by Autumn Reed
Selfie? Should I know what that is? He must mean a picture of me.
Me: How do I do that?
Liam: You’re so adorable. Nevermind; I’ll show you next time I see you.
I slid my phone in my pocket and stepped up to the counter next to Chase, Theo, and Jackson. Facing a wall of scary clowns, we each held onto our water guns and aimed at the target. When the starting bell rang, water shot from the end, and the lighthearted trash talk began.
Before I knew it, the buzzer sounded, signaling a winner. The game attendant announced Jackson as the winner before Jackson selected a stuffed Despicable Me Minion as his prize.
Jackson held out the stuffed Minion. “For you, Miss Jones.”
I shook my head. “You won it fair and square.”
He offered it again. “I know, but I want you to have it.”
I smiled and accepted the adorable Minion. If any of the other guys had done the same, I wouldn’t have been surprised, but this was Jackson. Maybe he didn’t dislike me as much as I thought.
The number of people in the park was dwindling, and I could sense that it was almost closing time. A voice announced over the loudspeaker, “The park is closing in ten minutes. Please proceed to the exit and visit again soon.”
Chase said, “Come on, let’s get ice cream at that spot on the boardwalk.”
We exited the park, the bright candy-colored lights shining on the surface of the ocean. The breeze coming off the water was cool but pleasant as we walked along the lit pathway.
“What flavor are you going to get, Haley?” Chase asked.
“I don’t know. I usually get mint chocolate chip, but maybe I’ll try something new.”
Theo chimed in. “Oh, you have to try something adventurous. This place has great flavors, many of them quite original, like avocado.”
“Yuck. Why would you ruin ice cream by adding avocado?” Jackson asked.
Theo immediately responded. “I don’t know, I kind of liked it.”
Chase laughed. “Of course you did, Theo. You like anything novel and unique.” Theo made a face as if to disagree and then shrugged in good-natured resignation.
“What about you, Jackson?” I asked. “I know you’re not getting avocado, so are you a vanilla person? Chocolate?”
He smirked. “Last time I had raspberry brownie. I’m really hoping they have that again.”
“I’ve been dying to try the peanut butter chocolate covered pretzel, but I never seem to come on the right day. Ethan raves about it,” Chase said, holding the door open for me.
“Um, that sounds like a winner.” I smiled.
The four of us savored our homemade ice cream in fresh waffle cones as we sat on the edge of the boardwalk overlooking the ocean. We had each selected a different flavor—blackberry sorbet for Jackson, cookies and cream for Chase, honey fig ricotta for Theo, and white chocolate raspberry for me.
Theo held out his cone, placing it inches from my face. “You have to try this; it’s amazing.”
After riding the Giant Dipper, trying an unusual ice cream flavor seemed like a piece of cake. I took a lick. Expecting it to taste slightly sour, I was pleasantly surprised by the savory, rich flavor that melted on my tongue.
With the waves crashing in the distance, I reflected on the last few hours with a sense of awe. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect day. Now surrounded by Chase, Theo, and Jackson, it seemed almost too good to be true, the reality exceeding even my daydreams.
Rumors & Rivalry
I checked the clock on my computer, shocked to find that it was almost noon on Friday. The week since my boardwalk adventure had flown by, and none of the guys had mentioned any plans for this weekend. I tried to keep my expectations low; I knew we couldn’t maintain that kind of pace every weekend, but I still hoped I would get to do something fun. There were still so many things in the area I wanted to see and do.
A box lit up in the bottom corner of my monitor, indicating an instant message. I wonder who that could be from? Melissa was the only person who sent me instant messages, and she was off today. If any of the guys wanted to contact me, they usually just texted me.
I saw the name “Tyler Mason” on the message box, and a face immediately came to mind. I met Tyler in the copy room earlier in the week, and we chatted for a few minutes. He seemed nice, but all I really knew about him was that he was a member of Team Falcon and considered Starbucks Frappuccinos a guilty pleasure.
