Dave smiled and exchanged glances with Rick. A gold crown on one of his teeth caught the firelight and flashed. “Pinyon staff’s been coming here forever, but you’re a junior, right? We figured we didn’t want to corrupt you too early.” Everyone cracked up.
Celeste smacked Dave on the shoulder. “Well, I’m a big girl now, so you don’t have to worry. In fact, you can get me a beer.” She pointed to a big red cooler half buried in the sand.
Dave bent over and rummaged through the ice. “You girls want Miller Lite or Natty Light?”
“Um, Natty, I guess,” Celeste said, and accepted a dripping cold bottle.
“I brought my own,” Devon said.
“What?” Celeste turned to her friend.
Devon smiled wickedly and dug into her handbag to pull out a large silver flask. “I’m going classy tonight,” she said, and twisted off the cap.
Celeste laughed. “You are going something—I’m not sure classy is the word for it, though. Where’d you get the flask?”
Devon winked. “Where do you think?”
Celeste’s eyes widened. “Nick?” she whispered so Travis wouldn’t hear. Devon nodded.
“He said it’s the only way to drink.”
Travis draped his arm around Celeste’s neck while he drained his beer. She gazed up at the huge bright moon. Suddenly, Travis’s arm stiffened like cement around her shoulder and she felt his body go rigid. She looked up.
“What?” she asked. “What is it?” Travis didn’t answer. He was staring across the sand at the cars. Celeste followed his gaze. There, sauntering casually toward them, swinging a six-pack from one hand and a bottle of vodka from the other, was Nick.
Chapter Eleven
No one else had noticed Nick’s arrival. Travis clenched his fists. “What’s he doing here?” he whispered gruffly.
Celeste could hardly hear him over the roaring in her ears. Bothering her at the resort was one thing, but harassing her off the grounds? What was his deal? Could he really still think that last summer mattered? Hadn’t she made her not-available status perfectly clear?
Beside her, Travis made a rumbling noise in his throat and started forward, presumably to begin the work of pounding Nick’s face into the sand. But Celeste shoved in front of him. She was going to have to deal with this herself.
She strode across the sand, her eyes fixed on Nick, who was standing near the campfire, looking around. Searching for me, Celeste thought furiously. This was it. She was going to let him know that she did not appreciate all his obnoxious flirting this summer, she did not appreciate having to soothe her boyfriend constantly because of him, and most of all, she did not appreciate him following her here when she was trying to have a relaxing, fun night with her friends—she didn’t care how rich and important his parents were!
Celeste drew closer to Nick. She clenched her hands into fists until her fingernails bit into her palms. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, she felt movement behind her. She turned and Devon brushed past, skimming across the sand like a moth.
“You came!” she cried, and threw herself on Nick’s chest, almost knocking him over with the force of her hug. He staggered backwards a few steps. Celeste didn’t move. What was going on?
Devon clutched at Nick’s arm and beamed. “Isn’t this place amazing?” she asked, staring up at his face worshipfully. Slowly, the realization of why Nick was here dawned on Celeste, who felt as if her mind were wading through mud. Devon had invited him. He was her date.
Nick smirked at Celeste as if he could read her mind. “Hey,” he greeted her. “Thanks for letting me crash your party.”
“Oh my God, it’s totally no big deal!” Devon trilled before Celeste could answer. “The more the merrier, right, Celeste?”
Celeste nodded dumbly. She trailed behind them as Devon steered Nick over to the fire and the beer coolers. Nick broke a beer off his six-pack and dumped the rest into the melting ice of the cooler. Celeste slipped back around the fire to Travis, who had obviously seen the whole thing. She wrapped her arm around his waist.
“He’s here with Devon,” she told him. “See? There’s nothing to worry about.”
Travis studied Devon and Nick, silhouetted by the fire, as they stood talking, and nodded slowly. “Good. I’m glad he’s not here still trying to get on you.”
“Of course not!” Celeste reassured him. She stared across the fire. Devon was gesticulating wildly as she talked. Celeste could hear her frequent laughter over the general chatter around them. Nick was nodding, his hand shoved in his pockets. He glanced at Celeste and caught her staring at them. He offered her a little smile and turned back to Devon.
