Alice put back the navy one and winked. “Perfect.”
“What took you so long?” Madison complained, when they joined her in the fitting rooms.
She’d already changed into her swimsuit, and Haley honestly didn’t get how her friend could be so insecure around guys. At five-foot-ten, not only was she statuesque, she simply was drop-dead gorgeous with her long, curly hair and big blue eyes.
“What do you think?” she asked, biting her lower lip.
“Buy,” Alice said.
“Definitely buy,” Haley confirmed.
Madison’s entire face brightened up with a smile, the self-doubt gone. “Yeah, I love it, too. Let me see yours…”
***
They all ended up buying the pieces they’d tried on, and by Saturday morning Haley had to confess that some of her roommates’ enthusiasm for this end-of-summer party had finally infected her. Everyone had been blabbing nonstop about how epic the party was going to be for weeks. The host, Blake Donovan, was on the basketball team with Jack and Scott, and had a huge house in the country—currently parents-free—with a massive pool and, apparently, could afford to throw an unforgettable party. Madison had proclaimed it’d be Gatsby-worthy, and even Alice had been talking about little else for the past few days. Haley didn’t see what the big deal was; it sounded like any other house party, only fancier. But she was game to spend a day with her boyfriend and all their friends lounging by the pool, sipping cocktails—it was rumored Blake had hired a professional barman—and eating burgers right off the grill.
“Does Scott need a ride, too?” Madison asked. She was driving Haley, Alice, and Jack in her SUV.
“No, he’s carpooling with David.”
“So they’re finally cool with each other?”
Haley shrugged. “Seems that way.”
Haley actually had no idea if the brothers were cool. She hadn’t asked Scott, and she sure as hell hadn’t asked David. But from the way Scott had talked about his interactions with his brother since he’d gotten home, it sounded as if David hadn’t been a bitch to him.
Oh, no. He’s saving all his complaints for me.
Haley hoped Blake’s house was big enough for her and David to be able to politely ignore each other. Just like old times… before he’d told her about their in-incognito kiss, before he’d forced her to like him, before he’d confessed he was in love with her.
Aaaaaaand… let’s not think about that.
Clad in their brand-new bikinis and matching cover-ups, all three roommates walked out of their apartment to go meet Jack downstairs. It was only ten in the morning, but the party was supposed to last all day and maybe part of the night as well. So they’d timed it to get there early, but hopefully not first.
Twenty minutes later, Madison, following the car GPS, turned into a private alley and pulled up in front of an impressive building. A first look at Blake’s country place confirmed that at least some of the buzz surrounding the party had been justified.
“I thought your country house was big,” Alice said to Madison, mirroring Haley’s awe at the size of Blake’s house—mansion, palace really. “But compared to this, it looks like a studio flat.”
“That’s not my house,” Madison said pointedly.
“Shall we go in?” Haley interrupted them.
“Yeah, let’s go,” Jack said.
The main door stood wide open—Blake wasn’t that concerned with security, apparently—and they followed the instructions of a sign stuck to the door that read:
THIS WAY
→
Underneath, a giant arrow pointed to the French doors across the room. The entrance hall was mostly empty space, except for a corridor made of two rows of red-rope stanchions that forced them to follow a straight path ahead. To either side of the stanchions were an open kitchen with a huge island and a dining space on one side, and a modern, elegant living room on the other. It was easy to see why Blake would be worried about a bunch of drunk college kids wreaking havoc in here.
When they reached the French doors, there was another sign stuck on the glass.
IMPORTANT: CLOSE ME ONCE YOU’RE OUT!
They exited and did as instructed, closing the doors behind them, only to find another sign on the other side.
PARTY’S OUTSIDE. YOU DON’T NEED TO GET IN HERE.
THERE’S A BATHROOM BY THE POOL HOUSE
Oh, so there was a pool house, too?