When I read the message, I almost jolted out of my seat in surprise. He wants to meet me for lunch? What should I do?
Deciding I didn’t have a good reason to say no and didn’t want to be rude, I agreed to meet him in the café downstairs in fifteen minutes. I tried not to panic as I contemplated an entire meal alone with someone who was virtually a stranger. Of course, considering the events of the past month, it shouldn’t be a big deal; mere weeks ago Theo and Knox were complete strangers, and now I was living with them. My heart tried to tell me it was different with my guys, but I knew it was basically the same thing.
Entering the café, I wiped my hands on my slacks and tried to calm my nerves. Tyler was standing near the entrance and gave me a huge smile when he spotted me. Tall and handsome, with broad shoulders and ebony skin, he looked sharp in a blush pink button-down shirt and charcoal slacks. He could have looked imposing with his shaved head and goatee, but when he smiled, all I could see was kindness.
“Haley, thanks for coming; I’m glad you could make it on such short notice.”
“Of course. It was kind of you to ask.”
He laughed, “I don’t think requesting the pleasure of your company makes me kind so much as selfish, but I’ll take it.”
Tyler led me through the line, selecting a large wrap for himself and providing pointers on the best dishes. He reached the cash register first, and by the time I arrived, he had already paid for both our lunches.
“How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing. Lunch is on me.” He smiled. “Let’s snag a table outside before they’re all gone.”
I didn’t know what else to say, apart from thank you. I felt just as awkward pushing the issue as I did about accepting the free lunch.
We grabbed one of the few empty tables on the outdoor patio. Surrounded by a waist-high metal fence and planter boxes, the patio bordered the sidewalk and provided a good vantage point for people watching. Shaded from the sun by a large canvas umbrella, we sat facing each other as we ate.
“So, Haley. Tell me about yourself.”
Wanting to stall for a moment, I took a sip of ice water. This was the part of the conversation I had been dreading. Even though I shared part of my fake background with Melissa, the thought of lying still made me uneasy. Hopefully I could evade at least some of his questions.
“There’s not that much to tell. I grew up near Reno and just recently moved to Santa Cruz. I like to read and I try to run almost every day. I’m boring, really. How about you?”
“I very much doubt that you’re boring, but I’ll let that go for now. I’m from the Bay Area and I grew up wanting to be a professional football player. When it became obvious I would never reach that level, I decided to attend Stanford and started working at Zenith part-time until I graduated last spring and joined Falcon.”
“Wow, Stanford. What did you study?”
He smiled, his bright white teeth gleaming. “Believe it or not, I was a chemistry major.”
I raised one eyebrow. “Okay, football player I believe. Chemist . . . not so much.”
Tyler laughed, “I know, I know. I’ve heard it a million times. You know, not all science geeks wear pocket protectors.”
Wanting to keep the conversation revolving around him, I asked, “So, how is it that you’re working in private security instead of a chemistry-related job?”
“What can I say? I’m good at science, but working in a lab gets boring. And I enjoy what I do at Zenith too much to give that up.”
His answer should have surprised me, but
it sounded familiar. What was it with guys who seemed obviously overqualified for private security working at Zenith? Once again, I knew I was missing a vital piece of information. And while it often seemed possible (based on the ridiculous number of incredibly hot guys), I seriously doubted the missing link was that Zenith was secretly a male modeling agency.
“So I heard a rumor about you living with the Bennett brothers. Is that why you’re working at Zenith?”
He heard a rumor? There were rumors going around about me?
“Yes. When Theo found out I was moving to the area, he offered me a room at his place and helped me get the job here.”
Tyler cleared his throat, suddenly looking a little hesitant. “So are you and Theo . . .” he trailed off. When I didn’t immediately respond, he continued, “An item?”
Surprised, I responded, “No, um, we’re just friends.”
Why was he asking me this? I hoped it was just curiosity and not . . . something else. He was attractive, but I had enough drama in my life at the moment, and I could never be honest with Tyler about who I really was.
