“What are you doing here all alone?” Mike’s teasing voice fills the room.
I smile to myself, suspecting he came over to check on me. “Nothing, just relaxing before everyone gets here and it becomes more like a zoo.”
“Come next door.”
“Nah, I’m fine here.”
Mike sits on the couch, grabbing the remote from my hand and saying, “If I’m going to keep you company, I get to choose what we’re going to watch.”
I laugh and shake my head. “I don’t need anyone to keep me company, now…give me back the remote!” I grab for his hand.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Mike shakes his finger at me, “Silly girl, tricks are for kids!” He lets out a boisterous laugh at his own joke. I give up, lounging back into the couch, pouting. We have been silent a couple of minutes as he flips through channels when he turns to me and asks, “How has Ethan been?”
I freeze, not knowing how to answer him. “I don’t know. I haven’t spent time with him since we’ve been home. Why?”
He shakes his head. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”
“What did you mean that night at The Shack when Ethan grabbed my arm and you whispered to him that he didn’t want to get into it. He let me go after.”
Mike looks at me with a pensive expression. Silence surrounds us for a few seconds, then he shakes his head. “You’ll have to ask Ethan. I’m sorry. It’s not my story to tell.”
I want to continue prying but feel bad. So instead, I ask, “How many people did Ethan invite?”
“Just the band and any girls we wanted to bring. He said Preston needed overflow beds, so it’s just us, and Jake is bringing a few girls. He and Rob should be here soon.”
The sliding glass door opens with a chorus of voices and laughter. Preston and Josh walk in with the girls right behind them, followed by Ethan, the rest of his band, and three girls I don’t know.
I plaster on my best fake, but believable, smile and stand up to greet everyone. Rob and Jake introduce the three girls to everyone. They seem nice, but I start noticing how one of them keeps flirting with Ethan. She’s pretty, I guess, a bleached-blond-groupie-looking type, but she carries herself with such confidence it is hard to overlook her. It doesn’t seem like he knows her by the way they are talking and how aggressively she’s flirting and trying to keep his attention. I continue watching from afar, torturing myself. My phone chimes, and I leave the room to answer Caleb’s text—Did u make it to the beach?
I walk into a bedroom, where I have some privacy. I respond, and we continue texting for a few minutes before he leaves for work. I walk back out into the living room and notice Ethan leading groupie girl out onto the patio with his hand on her lower back. I stand frozen, staring, not realizing how obvious I am until Josh comes over and nudges me with his shoulder. He whispers, “You didn’t tell me the truth, did you?”
I turn my gaze to him and barely shake my head, biting my lips. He grabs my hand and leads me to the kitchen. He makes me a drink and hands it to me as he grabs a beer for himself. He says in my ear, “I won’t say it again, be careful.”
I nod my head and whisper back, “Was I really that obvious?”
“I noticed because you’re my date,” he smiles at me reassuringly. “I think everyone else is paying more attention to their drinks or flirting to have noticed anything.” I mouth thethank youbefore he leads me back to the living room.
The night progresses with more drinking and games, and I am extra careful not to look in Ethan’s direction, for fear I will fixate on him again. Everyone finally starts making their way to bed, and Ethan, his band, and the girls head back to his cabin. As Ethan is walking out to the patio, he turns around, looks at me, and mouthsgood night.
* * *
I wakeup to the smell of coffee and bacon. I turn over to see Paige starting to stir. She opens her eyes smiling, then says, “I love it that the boys wake up early and cook breakfast for us!”
I cannot stop the smile spreading across my face knowing Preston and Josh are in the kitchen right now.
“I’m going to brush my teeth and check on Lena,” I say, slipping on a hoodie and Uggs and grabbing my toothbrush.
“Bring me coffee,” Bree shouts from the other bed, refusing to move.
“Yes, your highness,” I retort sarcastically. I pick up my phone to check the time and realize that it is almost noon. The rest of our friends will be making their way to the beach in the next couple of hours.
After brushing my teeth, I head into the kitchen. Preston and Josh are busy cooking breakfast, and Lena is sitting at the table watching them. She smiles when she sees me and asks, “This is what you girls are used to? Waking up to breakfast made?”
I nod my head in confirmation, and her eyes widen.
“I didn’t believe Preston when he told me. I thought he was trying to show off. No wonder y’all love it here.”
I laugh at her. “But we do clean up and fix lunch.” I turn to the guys in the kitchen and announce, “By the way, your highness is requesting her coffee in bed. Who wants the honors?”