Diamonds are Forever

by Michelle Madow

  “I’ve been on the pill since December,” she told him. He opened his mouth, but she continued before he could speak. “After we talked about officially dating—even though it was in secret—I figured it would be responsible to go to a doctor and get a prescription. But I agree that we should be safe in every way possible. And you actually don’t have to go to your room, because Peyton brought condoms with her. They’re in the top drawer of the nightstand.”

  “Okay.” He nodded and rolled off her, his towel completely gone now. Her heart sped up, and she watched him open the drawer and rummage with the packaging. It didn’t take long until he was kissing her again, his body hovering on top of hers.

  “Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked, his eyes so full of love that she couldn’t imagine being anything but ready.

  “I’m sure.” She unfastened her towel, letting it slide off so he could see every inch of her. He took a sharp breath, and she pulled him down to meet her, losing herself to him completely.

  chapter 23:

  Aspen with a local was so much better than the snooty places in Aspen that Peyton had seen so far this trip. It also helped that the local she was with was Zack, since he was the hottest ski instructor in town. Well, most of the ski instructors were hot—skiing was quite the workout, so they had incredible bodies—but Zack was also fun. And after the intensity surrounding whatever had gone on between her and Jackson, it was nice to have some fun.

  As Zack had mentioned, their first stop was a place called White Onion. What he hadn’t mentioned was that Wednesday was their official “Beer Pong night.” The bar was in a narrow building that resembled a saloon from the Old West, and it was crowded with local ski bums dressed in jeans and hoodies. It was also the first time Peyton had walked inside a building in Aspen without people staring at her to figure out who she was. Because apparently, when you’re hanging out with the guys from One Connection, people automatically assume that you’re a celebrity, too.

  Zack had introduced her to his friends, and the beer pong began. He and Peyton paired up, won the first round and were on to the second.

  “Who would have guessed that the Diamond heiress would be kicking my ass at beer pong tonight?” Zack’s friend Ryan asked from across the table.

  “I’ve only been an heiress since last summer.” Peyton held the ping-pong ball at eye level and focused on her target—the only cup left. They would win if she made this shot. She took a deep breath and sent the ball flying in a perfect arc, straight into the cup.

  Ryan stared at the cup, his mouth dropping open.

  “I might not play sports, but I rock at beer pong!” She pumped her fist in the air, and Zack gave her a high five.

  “Now that we’ve won two games in a row, what do you say we hit up our next stop of the night?” he asked.

  Which was how a few minutes later, he was leading her down the steps to a club called Belly Down. It had free entry on Wednesday nights, which, according to Zack, was why it was the best night for locals.

  The music inside was loud, the lights were dim (minus the spotlights on the stage) and the dance floor was packed. Tons of people said hi to Zack as he led Peyton through the crowd—he was one of those guys who knew everyone. There were tables on tiered levels around the sunken dance floor, and unlike the tables at clubs in Vegas, which you had to pay an exorbitant amount of money for, they were on a first-come, first-served basis. Luckily, Zack knew a group who had taken over a table, and there was just enough room left for him and Peyton to join them.

  “So, do you all ski all day and stay out all night?” Peyton asked the group.

  “First chair, last call!” Zack said, clinking his glass with a friend.

  “What does that mean?” she asked.

  “What it sounds like,” he said. “Being at the chairlift when it first opens in the morning, and staying out until the last call at the bar. It’s the true ski bum lifestyle.”

  “Sounds great,” Peyton said, although she only halfway meant it. She was enjoying learning how to ski, but she couldn’t imagine doing it all day, every day.

  The DJ switched to a song Peyton loved, and she pulled Zack onto the dance floor, which was so packed that they had no choice but to dance with their bodies pressed against each other. She wrapped her arms around his neck, doing her best to lose herself in the music. Some of his friends joined them, and the night passed in a blur of dancing, with the occasional break so Zack could grab a drink.

  It would have been perfect, except that whenever Peyton closed her eyes, she imagined it was Jackson she was dancing with, not Zack. She should have been able to get Jackson out of her mind with someone as hot as Zack interested in her, but it wasn’t working. And it was frustrating as hell.

  Eventually the crowd thinned out, and she and Zack headed back to the table.

  “You sure you don’t want another drink?” he asked. “It’s last call.”

  “I’m sure,” Peyton said, gulping down her water. “I’m still not used to the altitude here.” Which was true, but she also just didn’t feel like drinking anymore. Thinking about Jackson had put her in a weird mood. Because Zack was hot, and cool, and the type of guy she would have been all over months ago...but her feelings for him were only lukewarm. What was happening to her?

  Zack and his friends ordered another round, and the lights inside the club came on—universal bar language for “it’s almost closing time.” Which was too bad, since Belly Down was one of the coolest clubs Peyton had been to in months. Sure, the clubs in Vegas were great, with their celebrity DJs and extravagance, but Belly Down had a perfect mix of club vibe and bar vibe, and she liked how laid-back everyone was. If she lived in Aspen, this would be her favorite hangout.

  “I guess this is the end of the night?” she said.

