by M. H. Soars
But I knew myself well enough to realize that forgetting Matthew wasn’t going to be easy. It would be a long time before I could be alone in the same room with him again. I needed to find something or someone to help me forget him. I gave my reflection a weak but determined smile. It was time to put on the full Sam Munroe charm.
CHAPTER 7
Samantha
I had already done my makeup and hair when Alexia finally came in to switch the bags. I didn’t even need to look at her to know that she had done nothing with her hair, and she was wearing minimal makeup, if any. I was determined that Alexia got all the attention she deserved from the opposite sex tonight. Besides, I needed a wing man – well, woman.
As I worked on her hair, I thought how silly my love trouble really was. Yeah, the guy I loved didn’t love me back. Boo-hoo. At least I had the freedom to fall in love with someone else. I wasn’t trapped by a thousand year old Prophecy. Alexia wouldn’t have any choice in the matter. She would feel compelled to fall in love with whoever the Prophecy guy was. What if he was a hideous beast with bad breath and the personality of a door? The reason she hadn’t felt anything substantial toward Thomas was because of the damn Prophecy. She wouldn’t feel anything deeper for Ethan, either.
Of course, the whole point of falling in love was that you didn’t have a choice in the matter. I was the perfect example of how pathetic a person in love could be. I wished that I could choose not to be in love with Matthew, and maybe if we didn’t live in the same house, I might have already moved on. But I could no longer use that as an excuse, especially after hearing from Matthew’s mouth that he didn’t feel anything more than friendship toward me. I had to rip him out of my heart no matter what.
I returned my attention to Alexia. Very reluctantly, she let me revamp her makeup after I finished with her hair. I convinced her to wear it in a high ponytail, so people could appreciate her bare back.
She was wearing a cute, short navy romper that crisscrossed in the back, and off-white, high-heeled, ankle-strap sandals that I had picked out. If left to her own devices, she would probably wear a white cotton summer dress and flat shoes. Yuck!
My new dress was a black silk blend number, also backless. It had a boat neck collar and a deep drop in the back, all the way to my waist. It was snug, but not too tight, and it came down to just above my knees. The dress was sexy, but it had a certain edginess to it that fit my mood perfectly. I didn’t want to appear soft or tame.
I French braided my hair in the front and held it sideways in a low ponytail. I gave myself one more look in the mirror and turned to face Alexia. She looked uncomfortable, but she had to get out of her shell eventually.
“Shall we?” I asked her, offering my arm. She just nodded and laced her arm through mine.
Alexia
I had broken all my resolutions today, and I felt like a weakling. I had promised myself I wouldn’t let Sam bully me into getting anything new for the party, but I ended up coming home with not only a new outfit, but a new pair of shoes that I would probably never wear again. I had also vowed that I wouldn’t let Sam doll me up, but here I was, wearing enough makeup to qualify for the next Miss America pageant.
My mortification increased when we went downstairs and found the guys waiting for us. They looked us up and down, with their mouths slightly open. Sean even catcalled. Mia joined them below, coming from the game room holding her beloved Nikkon camera.
“Stop drooling, guys,” she teased.
Why couldn’t I have dressed like Mia? She was wearing a pair of jeans and a nice top. She looked comfortable, and I wished I had held my ground with Sam.
The guys had cleaned up nice, for sure. There were Zach and Sean, our very own in-house Greek Gods, looking more golden and dashing than usual. They were both wearing similar designer jeans, but Zach had on a button-down shirt and a blazer that fit perfectly. Sean wore a crazy-print t-shirt and Converse sneakers. I guess the DJ could get away with a more casual ensemble. His hair was also styled wilder than Zach’s. I bet it had taken him a good hour to achieve that messed-up, just out-of-bed look.
Matt looked like James Bond even though he was only wearing a blazer, not a tux. The blazer accentuated his aristocratic features, but his exotic yellow cat eyes gave him a hint of danger.
