by Nora Cobb
“Maybe,” Cora gasps, “he’s buying inventory?”
We gawk at her because that’s plain stupid. “Why would he fly down here for that?” asks Beth.
Cora shrugs her shoulder. “I don’t really know or care why he’s here.” She looks at me with a cold stare. “As long as he doesn’t ruin my party.” Cora tosses her hair.
I’ve had enough. “I have to go look for him.” I shove back my chair and get up. All eyes are on me, but I’ve learned my lesson. If I must shout, I have to shout like a lady. “Girls, I’ll be back shortly.” I smile pleasantly.
Beth smiles stiffly as she gets up, and we leave together to search for Anthony.
***
“It makes sense if it’s for Arielle,” she says as we walk through the lobby and head for the mezzanine. “Anthony was dressed in new clothes. He had on shoes instead of his grungy sneakers. Arielle must be bankrolling him.”
“What’s her plan?” I ask, but Beth has no answer.
We walk across the hallway on the mezzanine level and out the patio door. Beth says she saw him slip out that door to the beach. The beach is beautiful in the evenings with the lights reflecting off the dark water like sequins floating on fabric.
“It’ll be impossible to find him out there,” I sigh. I turn and look at the expanse of the hotel. “And he could be hiding anywhere in here.”
Beth snaps her fingers. “He probably checked in under his own name.” She pushes the door open. “I’ll be right back.”
She hurries off in the direction of the lobby. The elevator chimes, and I think about chimes at Montlake, but my frown disappears as I see Lucas walk across the hallway alone. He’s dressed in a light gray suit but he’s wearing shoes. I wonder how long they’ll stay on in South Beach.
I slip back out the door, and he follows me onto the shaded patio, only lit by moonlight.
“You got away?” I ask.
He smiles. “We seem to only meet in dark places.” Lucas pulls me close, and we hide in the shadows, hoping that we won’t be seen. Even a moment with him will be worth it.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he says. “But fighting with Arielle in public isn’t a good idea. At Montlake, everyone knows why. But here, it’s different.”
“I understand, and I wish I hadn’t. At least, not so soon.”
“Troy thanks you, by the way. He finally caught up with Vicki.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t text her.” I look into his eyes. “Or she didn’t text him.”
“He was running around and forgot to charge his phone,” Lucas explains. “They’re together now. I think Arielle was getting on her nerves a little, too. Arielle is clueless about how demanding she can be.”
I hold him close, feeling the rise of his chest against my cheek as I rest my head. I slip my hand underneath his jacket and rub my hand on his back along the smooth fabric. I love Lucas so much. He’s my rock. The one that keeps me grounded, but sends my head soaring to the clouds with his sweet kisses.
“Are you okay?” he says, pulling me into him.
I nod my head. “Beth thinks she saw Anthony.”
He pulls away quickly, his face hard. Suddenly, I wish I hadn’t told him. “What is he doing down here?”
“We don’t know, but ... we think Arielle does.”
Lucas shakes his head and curses softly. He looks at me, and I must look lost because instantly, he pulls me back into a hug. He wraps his arms around me and tugs me close, kissing my forehead softly, then my cheek, until he’s worked his way down to my mouth.
I kiss him long and deep, pressing against him and smelling the clean aftershave on his skin. I run my hands along the hard muscles of his arms until I wrap my arms around his neck. His mouth parts mine, and my tongue strokes his urgently. I want him as my body begins to tingle, but I can’t have him, not now. I rushed in once and made a fool of myself with Arielle. I can’t afford to make another hasty mistake and lose him for good.
I pull away, and luckily, I chose that moment because Beth reappears at the door. She grabs her chest with a small shout as she sees Lucas.
“Did I startle you?” He smiles, running a hand through his messy hair and putting it back in place.
She nods her head and leans against the wall beside us. “I’m guessing she’s told you about Anthony?”
Lucas nods.
“I got his room number.” I snatch the paper out of her hand. And Lucas takes it out of mine.
“Natalie, I can handle this,” he says.
I bite my lip. But he’s right. Lucas knows how to be discreet, and I don’t need to be alone with Anthony. I don’t trust him anymore.
“I also got Arielle’s room number,” Beth looks at Lucas. “But you probably already know that.”
Lucas frowns.
My timing is questionable, but I have to ask a question that has been repeating in my mind. “Would either of you be upset if I became friends with Troy? I mean real friends, not friends because of the code.”
Beth gapes at me like I’ve lost my last brain cell, but Lucas shrugs his shoulders. He averts his gaze when he answers me. “You probably should. You’d have had a firmer footing against Arielle if you and Troy are actually friends.”
I nod my head. I’d been thinking the same thing about Troy, except I’m starting to like him.
