by Hazel Kelly
“So what happened?” I asked. “Your friends needed a break from your lame come-ons?”
“I don’t come on to my friends,” he said. “I only come on to women I’m genuinely interested in.”
I squinted at him in an attempt to make him less blurry.
“Women like you.”
“You just want what you can’t have.”
He laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
He furrowed his brow. “That wasn’t a joke?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
I tilted an ear towards him. “Why would you think it was a joke?”
“Because there’s nothing I can’t have.”
I rolled my eyes. “Were you dropped on your head as a baby or something?”
“Actually, I was always more clever than most… until one summer when I made the mistake of kissing a girl in a noodle box.”
I looked down to hide the tangible blush he’d triggered.
“It’s only since then that I’ve been a fool.”
“You should get that checked out,” I said.
“I don’t need to. I already know the cure.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“Apparently, the spell will be broken when I kiss the same enchantress that made me an idiot in the first place.”
“Shame,” I said. “Looks like you’re going to be an idiot forever.”
“What if I weren’t your boss all of a sudden?” he asked. “Would you be more willing to let down your guard?”
I slid my slender glass towards me. “I’m pretty sure nothing good would come out of letting my guard down around you.”
“Hmm.”
“What?”
He shrugged. “Something tells me your body would disagree.”
“For the sake of argument, if the enchantress you spoke of let you kiss her- just to break the curse of your unbearable ignorance- would you stop all this nonsense?”
“What nonsense?”
“You know,” I said. “The flirtation and the lusting and the looking at me like I’m a perfectly dressed steak.”
“You mean a perfectly undressed steak.”
“Yeah. That’s exactly what I mean.”
“Perhaps,” he said. “Why? Would you be more likely to kiss me then?”
I shook my head. “No. I was just curious.”
“Do you always get this shitfaced when you go out?”
I craned my neck back. “Excuse me?”
“Is that an unfair question?”
“It is actually,” I said, the back of my neck suddenly hot. “And I’m not shitfaced.”
He laughed.
“Stop.”
“If you can tell me you’re not shitfaced without slurring, I might believe you.”
I folded my arms and looked around for Gia.
“Have breakfast with me,” he said.
“What did you just say?”
He reached for his glass. “I said have dinner with me.”
“That’s not what you said.”
He furrowed his brow. “Isn’t it?”
“No. It most certainly is not.”
He took a sip of champagne and licked his lips as he set his glass down. “Maybe you’re not as drunk as I thought.”
“Maybe I’m n-”
“Otherwise you would’ve just said yes the first time.”
“Watch it, Darling. I’m not too drunk to take offense.”
“And what about gracefully accepting a dinner invitation with a gentleman?”
I scoffed. “Sorry- are you supposed to be the gentleman in this scenario?”
He nodded.
“I think I’ll pass.”
“Why?” he asked. “If I were a woman and a relentless, handsome man were dying to wine and dine me, I’d let him.”
“Even if he was your boss?”
“Especially if he was my boss,” he said. “And thank you for not objecting to my slipping handsome in there.”
“Oh don’t get me wrong. I definitely object. I’m just beginning to realize that I have to pick and choose my battles with you.”
“Carlos will be here in five,” Gia said, sliding into the booth. “I’m so sorry,” she said to Adam. “But we sort of had other plans after this.”
“What plans?” he asked.
“Just a house party,” I said.
Gia fixed her eyes on me. “Would you rather stay here?”
I cocked my head. “It’s a little too late for you to ask now.”
“I can make sure you get home if you want to stay,” Adam said to me.
“I bet you can,” I said, not meeting his eye. “But my friends are expecting me.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “Because you’ve had a lot to drink and-”
I turned to him. “Stop acting like my fucking babysitter. I’m absolutely fine.”
Gia turned to Adam. “You can come if you want. Carlos is bringing his truck so it’ll be a tight squeeze but-”
“No he can’t,” I said. “He couldn’t abandon his friends like that.”
“Yes I can,” Adam said. “A house party sounds like fun.”
I put my head in my hands.
“In that case,” Gia said, “come with me.”
I lifted my face as she stood up.
“Stay here,” she said to me, pointing at the table like I was a dog who only understood basic hand gestures.
Adam raised his eyebrows at me like he was amused at the whole thing and followed her over to the bar. A moment later, Adam and one of the bartenders walked away together, and Gia joined me back at the table.
“That was amazing,” I said. “How did you manage to lose him?”
She furrowed her brow. “I didn’t. I just told him he had to swap clothes with Brandon if he wanted to come.”
I leaned forward. “What?”
“He can’t exactly roll up to a house party looking like he just walked off the red carpet.”
I laid a hand across my forehead. “Oh my god I hope you didn’t say that to him. That would go straight to his head.”
“I didn’t,” she said. “But you have to admit he totally looks like a celebrity.”
“I admit no such thing.”
She groaned. “Whatever. Some new digs will sort him out. I’d be so embarrassed if Carlos asked him for gas money or something.”