After his initial shock at seeing me all dressed up, he only had eyes for Sam. It was like he was seeing her for the first time. His jaw tensed, and there was an intensity in his gaze that I had never seen before. For a moment I thought his eyes were glowing, but he blinked and they were normal. I had probably imagined it.
If I had any doubts that Matt had feelings for Sam, what I just witnessed erased them. I hadn’t for a second bought Matt’s denial earlier. He had answered my question way too quickly and had avoided my eyes.
The idea of a relationship between him and Sam seemed really weird. They had grown up together, like brother and sister. Even if that had not been the case, relationships between first cousins were still considered taboo and incestuous by many. I really hoped that whatever was going on between them remained simply platonic.
“All right, let’s rock n’ roll!” Sean said and motioned everyone to follow him to the garage. He had already loaded his equipment into the Audi A3 he shared with Zach.
Matt had volunteered to drive as well, which created a bit of tension between him and Sam. If they weren’t still at odds with one another, Sam and I could have gone with him. But since that wasn’t the case, I felt torn between my two best friends. Mia, having caught my distress, quickly climbed on board Matt’s Jeep, dragging me along with her. Before I got in, I glanced briefly in Sam’s direction but she was already inside Sean and Zach’s car.
Julian’s house, if you could call it a house, was nestled above the famed San Ysidro Ranch, one of the most prestigious areas of Montecito, garnering beautiful ocean and mountain views. There was a curved portico, and formal English gardens and trickling fountains encompassed the property. And of course, there was a valet. I felt like I was about to hang out with Cher from Clueless and her friends. As I got out of the car, I couldn’t help but gawk in wonder. My family had money, but nothing like that.
Julian was at the front door, playing the role of host perfectly and greeting all of his guests. He was flanked by two women dressed as Hula girls who were distributing leis to people as they arrived. I guess the party was themed after a Hawaiian luau and that made me even more excited. Hawaii was my dream destination. I had been to a few luau-themed parties before, but they were actually kind of lame, since it was hard to create a proper beach atmosphere in the middle of the desert.
We reached Julian first. Sean was unloading his equipment, and Zach and Sam stayed behind to help him. Matt wanted to know if they needed an extra hand, but Mia waved him off and told him to go on with me. She said she would stay behind to help. I saw the conflict on Matt’s face. He wanted to stay near Sam, but he didn't want to leave me alone with the wolves, either.
Even though my cousins had attended the same private school for years, I had never been introduced to any of their classmates or attended any school parties. My summer visits were strictly family affairs.
I could have suggested that we all help, but I sensed that Sam was avoiding Matt on purpose. She was probably still mad at him for his outburst at the airport, and I wasn’t going to be the one to cause a confrontation between them. Without giving him a chance to change his mind, I laced my arm through his and dragged him to the party’s main entrance.
Julian’s face lit up when he saw me, but I noticed his gaze trailed to a point over my shoulder. He was looking for Sam. I would have to make an extra effort to keep Matt far away from Julian, as well. I wondered if I would be able to enjoy the party at all.
Julian’s eyes widened slightly when he found what he was looking for, but he quickly recovered and went on to give me a hug and kiss me on the cheek. I couldn’t help blushing, and I immediately felt Matt tense up next to me. To my relief, he was pol
ite to Julian.
I led him inside, and we managed to take a few steps before he stopped and turned around just in time to see Sam greet Julian. His body stiffened. I pulled his arm. “Matt, come on.”
He had his face turned away from me, his gaze trained on Sam and Julian talking, like an attack dog ready to pounce. I pulled his arm again, this time more forcibly, and he finally shook his head and turned to look at me. His face was like an ice sculpture, cold and menacing. It gave me shivers, and I was afraid to say anything. I just took a deep breath and dragged him far away from the scene before us.
I was feeling anxious, but the moment I stepped outside the house into the pool area, I was immediately transported to Hawaii. Julian must have spent a fortune decorating his ‘backyard.’ I couldn’t see grass, or floor, because every single surface was covered by white beach sand. There were tiny coconut trees that seemed to have been brought in especially for the party, tiki torches spread throughout the patio, and tiki bars everywhere so guests wouldn’t have to walk far in order to get a beverage. The tables had beautiful centerpiece decorations with wild flowers and candles in real coconut shells.
