“What? What happened? You’re driving me crazy with all of this drama.” Devon waved her arms around her head.
“It was a complete failure,” Celeste said, looking over her shoulder to merge onto the highway. Briefly, she filled Devon on the party details, the Rotterdam pepper prank, and the Nick-Travis blowout at the screening party. “And so his parents canceled his screening and are sending him back to L.A.,” she finished.
“Wow.” Devon let out her breath in a deep exhale. “So he totally confessed, huh? Like said he did it right out?”
“Well, yeah! I was sitting right there,” Celeste exclaimed. The car’s speedometer crept up to seventy.
“Okay, don’t kill us,” Devon said, eyeing the dashboard. “I’m just really surprised Nick would do something like that.”
Celeste snorted. “I’m not,” she said shortly. “I was such an idiot to think he actually cared about the screening and the resort. It turned out that all he cared about was screwing with me and trying to destroy my relationship, for his own sick fun.”
“Yeah…” Devon replied slowly. “I guess so.” She fell silent and drummed her Chanel Vamp–painted nails on the window. Celeste slowed down and stared straight ahead at the clogged highway in front of her. Devon fidgeted with the strap on her bag. She crossed and uncrossed her legs. Finally, Celeste couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Devon!” she burst out. “What is it? You’re driving me crazy. What? Did you bring home some secret husband from Scotland or something?”
Her friend forced a laugh. “Uh, yeah, very funny.” She cleared her throat. “I, uh, well, I’m just really surprised that Nick would do that at the party, because he was really crushing on you all summer.”
Celeste looked over at her friend. Devon was staring at her lap.
“I mean, all that time Nick and I were hanging out, before I left, all he ever did was talk about you,” she said. “I tried to hook up with him a bunch of times, but he just wasn’t interested. I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d be annoyed that he was all hung up on you. I mean, you had Travis.” She glanced at Celeste nervously. “It was weird…. I felt like I was cheating with him or something.”
“No! Of course you weren’t,” Celeste said automatically. Nick was hung up on her…but he’d ruined the party. And he’d gotten Travis drunk just to make trouble. Celeste shook her head. “He was probably just saying all that to mess with your mind,” she told Devon.
“Maybe,” Devon said doubtfully. She was quiet for a minute. “So, is everything cool with you and Travis now?”
“Mostly.” Celeste shrugged as she pulled into Devon’s driveway. “Honestly, I’ve barely seen him since the whole mess at the festival. Just a couple of texts. We’re still driving to Tempe tomorrow though. Maybe we just need some time alone together. By the way, he and the guys are having a barbecue over at Kevin’s later. You want to go over with me?”
“Sure! Let me jump in the shower.”
When the girls arrived several hours later, the guys were already ensconced on the back deck. The sun was just going down over the desert horizon. Kevin was anxiously hovering over some hamburger patties and skewers of onion and peppers sizzling on a DCS Professional grill, which stretched almost the entire back length of the deck. The rest of the guys were immersed in what looked like an intense game of water polo in the pool. As Celeste and Devon approached, Travis scored a goal and let out a wild yell of triumph, raising both fists in the air.
“Hey, guys!” Devon caroled. Everyone looked up.
“Hey there,” Travis greeted them, his eyes on Celeste. She gave him a small smile but couldn’t muster up more than that. She was starting to feel tired of the guys. You just need to get away, she told herself. You’ve been trapped here all summer.
The girls dropped their bags on one of the deck chairs and stripped off their sundresses. Celeste adjusted her black bikini top and climbed onto another chair. She sighed and lay back. The evening sun felt wonderful. Then a shadow blocked the sunlight and cold drips of water fell on her bare stomach. She opened her eyes. Travis was standing over her, panting and grinning. All of other guys had climbed from the pool too and were wiping themselves with towels and digging around in the little portable fridge on the deck for beers.
“So, what’s up with you, Devon?” Brent asked, emptying half his beer at one gulp. “Weren’t you in Ireland or something?”