  “No way!” Zack said. “The best way to end the night is by grabbing a slice at New York Pizza.”

  “It’s the best pizza in Aspen, and it’s only a three-minute walk from here,” Ryan added. “We’re all going—you should come.”

  Peyton’s stomach growled. “After all that dancing, I’m definitely hungry,” she said. “And I love pizza.”

  Even though she wasn’t as into Zack as she’d hoped she would be, what was the harm in grabbing pizza? Especially since they’d be with the group.

  The New York Pizza building had a sign in front with its name on it. The door opened to a single flight of stairs leading to the second floor, where they were greeted with the delicious smell of freshly baked pizza. It was by-the-slice counter style, and there was a long line, but the restaurant must have had the late-night crowd down to a science, because it didn’t take long to get their slices. One of the girls in their group had already claimed a table, and once they all had their pizza, they sat down to feast.

  “This is the biggest slice of pizza I’ve ever seen,” Peyton said, shaking red pepper flakes onto a slice that was so huge that it was falling off the plate in both directions.

  “It’s also probably some of the best pizza you’ve ever tasted,” Zack said.

  She took a bite, and sure enough, the pizza was delicious. It had the perfect mix of cheese, tomato sauce and crunchiness. “You’re right,” she said once she finished chewing. “It’s perfect.”

  She finished off the slice, talking and laughing with Zack and his friends, glad she’d come out with them tonight. They were fun, and spending time with a completely new group of people was helping her get her mind off of Jackson.

  Once they’d all finished their pizza, they walked down the stairs and Peyton said her goodbyes. She would probably never see them again, but she promised she would add them as friends online so they could keep in touch. She hated saying goodbye forever. It felt so permanent. And who knew where life would take her in the future?

  “Hey.” Zack placed his hand on her arm, holdi
ng her back as everyone walked away. “I know it’s late, but do you want to come back to my place? Have some dessert?”

  Peyton pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself, although her jacket was warm enough that it wasn’t necessary. Months ago, she would have said yes. But she didn’t feel anything for Zack. He barely knew her. And since she was leaving in a few days, there wasn’t going to be much time to change that.

  Going back to his place and hooking up with him wasn’t going to help her get over Jackson. It would probably just make her feel worse.

  “Thanks for the invite,” she said. “But I’m just going to head home.”

  “You sure?” he asked. “I bought some wine for us tonight. I was hoping we would have more time alone together to get to know each other.” He took a step closer, watching her with intensity, as if he were about to kiss her.

  “Listen, Zack.” She pulled back before he had a chance to make a move. “I had a lot of fun tonight. But I sort of...” She glanced up at the stars to gather her thoughts—she wasn’t used to explaining her feelings to people. Her instinct was to make up an excuse, get out of there and never see him again. But Zack was a good guy. He deserved to know the truth.

  “You’re sort of...” he repeated what she’d started to say, waiting for her to continue.

  “I’m not over someone else.” She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket and shuffled her feet. “It’s a long story, and I don’t want to get into it, because it doesn’t end well. But I’m not over him.” She let out a long breath, feeling freer than she’d felt all night. “I’ve had a great time with you, and I’m glad you showed me the local side of Aspen. This was the best night I’ve had here so far. But it’s been a long day, and it’s late, so I’m just going to head back now.”

  “Okay,” he said with a shrug. “Thanks for letting me know.”

  “That’s it?” Peyton tilted her head, bracing herself for more.

  “That’s it,” he said. “You’re into someone else. I get it.”

  “Oh,” she said. “Thanks.”

  “No need to thank me.” He laughed. “What’d you expect me to do?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, running a hand through her hair. “I thought you might get angry. I mean, I’ve been spending all this time with you, and I never mentioned this other guy. I would be pretty annoyed if I were you.”

  “I’m not happy about it,” he said. “Because I thought—and still think—that you’re a cool girl. But I don’t want to hook up with someone who’s thinking about someone else, ya know?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “Definitely.”

  “Anyway.” He cleared his throat. “Do you want me to call you a cab?”

  “I actually have a driver waiting.” She motioned to where her bodyguard was standing on the end of the block, blending into the background.

  “Has he been following us all night?”

  “He has to,” she said. “That’s his job. He’s not just a driver—he’s a bodyguard.” After the words were out of her mouth, she realized how strange they sounded. What normal seventeen—­almost eighteen—year-old had a bodyguard? “Anyway, are you sure you’re okay to drive?” she asked. “If you’re not, my driver can drop you off at your place.”

  “I’ve been pacing myself all night, and I sobered up during pizza,” he said. “I didn’t want to be hungover tomorrow. Hung­over skiing’s the worst. You still on for a lesson tomorrow?”

  Was she? That was a good question.

  “I don’t think so,” she said, relieved once she’d spoken the words. “I came out here to spend time with my sisters, so I’m gonna stick to the original plan and take a group lesson with them. Or maybe just hang out with them around town tomorrow—­everyone was pretty beat after skiing today. I wouldn’t mind sleeping in.”

  “Well, you have my number,” he said. “If you change your mind, let me know.”