On one end of the huge outside area I saw a group of Hula dancers entertaining a small crowd of guys. No surprise there. Further back, next to the DJ stage and under the covered area, there was a large buffet table covered with all sorts of typical luau food: kalua pig, teriyaki beef, mahi-mahi, laulau, mochiko chicken.
Many people were already there, all dressed to the nines and wearing their leis. Some of the girls wore flowers, probably stolen from the centerpieces, behind their ears. They were all wearing really nice clothes and shoes, and I thought maybe Sam had been right to insist I dress up too.
I didn’t know any of the people in the crowd, but I noticed that Julian’s guest list was eclectic. There were the jocks, naturally, easily recognizable even without their varsity jackets on. You could tell by their athletic builds and by the way they behaved like they owned the place. However, I also saw people who could easily belong to the chess club or write for the school newspaper. Luckily, I didn’t see anyone who looked like they belonged to the cheerleading squad.
I was mainly looking for Ethan. The party had barely started, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that he wasn’t here. He probably wasn’t going to come, anyway.
I sighed and realized I was still holding Matt’s arm. I wanted to ask him if he was okay, but he got pulled away from me before I could. I let go of him and saw that he had been engulfed by a sea of pink sequins. When he finally resurfaced, I found myself staring at the love child of Barbie and Cher.
“Hey Alexia, let me introduce you to Gillian. She is the smartest blonde I know,” Matt said.
I just stared at her in shock. I should have felt offended by Matt’s comment, because I was a blonde. But I found myself mesmerized by the five-foot-nine flamingo in heels in front of me.
She laughed too loudly for my taste as she hit Matt’s arm playfully. She sounded like a hyena with the hiccups, and I had to keep myself from flinching. She finally looked in my direction.
“Nice to meet you, Alexia! Matt talks sooo much about you! I feel like we're already BFFs!” To my chagrin, she hugged me. I stayed frozen in place, gave Matt my most evil stare over her shoulder, and mouthed, “What the heck?”
He chuckled. Her embrace didn’t last long, thank God. Her perfume was already giving me a headache. Who freaking wore Opium in the summer? Gillian turned her attention back to Matt, and I used that opportunity to escape.
I looked toward the DJ station and saw Sean setting up, but I didn’t see anyone else. I was tempted to go to him, but on second thought I didn’t want to be in his way, since he was working. Instead, I headed to the nearest tiki bar.
“What can I do for you, beautiful girl?” asked a very attractive bartender. He had olive skin and straight, shoulder-length hair pulled back in a ponytail. His eyes were the lightest green I had ever seen, and his smile belonged in a toothpaste commercial. I pegged him to be four or five years older than me.
“Can I have a piña colada, please? But not too strong,” I added as an afterthought. I loved piña coladas, but I didn’t want to get trashed tonight. I wasn’t a big drinker, but piña coladas were my weakness. The problem with them was that they didn’t taste like they had any alcohol in them.
Mr. Smile nodded and prepared my cocktail. While I waited, a group of girls approached the bar and waited their turn, trying their best to catch Mr. Smile’s attention. It turned out I had picked the most popular bartender at the party.
“Here you go sweetie. Not too strong, just like you asked,” he said as he handed me my drink and winked at me. I wished he hadn’t said anything, because it caused the girls next to me snicker.
“You didn’t give her a virgin, did you?” asked one of the girls, while the others laughed. “I thought that all the 'clean and pure' mindless zombies were at camp.”
I couldn’t help but notice the venom the girl used when she said the word ‘camp.’ Was she talking about the cheer camp? Did she think that I was a lost cheerleader? Just the thought gave me the creeps. I could have said something to them, but I decided to ignore them.
Not in the mood to hear any more hurtful comments, I quickly put some distance between me, Mr. Smile, and his groupies. I was embarrassed about the whole incident. Who cared if I was drinking a virgin cocktail or not?
