Counting Stars | ✔

Chapter Fifty-one

Steff gives them both a reserved smile. She is on her, "Let me decide if I like you or not before I grace you with a conversation." stage.

I'm a little surprised Ryan never brought her to the bike shop before.

"Hey there, hoes!" I hear that husky, seductive voice before I see her.

"Lola!" Jane cheers loudly. "Lolita! It's been so long."

Lola raises a single brow and then grins broadly. I can't help but appreciate her features, her high cheekbones, catty eyes, slender figure, and the sheer sexual energy radiating off her. She's quite the temptress.

"We were together this morning, my little firecracker." She says to Jane and turns to me.

"Hey, there. Long time no see." She grins at me as if we're good friends.

Is she demented?

Then she turns around and extends her hand towards Steff.

"Lola. And you are?"

Steff looks over at me, her eyes darkening. She knows Lola is the girl I talked to that night on Liam's phone when I was at her place.

"Stefani."

She shakes her hand firmly, and Lola quickly catches on to Steff's tone.

"Nice to meet you, Stephanie." She says with a little smirk.

"It's Ste-faaani," Steff says in her no-nonsense tone.

"Oww, like Gwen Stefani." Jane nods with fascination. Then she groans. "Shit! I need to pee real bad."

"Come on!" Kendra grabs her hand. "And you, behave yourself!" She says to Lola before they walk away.

"Liam took the final Round," Lola informs me as soon as Kendra and Jane step away. "I agreed with it. We should save the best for last."

Even though I wanna reach over and strangle the living daylight out of her, I control the urge.

"You're right. I'll have to make sure to give him a good luck kiss." I tell her.

"Oh, believe me, he doesn't need it. He was born to do this. I should know. I was there for every single one of his races last summer." She gives me a little smirk.

"You seem like a smart girl. I'm sure you know when he isn't riding a motorcycle, he is being ridden by this beautiful girl right here." Steff gestures to me. "So what I'm trying to say is, fuck off!"

I am happy that she is defending my honor, but I'm mortified by her words. Before any of us can say anything, her ringtone blares.

"It's Ryan." She says to me before picking it up.

She says hello a couple times and starts to walk away in search of reception.

"She's feisty! I like her." Lola smiles, totally unfazed by Steff's words. "I can see why Ryan likes her. It's you I don't get. I mean, don't get me wrong, you are a beautiful girl. But you're not his type at all."

Her words momentarily leave me stunned. Not just her words but the way she said them. So calm and confident like she is stating a simple fact.

"You don't know anything about me or our relationship," I say, trying but failing to sound confident.

"I may not know you, but I know him. The Liam you and I know are completely different people. He is trying to be something he is not with you. Soon he'll get tired of all the pretending. Bad boys will always be bad boys, sweetheart. I know how exciting it is to think you've changed one for the better. I hate to break it to you, but no one ever changes. Not for long, anyway. So when he finally gets tired of playing house with you, I'll still be here. Till then, we can share him."