“Why did you even invite him?”
She fingered one of her large hoop earrings. “Because he’s my hot new boss that doesn’t know anybody, and his friends are too busy sucking face to show him a good time.”
“That’s not your problem,” I said.
“No,” she said. “But your sexual frustration is. Besides, now you have options.”
“What are you talking about?”
She placed her hands flat on the table. “Don’t you see? Now you’ll have a chance to see him and Brian side by side and realize what a complete idiot you’re being.”
“I’m just trying to do the right thing.”
“According to who?” she asked. “Your dad? Cause he’s not here.”
I swallowed. “Obviously I know that.”
“Loosen up then,” Gia said. “I mean it.” She drained half her champagne in one gulp. “Loosen up or go the fuck home.”
Chapter 16: Adam
I felt a bit foolish when I realized Gia wanted me to swap outfits with the bartender, but he was so impressed by my clothes I figured what the hell.
“How do I look,” I asked, stepping back up to the table.
“Perfect,” Gia said.
Jolie’s eyes dripped down my tight black t-shirt.
“Give us a spin,” Gia said.
I did as I was told and by the time I was facing them again, Jolie’s cheeks were pinker than I’d seen them yet.
“Let’s wait outside,” Gia said.
Jolie knocked her drink back, and I let the girls lead the way.
When Carlos pulled up outside the bar
a few minutes later blasting music I hadn’t heard for ten years, I had high hopes for the night.
Unfortunately, his narrow backseat was filled with an array of crap that seemed to have no more coherence than a garage sale so we all had to pile in the front. Gia climbed in first, taking the middle seat, and after Jolie and I forced our way in, she was practically sitting in my lap.
“I’m really sorry about this,” she said, her fragrant hair falling in my face every time we took a left hand turn.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, forbidding myself to get turned on.
“Would it be okay if we pretend you’re not our boss?” Gia asked. “I don’t want other people to feel like they have to censor themselves around you or-”
“I do,” Jolie said. “I want people to feel that way.”
“Can’t I just be a childhood friend in from out of town?” I asked. “That’s not even a lie.”
“I’m cool with that,” Gia said.
Jolie groaned.
Carlos drummed the steering wheel and sang along to the radio with an endearing level of enthusiasm.
Luckily for me, it only took fifteen minutes to get to the party, which was great because having Jolie in my lap in her short black skirt was making it too easy to forget I was her boss.
“I need a drink,” she said, scrambling out of the car when we arrived.
I got out and followed her up to the house. “So is there a special occasion I need to be aware of?” I asked, feeling naked without the obligatory bottle of wine that I would normally bring to a house party.
“It’s Brian’s sister’s birthday,” Gia said. “She’s 21.”
I furrowed my brow. “Shouldn’t the party be at a bar then?”
“Why?” Jolie asked. “It’s not like it’s her first drink.”
Carlos pushed the door open, and I was instantly hit by the smell of beer and sweat.
It didn’t take me long to realize that a lot of the other guests were practically jail bait and that Jolie was a lot drunker than she’d been when we left the bar.
“I normally bring something to parties like this,” I said as I closed the door behind us.
“Oh don’t worry,” Gia said, waving a hand as she weaved through the crowd. “Carlos has whatever you need.”
“No- I mean like a bottle of wine or something.”
“No need,” she said. “Just make sure you chip in for the keg.”
The prospect of a keg made me feel like a student again.
“Jolie!” The skinny blond guy manning the keg put his arms in the air and waved at her.
She forced her way through the cramped kitchen and gave him a hug.
He planted his lips on her cheek so her soft hair fell around his face, and I found myself wishing we were still squished in the car.
The guy seemed set on keeping his arm hooked around her neck but she wriggled free, pulled two cups from the stack, and nodded towards me.
Brian- I gathered- lifted his eyebrows in my direction and filled her cups first, ignoring the other people shoving around him.
Jolie lifted the cups in the air and headed towards me. I met her halfway.
“Did you see where Carlos and Gia went?” she asked, handing me a full Solo cup.
“Thanks,” I said, taking my beer and nodding towards the open back door. “I think they went outside.”
Jolie turned around and made a beeline for the fresh air, which actually felt cool compared to the sticky air in the house.
From the back porch, I noticed Gia and Carlos sitting at a picnic table in the yard.
“They’re over there,” I said, touching Jolie gently on the back.
She turned towards them, stepped off the porch, and kicked off her shoes so she could make her way through the grass.
Carlos moved something behind his back when we approached and waved his free hand in front of his face.
“It’s okay, Carlos,” I said, taking one look at Gia and knowing what they were up to. “Feel free to carry on.”
Gia squinted at me through red eyes. “Are you sure you’re cool with it?”
I shrugged. “It’s none of my business how you unwind.”
Carlos nodded approvingly and handed her the joint.
Jolie sat on the bench as if she were sidesaddle on a horse.
I walked around opposite her and took a seat next to Carlos.