While I was having my internal debate I failed to notice two jocks playing catch right in my path. Jock number one had thrown the ball to jock number two, who had to run backwards to catch the stupid ball. He bumped against me, making me lose my balance and spill my drink all over my brand new outfit. As I felt myself falling in slow motion, I kept thinking, stupid shoes, stupid shoes! I didn’t land on the fake beach sand but on something a little more padded and warm. Somebody’s lap! Kill me now. Mortified, I turned to see my unwitting savior and looked straight into emerald green eyes. Ethan.
“Hello there,” he said, trying to hide his smirk and failing miserably.
“Hi.” It was all I could manage. I was shocked, my head was buzzing.
The jocks apologized and offered to get me a new drink, but I dismissed them with a wave of my hand without taking my eyes off Ethan. They said a quick hello to him and walked away, but I barely noticed.
My heart was racing so fast, it was almost impossible to breathe. I couldn’t believe he had come. We were so close that I could smell his cologne, citric and fresh, and I could feel his warmth through his clothes. One of his hands was touching my bare skin, sending tingling sensations through my body. I involuntarily licked my lips, and his gaze trailed to my mouth. Then I heard my name. It took me a while to realize Sam was calling me. She had to show up now? I realized I was still sitting on Ethan’s lap and quickly jumped off.
“There you are,” she said. “I was looking all over for you, but I see you've found better company.” Her gaze narrowed on Ethan.
Thank God the tiki torches only provided a dim light, so neither Sam nor Ethan could see me blushing. I didn’t want to leave Ethan’s side, but I was all too aware that I was covered in piña colada.
I turned to look at him. “I have to see if I can get, uh, less sticky. Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be waiting here for you,” he replied with intensity in his eyes, like he couldn’t get enough of me. I had to fight hard not to swoon. I quickly grabbed Sam’s arm and hauled her with me. I needed to find a bathroom in the house. I suspected I would need a map.
“You can let go of my arm now, Alexia,” Sam said.
“Oops, sorry!” I apologized as I let of go of it. I hadn’t realized I was still clutching her.
She laughed and continued: “I have to confess that I’m impressed.”
“I don’t understand, and what's so funny?” I hugged myself, trying to hide the big stain on my outfit.
She put her hands on her hips and gave me a challenging look. “Really? Do yo
u have to ask? I left you alone for two seconds and that was all the time you needed to find your way onto Ethan’s lap. That must be some kind of record.”
“It wasn’t like that. I fell,” I said, embarrassed.
“On his lap?” She raised an eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes and tried not to grin. “Yes, I’m that talented. Do you know where the bathroom is in this house?” I didn’t want to waste any more time getting grilled by Sam while Ethan was waiting for me outside.
CHAPTER 8
Samantha
Instead of taking Alexia to the powder room downstairs, I headed to the main staircase. It reminded me of the one in Gone with the Wind, where Scarlett O’Hara had that big fight with Rhett Butler and tumbled down the steps. I just hoped that I never had to play Scarlett to Julian’s Rhett. Talk about a dramatic couple. Since my new resolution of today, I had sworn off any kind of complicated romance.
“Where are we going?” Alexia asked behind me.
“The powder room downstairs will be crowded. Julian said I was welcome to his entire house, and I think that includes one of the many bathrooms upstairs.” I climbed the stairs quickly.
“So you were with Julian all this time?” Alexia asked. I was expecting that line of questioning. It was another reason I had wanted to use one of the bathrooms on the second floor.
I didn’t reply immediately. We reached the landing only to find ourselves in a massive hallway that seemed to go for miles in both directions. Julian’s house screamed wealth, and the hallway wasn’t any different. There were several expensive looking oil paintings on both walls interspersed with many closed doors along the way. I turned right and opened the first door. It was a bedroom, but I didn’t see any telltale signs that anyone was occupying it at the moment, so I walked in. Alexia followed me inside and shut the door.
