“That’s when I knew,” Hollis says to me over the crystal punch bowl. We’re on the expansive back patio of the Bates house, overlooking the lake on a warm evening. His parents wanted to throw him a graduation party and had been hounding him about it for weeks. Hamilton ultimately agreed, but only on the condition that it be for the two of us, together. “Anyone who can beat my brother and earn his respect at the same time? You’re perfect for him.”
I flush, trying and failing to hide my pleased smile.
Hearing her say it means a lot. And having his parents accept our relationship means even more. Not that it was easy, but they’ve ha
d a big turn-around in the past few months. They could shift the blame when one kid walked away from the family, but two? It was time for a little introspection.
Across the room, my parents are talking to his. This isn’t a huge deal. We’ve all coexisted in the same community for ages. Our dads are both Preston Prep alumni. The difference now, is that they’re talking because their kids are dating. We’re public now and have been since we both agreed to go back to school in January.
No more secrets.
No more hiding.
I won’t pretend it didn’t cause a ripple in the social structure at school. That first day back, Hamilton waited for me in the quad as I parted from the twins. I was nervous—terrified, actually—of going from the girl everyone ignored to the girl walking hand in hand with Hamilton Bates, my sworn enemy, down the hall.
Not only did he hold my hand, but he backed me up against my locker and kissed me long and hard. Long and hard enough that Dean Dewey threatened another month of detention if we didn’t keep the PDA to a respectable minimum. I didn’t even care. It was worth it to see Reagan and Campbell’s shocked expressions. It was perfection watching Heston’s jaw drop in disbelief. But we didn’t do it alone. Tyson was great. Xavier was awesome. And everyone else?
They fell in line.
Because the Devils may have disbanded, but that didn’t take away from the power structure at the school. Hamilton Bates will always be at the top. He can’t help it. It’s in his genes.
The only thing that’s changed is that, from now on, I’ll be by his side.
“When is your flight?” Presley asks, popping a chocolate-covered strawberry in her mouth.
I hum. “Tomorrow night.”
“I can’t believe you’re spending six weeks in Puerto Rico.” Tyson wrinkles his nose. “I’ve got a full summer of training ahead of me.”
“It was a compromise,” Hamilton says, hand slipping around my back. “I wanted to go to Hawaii. She talked me into some half-vacation, half-work situation, where apparently we’ll be digging wells or something.”
I roll my eyes, looking at him long-sufferingly. “It’s not ‘work’. We’re going to volunteer at a program my mother has contacts with while we’re there, and no one said you had to dig a well.”
“Unpaid work.” He makes a series of overdramatic, fake gagging sounds. “Like a fucking socialist. Even better.”
We talk with our friends, and I realize that I’ll miss them. But I’m also really excited about going on this adventure with Hamilton. It’ll be a good test for the fall.
We both committed to Vanderbilt and secured spots on the swim team.
We’ll be around one another a lot.
“We’re going to go,” Tyson says, shrugging into his dress blazer, “but we’ll see you tonight at the end-of-year bonfire, right?”
I nod. “Yep.”
Presley gives me a hug, and over her shoulder, I see Hamilton across the room talking to an older couple I don’t know. I take the break to head to the restroom off the kitchen. I’m only just returning to the party when a hallway door opens, and I’m pulled inside.
I’m engulfed in the spicy warmth of Hamilton’s scent before the door even clicks shut.
“What are you—”
There’s no need to finish my question. His wolfish grin tells me everything I need to know.
“I just needed a minute alone with you. You know I hate crowds.” His nose nuzzles in the crook of my neck. “All the small talk and chit-chat. Really, you’re the only one here I like. I don’t need a big fuck-you party to have that.”
It’s true. For the last six months, we’ve spent most of our time together. In all the years I’d seen Hamilton dating different girls, the Devils or sports or whatever he was interested in, those things always came first.
He’s done a thorough job of making it very clear that I’m his main priority.