Celeste tugged her arm free from Travis and sank slowly down on the sand to sit cross-legged. Travis wandered back over to the beer cooler. The sand felt cool under her legs and the fire was warm on her face. Idly, she gathered a few rocks from the sand and lined them up in front of her, turning the idea of Nick and Devon together over in her mind. She’d known Devon thought he was hot, but she hadn’t known they were actually together—and hooking up, presumably. She snuck another glance at the pair across the fire. They were sitting down too, and Devon had her feet in Nick’s lap, leaning back on her hands while she chattered away. Celeste couldn’t hear what she was saying over the crackle of the fire, but Nick was laughing. Then Devon shoved Nick’s shoulder. He clutched at her and fell over on the sand, pulling her with him. Travis suddenly reappeared from the beer cooler and thumped down on the sand beside Celeste. “There’s no more Natty Light,” he said, breathing heavily.
“Okay,” she replied absently. Devon and Nick were whispering now, still lying on the sand. As Celeste watched, Devon tilted up the silver flask again and took another swig. Suddenly she jumped to her feet.
“Well, come on, you guys,” she ordered Celeste and Travis. “Let’s get in the water!” A lot of the other people who had been in the pools for a while were getting out and rubbing themselves with towels. Devon grabbed Celeste’s hand and hauled her to her feet. “Come on!” she yelled. The boys stripped off their shirts and Devon shucked her tank top to reveal a very skimpy pink lace bra. They picked over the rocks toward the biggest pool. Celeste thought that it was a good thing she’d worn her black bra—it was almost like a bikini top.
“Dev,” Celeste murmured as they balanced on the wet red rocks around the pool, “that bra’s going to be totally see-through once it gets wet.”
Devon glanced down at her chest. “Oh yeah.” Then she shot a sideways look at Nick, who was dipping a toe in the water. “Oh well!” she chirped. She touched a foot to the water and jerked it back. “It’s hot!”
Celeste sat down on a rock and gingerly dropped her legs in. The sulfur-y gray water was almost too hot, but not quite. It was murky and dark. She wondered if there were any, say, biting fish that lived in the bottom of natural hot springs pools. She peered down at the water and suddenly something grabbed her ankle and pulled.
Celeste shrieked and bumped off the rocks, splashing awkwardly into the pool. The bottom was warm and sandy. She managed to stand up and spat some mineral water out. It tasted strongly of iron. Nick’s blond head popped to the surface beside her. He grinned. “Sorry. Did I scare you? There aren’t any sharks around here, you know.”
Celeste rubbed her eyes. “You’re an idiot, Nick,” she said. She turned her back on him just as Travis splashed into the water next to her.
“Wow, this is really hot!” he said. Before Celeste could answer, Devon waded up. She had that trashed, glassy-eyed look Celeste recognized immediately.
“Hey, let’s have a chicken fight!” Devon yelled, and started trying to climb on Nick’s back. She must have been pretty drunk though, because she slipped off and fell back into the water with a splash.
Nick rolled his eyes at Celeste and Travis and turned around to fish Devon out. “What do you think, Trav, can we handle them?” Nick asked.
Celeste winced automatically at Nick talkin
g to Travis directly, but Travis didn’t even seem to notice that his mortal enemy had presumed to address him.
“Awesome!” he said. “Me and Celeste against you and Devon.” He slipped under the murky water, and Celeste suddenly felt herself rising in the air, perched precariously on his shoulders. She tipped one way and then the other and saved herself from falling off only by grabbing Travis’s head.
“Ow! No death grips!” he yelled from beneath her.
Nick seemed to be having a little more trouble balancing Devon. She fell off several times before he managed to stand up with her. The boys walked slowly toward each other. Celeste and Devon screamed and grappled with each other’s hands. Celeste was surprised to hear Nick and Travis fake-growling at each other and laughing. Who would ever have thought Travis would be laughing with Nick? she thought fleetingly, trying to grab one of Devon’s slippery arms.