CHAPTER 10
Natalie
My head aches as I recline by the pool. It’s funny, but there is a whole beach in front of us, and no one has the desire to leave the perimeter of the hotel. Not when we can wave a lazy hand and have a waiter bring a drink on a tray. Our strays rejoin us after Arielle made some unflattering comments about fasting. I haven’t fully understood why Lexi isn’t asked to be Cora’s maid of honor until Beth clues me in.
“I asked Vicki,” she whispers even though our chairs are on the opposite end of the pool from the others.
“She talks to you?”
“Sure,” Beth frowns as if I’m crazy. “She thinks I’m a cool elder.”
“We’re only eighteen.”
Beth laughs. “To a fourteen-year-old, we are adults, and this adult got in her face and told her that she’d answer my question or else.”
I huff. “Stop bragging.”
“Touchy. Arielle told Lexi that she couldn’t be in Cora’s bridal party or she’d cut her off. Of course, Arielle thought that Cora would come running back to ask her, but she didn’t. We know who she asked, and Arielle is pissed.”
“Is Lexi that weak?” I ask.
“She’s on her own. She can’t afford to act strong.”
I get that feeling. If I didn’t have Jacob, Lucas, and Beth, I wouldn’t be able to get up and go to school. I never really thought of Lexi as being alone, but all her friends are superficial. I glance over at Cora, who is under a beach umbrella hiding her pale skin from the sun with a group of other like-minded girls. Cora is likable, but she didn’t grow a spine until Mancuso fell for her.
My thoughts are interrupted as heads turn in the direction of the gate leading into the pool area. A hot guy walks in, wearing tight trunks and shades, holding a towel in his fist. Every woman around the pool is looking at his defined chest and six-pack. Beth lifts her head to look and then scowls.
“Ugh, it’s just Jacob.”
Laughing, I wave at him. “Be nice, Beth.”
“He’s off the market, Natalie, so you’d think he’s wise enough to put on a shirt.”
Jacob leans over my chair and gives me a soft kiss. He is handsome, and it’s funny, but in his high school polo and khakis, I keep forgetting that he’s a man. A few heads turn away, but a few continue to stare. I reach for him again, giving him a longer kiss, making it clear that we’re together.
Beth rolls up into a sitting position and grabs her cover-up.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
She holds her hand to her ear. “You guys hear that? Is that the sound of the third wheel squeaking? I’m out of here.”
Ja
cob grabs Beth by the waist and pulls her back down onto the chaise alongside him. She squeals as he wrestles with her and Beth wiggles out of his grasp.
“Fleming, you pig.” She laughs. “My room number is 3019, and bring the blonde.” She winks. “Later, kids.”
Jacob throws his towel down on the chaise and takes Beth’s seat as she walks away. He watches her curvy hips bounce, and I tug at his elbow. The look on his face is so innocent, like there couldn’t be anything wrong.
“Enjoying the view?” I tease.
Jacob shrugs. “Do you think she’s serious?”
“Why? You wanna go up and see?” I laugh.
“If I do, I don’t think she’d ever let me leave. You’d have to rescue me.” He leans in for another kiss. And gently, I rest my hand on his hard chest. “Keep that up,” he whispers, “and you’ll have to come upstairs with me.”
“I want to,” I pout, “but I have to get ready for Cora’s shower. The flowers are arriving in an hour.
“I only need five minutes.”
“Shame on you, Fleming.”
Jacob laughs and leans back, enjoying the sun. His father has been giving him grief over his decision to go pro, and for a moment, he wasn’t going to come down to South Beach. But I convinced him to come. It was important to be seen here this week.
My phone vibrates, and the text is from Troy.
Troy: Sorry I didn’t contact you sooner.
Me: It’s okay. Glad she’s okay.
Troy: Well, she’s ... behaving.
“Is it Lucas?” Jacob asks.
My cheeks flush, and I don’t know why I feel guilty. Like I’m sneaking behind his back. “No, it’s Troy.”
I put my phone down and pretend like everything is normal, but my body is jumpy, and I can feel Jacob’s gaze on me until he finally looks away.
“Lucas told me you want to be friends with Troy.” The statement hangs in the air. I lean back against the chaise. The feelings are welling up inside of me. I need Jacob, I need Lucas, and now, I need Troy.
“Are you jealous?” I ask softly.
He doesn’t look at me. He has placed his sunglasses back on his face and is hiding behind them. I stare at Jacob’s profile, willing him to stay with me.
“What?” he asks.
“You didn’t answer me.”
His jaw tenses. Jacob sighs, and his chest rises and falls. For a moment, I think he has fallen asleep until he speaks. “I want to be jealous. But Troy is my friend. You build alliances, and sometimes those alliances turn into friendships. And those friendships turn into more. I understand you have to build alliances that will turn into friendships or maybe more. You’re the person that keeps us together.”
I fidget in my chair and pull my towel over my legs. “I’m not sure if I like how that sounds.”
“It’s your choice, Natalie. You’re in control. It’s what our families have done in the past, build alliances, and now, you’re building your own.”