“So are you and Brian a thing?” I asked, taking a sip of beer.
She swiveled around and looked at me. “What’s it to you?”
“Just curious,” I said. “He’s obviously into you.”
“He wishes he were into me,” she said, staring down at her cup.
“I see.”
Gia held the joint out. “Want some?”
I lifted a palm between us. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Jolie?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
For a second, I swear she looked at me to see how I would react. And while I didn’t think there was anything sinister about enjoying the occasional joint, I knew she was drunk enough that weed would only cut her good time short.
“Yeah, sure,” she said, reaching for it.
My lips fell apart, but I knew voicing my concern would only piss her off and make her drag on it even harder.
She kept her eyes on me as she puffed it. Then she handed it back to Gia before blowing the smoke in my direction. Halfway through exhaling, she started coughing her ass off.
“Oh shit,” Carlos said. “That’s gonna get you.” He finished the joint and stomped it out in the grass. “What do you want to drink, babe?” he asked Gia.
“I’ll come with you,” she said. “I want to say hi to the birthday girl before I get too shitty.” Gia stood up and put her hand on Jolie’s shoulder. “You going to stay here?”
She nodded.
“Call me if you need anything.”
“Yep,” Jolie said, dragging out the word.
Gia pointed at me. “Keep an eye on her. She never smokes.”
“I’m fine,” Jolie said, putting her elbows on the table.
“Thanks for letting me tag along,” I said after Gia walked away. “I hope I’m not cramping your style too much.”
Jolie sighed. “I’m actually glad you’re here.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You are?”
She nodded. “I’d rather talk to you than any of these people.”
“Color me flattered.”
She pointed at me. “Don’t let that go to your head.”
I lifted my hands. “Of course not.”
She raised her beer and then, thinking better of it, set it back down. “I’m really embarrassed to be this fucked up in front of you.”
“Don’t be.”
Her glazed eyes flitted up at me. “I don’t want you to lose respect for me just because I had a few too many slippery nipples.”
I laughed. “You’d have to behave a lot worse than this to disappoint me, Jolie. Don’t worry about it.”
“Maybe you should drink faster and catch up,” she said. “So you can feel like you’re on a teacup ride, too.”
I scrunched my face. “You have the spins?”
She squinted and pinched two fingers together. “Little bit.”
“We’ll stay out here in the fresh air then.”
“Is that okay?” she asked.
“Of course.”
“Did you mean what you said before?” she asked.
“Can you be more specific?”
She twirled the long string of beads around her neck. “About the enchantress and the kiss and the cure?”
“What are you asking me?”
“Did you really drag your ass all the way down here just so you could kiss me again in the noodle box?”
I laughed. “I want to kiss you in a lot more places than the noodle box.”
She glanced down at her lap.
“Why do you ask?”
“That’s not okay,” she said, lifting her face. “
For you to say things like that.”
“I wish I could tell you I was sorry,” I said. “But I’ve always felt that honesty was the best policy.”
“I have a job to do,” she said. “People look up to me. I can’t just sleep with you like we’re seventeen again.”
“That’s fine. To be frank, I expect it’ll be even better than it was that summer.” God knows I was eager to prove to her that I wasn’t a bumbling amateur anymore.
“There you go acting like it’s definitely going to happen again,” she said. “Stop doing that.”
I sighed. “Fine. But I can’t promise I’m going to stop liking you or stop being attracted to you.”
“How is that even possible? I’ve been nothing but a bitch to you since you arrived.”
“I’m afraid my tolerance for difficult women might surprise you.”
“Whatever,” she said, crossing her arms. “I’m not going to kiss you. So if that’s why you came here tonight-”
“Relax. I’m not going to try anything.” She was way too drunk. Besides, when it finally happened, I wanted her to actually remember it.
I turned our conversation to some lighter topics- paddle boarding, stupid shit I did in college, what I remembered about the hotel all those years ago- and she loosened up even more, her eyes sparkling as she laughed and nursed her beer.
But by midnight I could tell she was sleepy, and when I asked around, I got the sense that Carlos and Gia were busy having their own party for two.
So in the end, while it wasn’t exactly the way I imagined it, I did get to take her home.
Chapter 17: Jolie
If the dull throbbing in my head was anything to go by, I wasn’t quite ready to open my eyes.
I kept them squeezed shut and rolled over, pulling the comforter up and tucking it tightly around my neck as I curled into a ball.
That’s when I realized something was wrong.
The weight of the comforter felt strange. And the pillow beneath my head was odd as well, as if it were downier than usual.
Furthermore, something was digging into my chest. My bra. I was still wearing it… along with my skirt.
My eyes popped open, and I recognized the pale blue wallpaper instantly.
I wasn’t at my house. I was in a Harmony Bay Hotel Room.
I craned my neck up over the thick comforter and looked around. The room was virtually empty except for a briefcase on the desk and a phone charger sticking out of the plug on the other side of the bed.