Nick slipped suddenly and fell, dumping Devon headfirst into the water with a massive splash. “We are the champions!” Celeste screamed. “Let me down, Travis.”
“Oh no,” he said and suddenly tipped forward. Celeste squealed as she tumbled from his shoulders and fell with a thump into his arms. Awkwardly, he clambered out of the pool, still holding her.
“Where are you taking me, big strong man?” Celeste giggled. She shivered as the cool night air brushed her still-steaming skin.
Travis leaned down and kissed her deeply as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m going to take you back to the Jeep,” he whispered huskily. “There’s an old blanket in the back. We can spread it out under the stars—”
“And have a little alone time,” Celeste finished. She reached up and kissed him again. His broad, warm chest felt so good against her body. She huddled close to him as he carried her over the rocks toward the cars.
“Mmm, that air smells so good,” Travis said, inhaling deeply.
She took a deep breath of the clean, cold air. “It does. It smells amazing.”
“Mmmm.” Travis inhaled again. “Arrroo!” he suddenly howled at the sky like a coyote and started running, bumping Celeste over the rocky path.
“Hey!” she protested, laughing and hanging on to his neck. “If you drop me, you’re dead, Travis.”
“I won’t drop you!” he shouted, running faster. The wind blew against Celeste’s cheeks and she gripped his shoulders tighter.
“Okay, that’s good, Travis!” she shouted. “Stop! You’re going too fast.” He didn’t seem to hear her. Suddenly, near the cars, he stopped running and twirled around, whipping Celeste around with him.
“Okay, try this,” he shouted. “Just look up at the sky while you’re twirling. The stars look amazing.”
“No, wait, Travis, don’t twirl me, it makes me sick!” Celeste yelled, holding on tighter. The dark world of rocks and stars spun around her in a blur. “Put me down! Stop!”
Suddenly there was a thunk and Celeste felt her head connect with something hard. Travis stumbled and dropped her. “Ow!” Celeste cried as she landed on the sharp rocks.
“Shit, sorry,” Travis said, sounding subdued. He kneeled beside her. Celeste could hear him breathing in the dark.
“Oooh, my head.” Slowly, Celeste sat up, rubbing the back of her skull. “You ran me right into one of the cars, Travis. Nice going.” She could feel a lump already rising up under her fingertips.
“Sorry,” Travis repeated. He slid a hand under her elbow and tried to haul her to her feet.
“Stop!” Celeste snapped. “Just don’t touch me, okay?” She pulled herself up and carefully dusted off her wet, sandy rear. “Thanks for dropping me right on the rocks too.” She turned and started heading back to the campfire, shivering as the wind caught her damp skin.
“I said I was sorry,” Travis mumbled. “Hey, where are you going?”
“I’m going back to where it’s warm,” Celeste shot over her shoulder. “Sorry if I’m not feeling super-romantic right now.”
Travis trotted to catch up with her. “Come on, Celeste, don’t be mad.”
“I’m not. I just don’t appreciate having my head bashed into a car door, that’s all.” She walked faster and, reaching the warm orange ring of the campfire, sank down gratefully on the sand. Travis sat down next to her.
After a minute, she felt the touch of fleece and looked up as he wrapped his big hooded sweatshirt around her shoulders. He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead.
“I’m really sorry,” he said quietly. “I’m a moron sometimes.”
“You are,” she agreed, but his big stubbly face looked so pitiful that she softened and leaned against him. He pulled her into the crook of his arm. Devon and Nick staggered up panting and laughing, their clothes clinging to them. Devon flopped down on the sand. She took a deep breath and tried to wipe her face off with her sandy hands. Nick plopped down next to her.
“Whew!” he said. “That was awesome. Where’s the beer?”
“Oh baby, we don’t need beer,” Devon giggled tipsily and leaned into Nick’s lap. “Here, have some of this.” She waved the silver flask in his face.
Nick pawed it away. “You’re totally trashed, Devon,” he told her. “I should cut you off.”
“I’m not!” Devon giggled. “Whoops!” The silver flask slipped from her hand, tipping its precious contents into the sand. “Are you worried someone might try and take advantage of me, Nick?” She leaned over to whisper something. Celeste couldn’t hear what she was saying but she could take an educated guess.