“The code again,” I sigh. I never thought it would help me figure things out. To explain why it’s okay to feel the way I feel. I always thought it would be something to battle with, but now it’s helping me.
“Know your worth. I’m okay with it.”
Jacob doesn’t sound okay. I feel the need to make him understand. “I’m not moving pieces around a board. You were my first, and I’ll always love you.”
Jacob pulls off his glasses and smiles. “There’s nothing wrong about being in love. But in our world, it’s good to know the reason.”
He lies down again, but there’s something else I have to tell him. And he won’t be pleased. “Anthony is here in South Beach.”
Jacob sits up like a catapult. “That fucking turd. Did he approach you?”
Wide-eyed, I shake my head. “Beth saw him, or at least, she thinks she did. She asked the desk, and there’s a room booked under his name.”
Jacob relaxes again when he hears it’s a rumor. “It must have been a bumper year for weed. You tell me when you see him. I’ll knock him so hard, he’ll go flying into the ocean.”
I sit back in my chaise. The hard part is over. “Jacob, I appreciate you being my defender, but you have to let me fight my own battles from now on.”
CHAPTER 11
Natalie
I’m exhausted before the party even starts. And I probably shouldn’t have spent the morning by the pool. My body is drained from the hot sun. As I spent the entire afternoon running around the main ballroom supervising the setup for the shower, my mind is blown away.
This isn’t the same as the showers I’ve attended in the past. I tagged along with my mother to her friend’s home, where a friend was throwing a shower for another friend. Balloons were set up, and gifts piled on a coffee table. Kitchen tables were filled with plates of food and there was a white cake with sugary roses. That was it. That was the party setup.
Cora’s shower makes the weddings I’ve gone to in the past look economical. I can only guess at how much it all costs, but it’s a number beyond my comprehension. Mrs. Bouchard is footing the entire bill, including our gifts to Cora. The ballroom is decorated with floral arrangements of pink roses and lilies shipped in from New York. The tables are covered with sage linen and antique silver, and waiters have been hired to serve.
There is a bar at each end of the room, though I don’t know how we managed that without a chaperone. At the front of the room is a recamier covered in white velvet for Cora to sit on as she opens her presents. I’m supposed to wear a white floaty evening gown with an empire waist and bring each gift to Cora. Cora has this fantasy that she’s still living in the Napoleonic era. I hope Mancuso won’t appear in a bicorn hat.
Beth yanks at her girdle as we stack the gifts neatly on the table beside the recamier. She’s being a good sport, wearing a white gown, but she curses every time her heel gets caught in the hem. A hunky waiter breaks her fall, and she doesn’t look so upset after that.
“He’s cute,” I say.
“And if I get through tonight ... I’m gonna climb him like a tree.”
It’s time for the shower to start, and Beth and I greet the guests at the doorway. I arranged for bouncers, and Beth gave them a description of Anthony. My agenda will take a back seat and I won’t let my drama upstage Cora again. It’s her big evening, and I’m here for her.
“So far, no Anthony or Arielle.”
“Is Lucas keeping her busy?” Beth asks.
“He said he would, but doing what I don’t even want to think about.”
“He wouldn’t do that,” laughs Beth.
I shake my head. “And he shouldn’t. He doesn’t love her. But he knows what she wants.”
I motion to the event planner to lower the lights. And Beth and I close the double door. The emcee motions to the band, and we all take our places. The excitement is building with each note as everyone turns to the door. We swing the door open with a flourish, and Cora is standing there with Arielle, arguing.
“You’re not invited,” Cora hisses at Arielle. “And you’re wearing my color.”
Arielle is wearing a gold dress in a similar style as Cora’s empire waist. Unfortunately, the dress looks better on Arielle, who is bustier. Even I have to admit that. Nose in the air, Arielle takes a step into the room, followed by Lexi. Past Cora, Lucas is standing in the hallway. He sits in a low lounge chair by the large picture windows, looking out onto the ocean. Beth motions to the emcee to stop the music. I step out into the hall with Beth and we shut the door.
Cora is beside herself. Her face is turning red, and she looks like a Jolly Rancher in a gold wrapper. “Cora, you have to calm down,” I beg her.
“Did you see Arielle? I’ll never forgive Lexi. She must have told her the colors for my theme. How dare she?”
“Okay, champ,” I whisper, rubbing her back in circles. “You have to pull it together so you can show her you’re the boss.”
Cora inhales, and Lucas walks over, offering her a handful of t
issues from the men’s room. I smile at him as I dab Cora’s face.
“I’m going to have to reapply my makeup,” she sobs.
“You look better without it.” Beth gasps as she realizes too late that she’s said that out loud.
“Do I?” asks Cora.
I’m thankful that Cora isn’t offended. “Your freckles are cute,” I encourage her. “You don’t need to cover them with all that foundation.”
“Nicholas likes them.” She wipes her nose.
