Read Online Something Borrowed by Catherine Hapka - Free Book Online

tonight,” she said. “I was wondering why I didn’t have to talk you into it.”
    I was a little surprised by the coincidence about the featured band. But I was even more surprised when Zoom didn’t show up by nine as he’d promised. Or by nine thirty. Or by ten.
    At a quarter to eleven, I was still waiting. “What’s the deal?” Teresa said into my ear. “What happened to Mr. Right?”
    The Manayunk Mucus had long since taken the stage by then and were in the middle of a loud, fast-paced number. The small club was packed with fans grooving to the tunes. It was so loud and crowded that it was hard to move or think.
    â€œYour guess is as good as mine.” I shrugged at Teresa and turned away, feeling embarrassed and frustrated. Was Zoom standing me up? For real? I knew I hadn’t imagined his interest in me the other day—he hadn’t made any attempt to hide it. So what was the deal?
    I tried to distract myself from my growing annoyance by watching the lead singer of the Mucus. The whole band was good, but the singer was electrifying. He was almost as tall and skinny as Zoom, with an A-plus butt encased in tight maroon leather and the milky-pale skin of someone who rarely sees the sun. His black hair was punked out in spikes, he wore a jeweled stud in his nose, and his voice was almost as smoky and dark as his eyes, which seemed to grab me by the throat every time they passed over me. I suspected he had that effect on everyone in the audience—or at least everyone female—but it still made my heart beat a little faster every time it happened.
    Jason must have noticed me staring after a while. He leaned closer, resting one hand on the small of my back as he spoke directly into my ear. “Since your other boyfriend is a no-show, why not pick upMr. Rock Star instead?” he said, his breath tickling my cheek.
    â€œVery funny,” I said, dodging away from his hand. “And do you mind not feeling me up? Especially right in front of your girlfriend.”
    Jason raised both his hands in a surrender pose. “Sor-ry,” he said. “You’re awfully testy tonight, Ava. Why would that be?” He put one finger to his chin, pretending to think hard. “Oh, right. It must be getting stood up.” He glanced meaningfully toward the stage, where the singer was on his knees, howling out the final note of the current song. “There’s an easy solution to that, you know.”
    â€œShut up,” I muttered.
    â€œFine, I’m just trying to help.” Jason shrugged, feigning hurt. “Who knows, bringing a guy like that might actually liven up the Prepsville wedding a little.”
    I knew he was joking, but I couldn’t help smiling a little for the first time in more than an hour. It was sort of fun to imagine the look on Camille’s face if I were to show up at her wedding with that guy. I shivered as the singer’s eyes locked on mine from the stage once again. He couldn’t be more than a fewyears older than me, and Manayunk wasn’t that far away. For a second I almost regretted already having a date. Why did I always spot the most interesting guys when I was already involved? First Andy, now Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Dangerous . . .
    Then again, if Zoom wasn’t going to show tonight, was there any guarantee he’d show up for the wedding? He did seem a little flaky. What if he stood me up next weekend, too?
    â€œThanks, everybody!” the lead singer yelled hoarsely into his microphone. “We’re going to take a break. Be back in a few.”
    The band members set down their instruments, hopped down off the front of the small, battered stage, and headed toward the bar. That was going to take them right past us.
    â€œGo ahead,” Jason hissed, poking me in the back. “Now’s your chance. Tell him you think he’s sex-ay.”
    I shot an elbow back in his general direction, though he