anyway.”

“Okay, Dalai Lama. How ’bout we get you some water and a ride home?”

I stand up and slide my arm around Michelle. Missing the feel of Devin close behind me, I turn and give him a quick, apologetic smile. He lifts his beer in a salute before turning his attention to the party around us.

I find Marcell, the designated driver for the night, and drop Michelle off with him as I go in search of a bottle of water for her. We manage to wrangle her into the back of Marcell’s car with two other sorority sisters who’ve had enough for the night. I hand them each a bottle of water and promise to check in on them later.

After the car is out of sight, I turn to the party again. I’m ready to search out Devin and get that smile I’m dead set on weaseling out of him, but there’s no need. He’s standing on the porch watching me. The party is still raging behind him, music pouring out through the open front door. Devin is backlit by the chaos. His tall frame shrouded in darkness makes him look almost menacing. But I don’t feel threatened. I’m excited. My heart skitters and I grin at him.

He shakes his head and twirls the keys in his hand. “Want a ride?”