“Maybe later,” Nick told Devon.
“Oh, but I—” The rest of Devon’s words were lost as she murmured close to his ear. Nick glanced over at Celeste and Travis. Celeste couldn’t believe it—he actually looked a little shocked. Amazing that Devon could actually make this wildly inappropriate jerk blush. She never would have thought it possible. “Um, okay,” Nick told Devon. “See you guys later.”
“Yeah! Have fun,” Travis said. Celeste rolled her eyes and looked away.
“Come on!” Devon was on her feet, tugging at Nick’s hand. He got up and a grin split his face as he looked at Travis and Celeste.
“Don’t wait up, kids!” he said. They disappeared into the darkness just beyond the ring of light cast by the campfire.
Travis laughed. “Maybe that guy’s not as bad as I thought.”
Celeste watched their retreating backs. Whatever. Nick could hang out with whomever he wanted. Now that she didn’t have to worry about keeping Travis and Nick apart anymore, her summer had just gotten a lot easier, she thought. So why did she have a lump in her stomach?
Chapter Twelve
Several days after the beach party, Celeste was crouched, struggling to unlock the storage cupboard at the base of the towel station. Top on her list this morning was to refill the station, but when she finally got the sticky cupboard door open, she found an awful mess. The cupboard was a stew of jumbled-up towels, water bottles, and the sample tubes of sunscreen they were always handing out. Celeste sighed. She sat down cross-legged on the deck and started pulling everything out. The hot morning sun on her back and neck put her in a kind of trance as she steadily folded and stacked the eighty thousand white Pinyon towels. Only a few guests were out by the pool, and a sense of peace and quiet lay over the place. The only sounds were the dry rustle of the palmetto fronds overhead and the gentle splashing of the turquoise pool water as a sleek, dark-haired woman stroked from one side of the pool to the other, over and over.
“Hey,” a voice said from behind her. Celeste turned her head around so fast she could hear her neck crack. Nick sank onto a lounge chair next to her and stretched his legs out in front of him and his arms over his head. “Ahh,” he said, letting out his breath. “This is nice.”
Celeste resumed her folding. “I haven’t seen you around for the last few days,” she said, watching her hands instead of his face. “I thought maybe you’d gotten bored of the country life and hitched back to L.A. or something,” she teased.
> Nick grinned without opening his eyes. “Nah. I’m starting to actually like it here.”
“Wow. Thanks for the glowing compliment.” Celeste smacked him with a towel.
“Hey! No abusing the guests. Devon and I have been doing a ton of work on the screening party. We still don’t have a theme though.” He looked around suddenly, as if something had occurred to him. “Where’s your Neanderthal boyfriend?” he asked.
“Dude, I thought you guys were getting along.” Celeste piled the first stack of folded towels into a corner of the storage cupboard.
“Oh, we are. Just as long as he understands that I like my face arranged just how it is.” Nick dropped his head back on the lounge and closed his eyes.
“So why don’t you have a theme yet?” Celeste asked. “Are you and Devon too busy exploring each other’s minds?” She grinned at him, getting to her feet and lining the water bottles up in a neat row on the top of the towel station. The sun was beating down on the back of her neck and she lifted her hair up. She looked around and caught Nick staring at her. He dropped his gaze fast and tucked his hands behind his head again.
“I don’t know—we’ve tossed around a million ideas. Doing a color theme—like the Truman Capote Black and White Ball. Or maybe something with a jungle theme. I kind of like that—you know, tigers strolling around, bird noises over the speakers.”
Celeste considered this. “I don’t know if that would give the party the right…” She searched around for the word. “…ambiance—you know what I mean?”
Nick nodded. He swung his legs around the side of the chair and planted his feet on the deck. “Hey, toss me a water bottle, would you?”
Celeste flipped one of the cool clear bottles over to him and he caught it in one hand. He unscrewed the top, took a long drink, and then stopped. He held up the bottle and examined it.
“What?” Celeste asked.
“Hey,” he said slowly. “What about a water theme? Everything water…like all blue and white and transparent things.”
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