To reach the actual pool, they had to walk down a flight of steps, pass an outside kitchen/dining area with a barbeque and two massive wrought iron tables complete with white sunshades, and cross a wide stretch of perfectly even green lawn. Behind the barbeque, a guy in a cook uniform was already busy setting up the grilling station.
They all walked down the stairs open-mouthed, admiring how the lower level of the garden opened on the Olympic-size swimming pool, attached Jacuzzi, cabana-style pool bar, and the pool house in the background. The whole pool area was surrounded by wooden chaise lounges with thick, plush padding, two roundish daybeds, and a row of white umbrellas.
Damn!
“I call dibs on the daybed,” Haley yelled, running there.
She jumped in the center of the spacious mattress and, turning around, she let herself fall on the mound of pillows that formed the backrest. Alice and Jack settled their things on a double chaise lounge on her left and Madison took a single one on her right. Now all that was missing was a cocktail in her hand and Scott by her side.
Still no sign of him. Haley checked her phone and promptly found a text.
We’re running late
David had to drop by the office to turn in his last work assignment
We’ll be there in an hour or so
Whoa, investment banking really gave no one a break. Had David been up all night working? Haley wondered if she could’ve helped him speed up the process with her programming like she used to, or if they’d stuck him with one of those stupid analog projects. A pang of sadness tugged at her chest; she had no clue, and whatever David did was off-limits to her now. She’d only ever be able to get second-hand info from Scott on what was going on with his brother. But she had to get used to the idea they weren’t friends anymore. They weren’t anything at all.
Time for that drink.
As if on cue, Jack announced, “I’m going to the bar. What do you girls want?”
Madison straightened up in her chair and shaded her eyes to check out the bar. “Do you think the guy in the cabana is a real barman? He looks professional enough.”
Everyone followed her gaze.
Jack shrugged. “I guess so.”
“So he can mix up anything we want?”
“I can ask, but give me a back-up just in case.”
“I’ll take a Mai Tai, but only if they grind the ice. Otherwise, make it a vodka tonic,” Madison said. Then, probably noticing that she’d just sounded a tiny bit “spoiled princess,” she blushed and added, “Please?”
“No problem.” Jack nodded and turned to Haley. “You?”
“A vodka martini, stirred not shaken, but only if they have olives. Otherwise…” She paused, pretending to think, but watching the dismayed expression on Jack’s face, she quickly added, “Relax, I’m joking! Vodka whatever is good.”
Jack smiled. “One blended Mai Tai, or vodka tonic; one vodka whatever; and you, babe?”
“Just a soda,” Alice said. “I don’t feel like drinking yet.”
“Are you sure?” Jack asked, worried. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just pacing myself.”
“All right, I’ll be right back.”
Haley waited for him to be out of earshot before asking. “Why aren’t you drinking? Are you pregnant?”
“Oh my gosh, nooooooooo!” Alice shouted. “What the hell, Haley?”
“Sorry, but you’ve been blabbing about this party for too long to come here and not be drinking… What’s up?”
&
nbsp; “I got my period this morning, and the cramps were killing me, so I took a couple of painkillers. The instructions said not to drink alcohol while taking the pills, so I have to wait for a few hours.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you okay now?”
Alice flashed her a sly smile. “The drugs worked like a charm.”
“Why didn’t you tell Jack?” Madison asked.
“Because then he’d worry about me all day and ask me how I’m doing every five seconds, and I want him to have fun today.”
“You’re so sweet. Can I borrow you as my girlfriend?”
Alice blew Madison a kiss. “Sorry, I’m taken.”
“Speaking of bad drinking habits,” Haley said. “We shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach, and it smells like the grill is operational. I’m getting a burger. You guys want one?”
They both said yes.
“Bacon, cheese, BBQ sauce?”
Alice nodded, while Madison said, “No bacon for me, thanks.”
Haley couldn’t resist making a little fun of her friend. “Is any cheese okay, or should I ask for a specific one?”