“Scotland,” Devon corrected. “It was awesome. I missed home though.”
“Well, don’t worry. You didn’t miss anything here,” Brent said. “This summer has been completely lame as far as excitement.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Kevin said lazily, leaning his head back and draining his beer. “We had some pretty good fun at the resort the other night.”
Celeste lifted her head. Fun? What was he talking about?
Kevin chortled. “I can’t believe that rich little prick took all the blame.” He got up to dig for another beer. Celeste froze. She heard Travis’s breath catch, but her eyes refused to focus on anything.
“Yeah, that was crazy,” Brent agreed. “But hell, if he wanted to say he did it, I’ve got no problem with Travis keeping his mouth shut.”
Celeste sat straight up in her chair. She grabbed the sides with both hands, almost scorching her palms on the hot metal. All the guys turned toward her. Devon was also sitting up, her eyes wide as she stared at her friend.
Celeste tried to control her pounding heart. “Hey, Travis,” she said in a horrible approximation of nonchalance. “Um, I’m feeling kind of slow right now. What are they talking about?”
Travis shot a warning look at his buddies. “Nothing, babe.”
Kevin was leaning over the beer cooler and didn’t catch Travis’s glare. “It’s just weird that dude Nick said that he put the pepper in the old lady’s food.”
“Why was it weird?” Celeste asked in a strangled voice.
Travis looked at her warily.
Celeste shot up from her chair, knocking it sideways onto the deck. “You did it!” she screeched, pointing at Travis. Brett sat motionless and Kevin’s mouth dropped open. “You did it! You put the pepper in Mila’s food! You—”
Her words were cut off as a pair of slim arms wrapped around her waist.
“Sorry, guys! Phew! It’s hot out here. Celeste, let’s get some ice,” Devon caroled as she half carried, half dragged Celeste through the sliding glass doors and into the kitchen.
Once inside, she deposited Celeste in a heap on the floor and pulled the doors shut behind them. She snapped the blind down as Travis’s anxious face appeared at the window and knelt beside her friend. Celeste lay curled up on the linoleum.
Devon stroked her hair back from her forehead. “Travis pulled the prank,” Celeste finally said in a muffled voice.
“Yeah.”
“Travis screwed up the whole evening.”
“It looks that way.” Devon got up and ran a glass of water. She sat back down on the floor. Celeste sat up and took a sip.
“Then Nick…”
“Yeah?” Devon said encouragingly.
“Nick…didn’t do it. Then why did he say he did?” Celeste’s mouth felt very slow.
“Celeste.” Devon propped her friend up against the cabinets. “You’re being very dense, chick. Nick was trying to bail you out! He knew that your dad would be furious if he thought it was Travis who pulled all that stuff. So he just took the blame.”
Celeste shook her head. “But Nick got in all sorts of trouble. Why would he do that to himself if he didn’t do anything?”
Devon grabbed Celeste by the upper arms and shook her. “Has the sun fried your brain? He was trying to keep you from getting in trouble! He was, like—sacrificing himself.”
“Whoa,” Celeste said slowly. “And Travis—”
“Just sat there and let him do it,” Devon finished.
“Oh my God,” Celeste said. “Oh my God! But this whole time I thought he was just playing around,
trying to make trouble because he was bored.”
“Guess you were wrong, huh?” Devon stood and then reached down and pulled her friend up. “We can’t stay in here sitting on the floor forever. Are you ready to go out and drown Travis in the pool? I’ll help you if you want.”
“Thanks for the offer.” Celeste stood thinking for a moment. She turned toward the kitchen and then turned back. “No, I’ll call Nick first. Then I’ll kill Travis.”
“Celeste, don’t be such an idiot!” Devon practically shouted. “The guy just totally martyred himself for you and you’re going to call him? Go find him!”
“Drive to L.A.? Now? But it’s seven o’clock! And I’m supposed to go to Tempe tomorr—wait a minute.” Celeste realized what she was saying. “I’m not going to Tempe tomorrow.”