He wiped his brow, his movements exaggerated. “Well, that is a relief. I didn’t want to start a West Side Story situation in the office by asking you to lunch.”
“What?” I’m sure my face betrayed my sincere confusion over his comment.
“It’s not a big deal, but Team Falcon and Team Jaguar are considered rivals. It’s mostly friendly competition, but several of the guys take it a little too seriously.”
“Really? I had no idea.”
“Yeah, our teams are about the same age and experience level, plus everyone wants the good assignments.”
Thankfully, he changed the subject to his favorite Bay Area haunts, and the rest of the lunch passed without further awkward conversation. As I made my way back to my desk, I had to admit that I enjoyed the lunch. Tyler was friendly and easy to talk to. Maybe I did have the ability to make a friend without extenuating circumstances involved.
* * *
A few hours later, I was lounging on the couch reading The Great Gatsby when Liam strolled into the loft carrying a fancy glass bottle with a red satin bow tied around the neck. He looked dressed for a night out in his black slacks and crisp white fitted button-down shirt, open at the neck with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Despite how uncomfortable he often made me, I couldn’t deny the slight uptick in my heartbeat at the mere sight of him.
“Ahhh, the lady of leisure.” He smirked as I side-eyed him. My calendar for tonight listed Knox; since Knox hadn’t mentioned anything specific, I was expecting a quiet evening in.
I reached for my phone. “Did the schedule change again?”
Several times within the past week, my schedule had changed without much notice. Babysitting me was probably a low priority for the guys, but every time I tried to ask about the change in plans, I received vague answers. I wasn’t sure what was going on—work, family, girlfriends; all I could do was speculate.
“No, but I wish I could have you all to myself.” His gray eyes danced.
“Is anyone else coming over?”
Before Liam could answer, Knox and Theo walked down the hallway from the garage with Chase following behind. They each set a large cardboard box on the kitchen counter, and I could hear glass rattling gently.
I closed my book and placed it on the couch before standing up. “What’s going on?”
Theo smiled. “We’re just having a little get-together.”
Based on the number of boxes seemingly filled with alcohol, it didn’t look like a “little” get together.
Chase interjected. “We’re having a stock-the-bar party for Theo’s twenty-first birthday!” He gave me a one-arm hug before following Knox back down the hall to the garage. Liam went to the kitchen and started pulling items out of the fridge.
“A what?” I shook my head and looked at Theo. “Wait. It’s your birthday, and you’re just now telling me? How was I supposed to get you a present if I didn’t know?”
“Relax, Haley; it’s not even my real birthday until Sunday.” Theo pulled several bottles out of the box. “And besides, I don’t need a present.”
“Liam brought you a gift. You have to let me get you something. I want to.”
He shook his head and continued setting up for the party. A few moments later, he said, “You know, now that I think about it, there is something you can give me.”
“Yeah . . .” I tilted my head to the side, waiting.
“It’s my birthday wish. And it would be cruel to deny me the one and only thing I want for my twenty-first birthday.” Theo grinned in such a way that I could tell he was up to something, and the possibilities made me nervous.
“Okay, Theo. What is it?”
“I want you to wear the dress to the party.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively as he said “the dress.”
Liam looked at me from behind Theo, confusion written on his face, but I knew that Theo was referring to the sapphire dress we bought on my first day in Santa Cruz. The one that made me look and feel fantastic but was considerably outside of my comfort zone.
I raised my eyebrow. “Won’t I be a tad over-dressed?” I was ignoring Liam’s attire for the moment; like Jackson, he was always on the dressy side.
Theo scoffed. “No. Trust me, Haley. You will be perfect. Have I ever steered you wrong?”
He had a point, but I still wasn’t ready to agree. Distracted by Chase and Knox returning with a large stainless steel barrel, I realized I had more pressing questions. “So what is a stock-the-bar party anyway?”