Nonplussed, Madison answered, “I prefer Swiss, but any kind is fine, really.”
Haley tried to keep a straight face but cracked when Alice started chuckling.
Madison stared at them. “Why? What did I say?”
“Nothing, Miss ‘I’ll Take a Mai Tai But Only If They Grind the Ice.’”
“But the Mai Tai sucks if the ice isn’t blended.”
“Sure it does.” Haley rolled her eyes. “I’ll be right back.”
Haley could still hear Madison complain as she walked away.
“I’m not posh, am I?” her friend asked Alice.
“No, honey. But sometimes you do sound a bit high society.”
Whatever Madison said back, Haley was too far away to hear.
Two burgers, one vodka whatever, and a Mai Tai—because it turned out they did grind the ice and the blended Mai Tai was really delicious—later, Scott finally arrived.
Even from a distance, he and David were hard to miss. True, there were plenty of tall dudes around since half the invitees were on the basketball team, but the Williams brother had that special magnetism about them. Standing there on top of the steps, searching the crowd with their eyes, they looked like the yin and yang of Haley’s heart. Scott, with his summer-blond hair, dressed in a dark blue tank top and trunks, and David, in white head-to-toe with his mop of I’ve-just-rolled-out-of-bed midnight-black hair.
Haley stretched up on the mattress, waving her arms in the air for a few seconds before Scott spotted them and both the Williamses walked toward them. Haley watched David approach, trying to fathom how he’d behave today. He had dark shades on, and the part of his face that was visible—nose and mouth—gave nothing away. When he reached the daybed, he greeted them with a curt, “Ladies.” Then he gave Jack a quick nod and turned on his heel, saying, “I need a drink.”
So it was a “pretend Haley doesn’t exist” kind of day. Whatever.
She decided to concentrate on the brother who didn’t come with a side of grouchy pie.
Haley shuffled onto the bed to make room for Scott and patted the mattress. “Come here.”
He hopped on and pressed her against the pillows to give her the best “Hi, there” kiss, making all thoughts of David fly out of her head.
Pushing back, Scott smiled down at her. “What did I miss?”
“Not much. Just the best free cocktails and food of your life.”
“Mmm, sounds like I have a lot of catching up to do. What are you all drinking?”
“Mai Tais,” Haley explained. She was already tipsy. “Blended, not with the chunky ice.”
Madison groaned from her chaise. “You’ll never let me live that down, will you?”
“Sorry, no.”
Scott frowned at Haley. “You prefer the ice cubes?”
“Oh, no. If it weren’t for Madison here, I’d still be drinking sorry vodka whatevers.”
“And how many did you have?” Scott asked, amused.
Haley took his hand and hopped off the bed, pulling him with her. “Come with me to the bar. It’ll all make sense after you’ve had a few.”
They didn’t run into David at the cabana or back at their little corner of the garden. For a while, it seemed like the older Williams brother had disappeared into thin air. But as quickly as he’d vanished, David reappeared an hour later, only to keep his “ignore Haley at all costs” attitude live.
He sat on Madison’s chaise. “Blondie,” David said matter-of-factly. “We need to talk.”
“Okay. Talk,” Madison said.
“You’re sadly out of a drink, and this conversation needs to be alcohol-supported. Can I offer you anything?”
“It’s an open bar party.”
“Well, in that case”—he stood up and offered her a hand—“let’s go take advantage.”
Only half-reluctantly, Madison took his hand and followed him toward the bar/cabana on the other side of the pool.
Haley made a conscious effort not to watch them, not to notice the way Madison seemed unable to keep a straight face at whatever David was saying. Weren’t those two supposed to not be on talking terms? Whenever Haley saw them together, something stirred in the pit of her stomach. A snake of many coils: truths too hard to face, emotions too twisted to follow, and thoughts too dark to acknowledge.