  “Okay,” she said, although she knew it wasn’t going to happen. “Thanks again for taking me out tonight. I really did have fun.”

  “No prob,” he said. “I had fun, too. I hope everything ends up working out for you.”

  “Thanks.” She glanced at her bodyguard, who was waiting for her next to the car. “I guess I’ll see you around.”

  She turned and walked away, not looking back. Even though she’d let Zack down, she couldn’t help but smile—because while opening up and telling him the truth hadn’t been easy, it was the right thing to do.

  And if Jackson had witnessed what she’d just done, she knew he would be proud.

  chapter 24:

  Madison rolled over in bed and glanced at the glowing numbers on the clock. Two-thirty. After the bathing suit theft, everyone else had called it a night. Well, everyone except for Emily Nicole, whom Madison had been stuck rooming with, and who still hadn’t made it back from Perry’s room.

  But despite the lack of her loud-mouthed and apparently wild roommate, Madison had been tossing and turning since getting into bed. She kept replaying the conversation she’d had with Oliver at Ajax Tavern. She was glad that they were friends again, but her feelings for him were stronger than that, and she couldn’t make those feelings go away. She wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to tell him, but she was afraid. Because she feared that if he knew, it would ruin their friendship forever.

  She hated the thought of losing him again.

  She wanted to take a sleeping pill, but it was too late to take one without it making her sleep too late tomorrow. And being this restless was making her more restless, so she gave up trying to sleep, got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make some tea.

  She stopped in her tracks when she saw Savannah sitting at the kitchen table in her pink pajamas, hunched over her laptop. Savannah frowned at what she was reading, as if it upset her.

  Madison ducked behind a wall, trying to be as quiet as possible. She should go back to her room. Because if she had to meet someone late at night in the kitchen, Madison would have preferred it to be anyone but Savannah. The youngest Diamond sister had every reason to hate her.

  But Savannah had been through a lot tonight, and while it all still felt so new to Madison, Savannah was her sister. She should be there for her. So she stepped forward, slapping her feet extra loudly on the hardwood floor to warn her of her approach.

  Savannah looked up, her eyes widening when they met Madison’s. Her lips formed an O of surprise, and she clicked something on her laptop, pushing it away. “Hey,” she said. “I thought I was the only one still awake.”

  “I couldn’t sleep, so I came in here to make some tea.” Madison pointed at the Keurig. “I’ll be out of your way in a few minutes.”

  “You don’t have to get ‘out of my way,’” Savannah said. “You can stay here. If you want.”

  “Okay.” Madison made her cup of tea and joined Savannah. She wasn’t sure what to say, and she didn’t want to force her to talk about Perry if she didn’t want to, so she asked, “What were you looking at on your computer? You seemed pretty focused on it.”

  “Just YouTube stuff.” Savannah shrugged.

  Madison blew on her tea, watching the steam rise up. “For someone who has a YouTube channel taking off, you don’t sound too excited about it.”

  “I’m excited about it,” she said, although she didn’t sound convincing. “I’m getting a ton of video views.”

  “But it’s not happening like you imagined?”

  She blinked and rubbed at her eyes. “No, not really.” Her voice caught, and she sniffed, glancing up at the ceiling. “I’m sorry... I don’t want to cry.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” Madison said. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

  “It’s fine.” Savannah swallowed. “It’s just that people online can be so mean. I can’t stop mys
elf from looking at their comments, and it hurts.”

  “You just have to ignore them.” Madison made sure to sound strong, even though she knew it was harder than that. “Having people talk about you is the price you pay for putting yourself out there and being popular. Trust me, I know.”

  “True.” Savannah twisted a strand of hair around her finger, staring at her computer screen. “Most people are nice, but every time I see something negative, I wonder if this whole YouTube thing is worth it.”

  “Of course it’s worth it.” Madison sat forward and placed her hands on the table. “I’ve seen your videos—you’re amazing. People who say anything else are just jealous.”

  “That’s easy for you to say.” Savannah closed her laptop and pushed it across the table. “You’ve never put videos of yourself singing online for the entire world to rip apart.”

  “Maybe not,” Madison said. “But you’ve seen campusbuzz. People talk about me on there all the time.”

  “Yeah.” Savannah focused on stirring her hot chocolate. “People do say a lot of mean things about you on there. And about me and my sisters, too. How do you not let it affect you?”

  “It stung at first,” she admitted. “But you have to put yourself above it. Since I don’t want to see it, I don’t go on campus­buzz. Problem solved. It’s tempting to look, but I never do. Which is why I thought it was ridiculous when you and Peyton thought I was behind that one post about the three of you.”

  “I really am sorry about that.” Savannah brought her hair over her shoulder. “It was just that Peyton saw you take the picture that ended up in that post, so it made sense when she told me you wrote it.”

  “As long as you know now that I didn’t write it, it’s fine,” Madison said. Which was true, but she also didn’t want to talk about it. Because talking about it meant thinking about Oliver, which reminded her of how confused she was about her feelings for him. “I guess with your YouTube channel, it comes down to one question—how badly do you want this?”