Liam stuck his head out from behind the fridge. “Basically, guests bring a bottle of alcohol like this one,” he held up the bottle with the red ribbon, “or an alcohol-related gift, like shot glasses, to contribute to Theo’s home bar.”
“I see. So exactly how many guests are we expecting?”
Knox set down the latest box on the counter and looked toward Theo. “You kept it to thirty, right?” Thirty!
Theo fluttered about, acting as if he hadn’t heard. Knox spoke louder, almost growling. “Theo?”
Theo grinned sheepishly. “It may be a few more than thirty.”
Knox glared at Theo. “How many?”
Theo turned toward the kitchen and muttered, “Somewhere around forty.”
Forty. Forty people. A wave of dizziness hit me at the thought. Feeling a palm tracing large circles on my upper back, I turned to find Chase’s understanding smile. My panic began to ease, calmed by his presence and gentle touch.
Knox quickly glanced over the supplies. “We’re going to need more cups, ice, and booze. I have time to run out, right?” He looked at Theo. “Or did you change the start time, too?” Knox sounded annoyed, but we all knew he would do anything for Theo’s birthday.
Theo grinned. “Still set for eight.”
I glanced at the clock. Eight? That’s only a little over an hour away.
“Why don’t you call Jackson and have him pick it up on the way?” Liam said.
Knox responded, “Jax is coming a little later because he’s bringing Penny. I’ll text Ethan; he should get here early anyway.”
Penny? Who is Penny? Chase spoke, interrupting my attempt to envision Jackson’s girlfriend, Penny. “Come on, Haley. Want to give me a hand?”
I nodded and followed Chase to the kitchen counter where we started removing bottles from the boxes. Theo combed through records while Liam prepared food and Knox worked on various tasks around the house.
With the dishwasher running and music playing in the background, I would have been relaxed were it not for the impending party. I struggled to stay calm, but I was getting more and more anxious the closer it got to eight. Still adjusting to meeting new people and forging friendships, the idea of taking on thirty plus strangers at once seemed completely overwhelming. I wished I could hide in my room all evening, but I knew Theo would never let me get away with it.
As I sliced lemons for the bar, I wondered ho
w long they had been planning the party. Knowing Theo, he would have been preparing for a while.
“So . . . were you guys planning to tell me about the party at some point?”
Theo walked over and pulled me aside, speaking to me in a low voice. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Haley. I just didn’t want you to freak out about it. I want you to have a good time.” His eyes were questioning, pleading.
Appreciating that Theo was just looking out for me, I nodded. I would have to put my limited acting skills to work tonight, because I wanted him to enjoy his party despite my anxiety. He gave me a quick hug, squeezing me with my arms pinned to my side, before returning to the record collection.
I went back to slicing while Liam took the lemons I had already cut and started placing them on a divided dish. “Isn’t there something you would like to tell us, Haley?”
I furrowed my brow; I wasn’t planning any parties that I knew of. And apart from my plan to go to San Francisco at some point (which I definitely wasn’t going to tell them about), there were no real secrets I was currently keeping. Do they know I e-mailed Jessica?
Shrugging my shoulders, I asked, “Did you have something specific in mind?”
Liam leaned over the counter. “Perhaps your lunch date with Tyler.” He winked.
My jaw dropped in surprise and embarrassment. I couldn’t believe Liam already knew about my lunch with Tyler and that he referred to it as a date.
Knox interjected. “Wait. Haley, is this true?”
“Yes, but for your information, it wasn’t a date.” I could feel myself getting warm.
Liam smirked. “Oh ho ho, thou dost protest too much. Believe it or not, he is besotted with you.”
Theo groaned. “Oh Haley, how could you? The Falcons are always trying to outdo us, but this is low, even for them.”
I struggled to maintain my composure. “Are you saying that Tyler only asked me to lunch because of your little rivalry? And how do you even know about it, Liam? Were you spying on me?”
Theo just shook his head, looking apologetic, and Liam rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. I saw the two of you eating at the sidewalk café. It certainly looked like a date to me.”