Devon just stood, watching her friend.
“I think I’m going to L.A.,” Celeste said.
“Woo-hoo!” Devon flung her arms into the air. “You rock, girl. Don’t waste one more second on Travis the Asshole.”
Celeste hugged Devon as hard as she could. Then she walked out the door, leaving Devon standing in the hall behind her, the world’s biggest grin on her lips. As she ran down the walk to the Civic, Celeste’s plan fell into place in her mind, like coins clinking into a row of slots. She glanced at her watch. If traffic was on her side, she could be in L.A. by eleven o’clock. She only hoped she wasn’t too late.
Chapter Twenty-six
Celeste pulled away from the curb, her headlights cutting a long white beam into the descending desert evening. She had to find Nick. She had to tell him—what? That she was sorry, first of all. And…she’d figure the rest out later. Maybe she’d know what to say when she saw him. But she had to see him.
Back at the resort, Celeste let herself into the quiet office. She flicked on one of the computers. While it booted up, she stared into the falling shadows, thinking of Nick’s face that morning. His blue eyes had been so sad. The computer beeped and she quickly drew up the master guest list. Sanderson, Sanstein, Saunders. Thirty-two Waterwood Court. She plugged the address into Google, grabbed the directions from the printer, and turned off the computer.
As she got up to leave, she heard the office door open behind her.
“Celeste…” Travis’s voice was pleading as she turned to face him. “I—”
“Stop.” She cut him off. Storming past him into the darkened lobby, Celeste realized that she had to deal with this. Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep her anger from boiling over.
Seizing on her pause, Travis stepped forward and put his hand on the small of her back. “Celeste, I’m so—”
“No, Travis. You don’t get to talk.” Celeste spun around to face him. “You don’t get to try to make this better. Because this isn’t about the prank. Or even about letting Nick, who happens to be the son of my parents’ very best clients, take the fall for you.” She could feel her momentum building. Travis dropped his hand to his side and Celeste stood up straighter.
“This is about me, and my family, and our business. You knew exactly how important this festival was to us. But, just like you did all summer, you completely disregarded my feelings. I begged you—begged—to leave Nick alone, to give me a break, to trust me and let me do what was best for my family. And you ignored every word. I can’t be with someone like that. So don’t apologize. Just go.”
Travis’s jaw had dropped slightly, but he closed his mouth and collected himself. “Look, I’m sorry I got so jealous. I just couldn’t stand the way he looked at you all the time. It made me crazy.”
Celeste laughed. “Wow. Again, my very simple request gets ignored. I understand being jealous once, but after I assured you that it was you I wanted to be with? That’s called trusting your girlfriend, Travis. And maybe not doing exactly what you felt like doing exactly when you felt like doing it. For once. So how about, for the first time in our relationship, you just listen to me? Please. Leave.”
Travis didn’t move. Rather than waste another moment, she walked past him to the door leading outside. Pushing it open, she paused and turned her head back.
“Just so we’re clear, Travis,” she said calmly. “We’re very, very over. Good luck in college.” With that, she stepped into the desert night.
Once she was back in the car, Celeste floored the accelerator. Now that she knew the truth, she couldn’t stand to let Nick think she blamed him. And Travis…Celeste shook her head. She’d figure out what to do about him later. Right now, she needed to focus on Nick.
The two-hour drive to the coast seemed like ten. Even though she drove seventy the whole way, Celeste felt like the exits were creeping by. Finally, the orange night glow of L.A. shone ahead of her, like some sort of apocalypse on the horizon. She slowed down as the suburbs started flashing by and consulted her directions. Right on Route 25. Straight for five miles, then left on Wilton Boulevard. Celeste peered through the windshield. The street sign for Waterwood loomed on her right. She turned. Her heart was pounding and her hands were sweaty on the steering wheel.
Nick’s house—or mansion, Celeste noted—stood at the top of a little hill, the broad green lawn sweeping up to wide terrace in front, circled by the smoothly paved driveway. The black Mercedes was parked in the driveway. The house windows were dark. Celeste parked at the curb and cut the motor. She could feel the adrenaline that had fueled her through the ride slowly evaporating. What was she going to do now—ring the doorbell and explain to Mr. Saunders why she was showing up at his house at almost midnight, wearing nothing but a sundress and a black bikini? Somehow, she didn’t think that would go over too well. Just then, the sweep of headlights across her windshield almost blinded her. A car was turning up the Saunderses’ driveway. Celeste leaned forward, alert again. In the reflection from the porch light, she could see it was the Alfa Romeo. As she watched, the headlights went off and a moment later, a lean, shadowy figure emerged.
Celeste leaped from the Civic. “Nick!” she shout-whispered across the lawn. He didn’t hear her. He pocketed a set of keys and started toward the front door. Celeste sprinted across the grass. “Nick!” she whispered again. This time, he turned around.
“Celeste?” he said. She ran up, tripping and almost falling against him. He caught her by the arms. “What are you doing here?” His blond hair shone under in the dim light and his eyes were deep in their sockets. His cheekbones stood out sharply in his tanned face.
Celeste’s breath caught as she looked at him. “I know you didn’t do it,” she whispered.
He released her arms. “What are you talking about?”
“The festival! I know you didn’t pull the prank or get Travis drunk.” The words tumbled out of her mouth, almost falling over each other.
Nick stared at her, a flush rising in his cheeks. “You know?”
“That’s why I drove all the way out tonight. I had to tell you that…” Celeste paused. His gaze was locked onto hers. “That I’m sorry about everything. I didn’t know. I thought you were just trying to get in between me and Travis.”
Nick shook his head. “I just couldn’t stand seeing you get in trouble because of that jerk—” He stopped suddenly and bit his lip.
Celeste reached out and touched his hand. “Look, I’m so sorry that my stupid boyf—” She caught herself. “Ex-boyfriend cost you your big break.” She broke off. Nick was leaning toward her intensely. “What?”
He shook his head as if to clear it. “I’m sorry—did you say ex-boyfriend?”
Celeste thought a minute. “Yeah, I did,” she said slowly. “Travis is now officially my ex. I do kind of regret not getting to slam a door in his face or anything. Maybe I can work that in at some point.”
“That’s a good idea,” Nick said softly. His gaze was too intense. Celeste tried to look away, but he caught her chin gently in his hand. “I’m glad you’re here. We can…go somewhere.” He gestured at the dark, empty street and Celeste giggled in spite of herself. Nick smiled ruefully. “
Okay, well, maybe in the morning we can go somewhere.” He slid his hands up the backs of her arms and she shivered a little. “Cold?” he asked, his breath on her cheek.
Celeste shook her head. She didn’t trust herself to say anything. She kept her eyes on Nick’s as he pulled her against him and lowered his head. His lips were warm and firm when he kissed her. She drew back after a long moment.
“I think you’ve gotten better at this since last summer,” she teased. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. He pulled her in close. She could feel the muscles of his chest pressing against her.
“Well, I’ve been practicing,” he told her, flashing the old Nick grin.
“Hey!” She punched him lightly on the arm.
“All because I was waiting for you,” he amended, the grin still lingering around the corners of his mouth. He kissed her again, long and firm.
Celeste didn’t know how long they stood together under the porch light, their arms entwined around each other, his blond head bent over hers, but it felt like they were making up for lost time—a whole summer’s worth.
Books by Hailey Abbott:
Getting Lost with Boys
The Secrets of Boys
The Perfect Boy
Waking Up to Boys
Forbidden Boy
The Other Boy
Boy Crazy
Summer Boys
Next Summer: A Summer Boys Novel
After Summer: A Summer Boys Novel
Last Summer: A Summer Boys Novel
Summer Girls
The Bridesmaid
Credits
Cover art © 2009 Getty Images
Cover design by Jennifer Rozbruch
Copyright
FLIRTING WITH BOYS. Copyright © 2009 by Alloy Entertainment. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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