Pretending not to look wasn’t really helping; she needed to block David out of her life completely. She fished a bottle of sun lotion out of her bag and physically turned her back on Madison and David, asking Scott to help her reapply the sunscreen. As Scott’s hands massaged the tension out of her shoulders, Haley finally relaxed.
Five
Madison
Madison waited until they reached the other side of the pool to ask, “What do you want?”
“Hey, hold back on the hostility. I come in peace.”
“Really?”
“I’d ask what’s with the terrible mood…” David took a sip from his transparent plastic cup. “But I feel your pain, Blondie, quite literally.”
A little smile forced itself on Madison’s lips. “At least the brooding look suits you.”
“Whoa, a compliment, Blondie? Careful there, I might think you’re warming up to me again.”
“Don’t go getting a big head. I’ve only removed you from the undesirable number one spot.”
“And who have I been replaced with?”
Involuntarily, Madison’s eyes shifted toward Haley and Scott. They were talking as he massaged sunscreen on her back. Just as Madison looked over, Scott pressed a kiss to her friend’s neck. Haley laughed and turned to kiss him full on the lips.
David followed her gaze. “Ah! The happy couple. Revolting, I know. So I’ve asked you here because I have a proposition for you.”
“Last time you propositioned me, it didn’t end so well.”
“Oh, come on, it wasn’t all bad, was it?”
Madison scowled.
“Anyway, this one is a much more straightforward endeavor.”
Madison cocked her head and relaxed her frown, shooting David a skeptical look she hoped would read as: “I have reservations, but I’m listening.”
David caught the message. “I was thinking,” he said. “Since we’re partners in suffering, and we’re at a party with plenty of free booze, what do you say we get absolutely trashed together?”
“I drove here.”
“So did I, but Blake said I can crash in one of the guest rooms.”
“Well, that solves your DUI problem.”
“You can crash with me.”
Madison crossed her arms over her chest and turned to study him. “David, what kind of game are you playing?”
“No game. I’m looking for a partner in crime. I’m not hitting on you, or proposing we do something unbecoming.” He smiled wickedly. “I’m only a
sking if you’d like to drown your sorrows in alcohol with me. It’s always sad to be a lonely drunk.”
“And it’s better to be a couple of drunks?”
David made a silly face. “Much, much better.”
“And what about the others? We both had passengers.”
“Blondie, let me tell you a secret…” He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, “It’s about time you did what’s best for yourself.”
Madison smiled. “You’d be a wonderful life coach, if only you weren’t proposing I get shit-faced.”
“Well, if you prefer to just stand here and enjoy the show…” David tilted his head in the general direction of Scott and Haley suggestively. Madison’s eyes followed, and a quick glance was enough to make her stomach churn. “Be my guest.”
David made to move away, but Madison grabbed him by the arm. “Wait!” If she had to endure the stomach sickness, she should at least have fun in the process. The others could find another ride home, or call an Uber. Or better yet, she’d lend them her car and return home with David the next day. Alice wasn’t drinking, anyway. And Madison didn’t have to babysit them. “I’ve changed my mind. I want to get drunk.”
“Now we’re talking.” David smiled his signature lopsided smile and offered her his hand, asking, “What’s your poison?”
Madison took his proffered hand. “Blended Mai Tai. They make the best ones here.”
“Fine taste, Blondie…” David linked their arms together and steered her toward the pool bar. “You never cease to surprise me.”
David ordered their drinks, and after passing Madison her Mai Tai, he raised his glass. “What should we toast to?”
“Why do you ask me?”
“You’re the poet.”
“Oh, so you’ve finally warmed up to the ‘accursed and tormented soul’ lifestyle?”
“Sometimes the heart leaves you no choice.”
“All right,” Madison said. Then she took a deep breath and put on a mock-serious expression. “It is the hour to be drunken!” she proclaimed in a solemn tone. “To escape being the martyred slaves of time, be ceaselessly drunk. On rum, on poetry, or on unrequited love, as you wish. But be drunk.”
David looked at her, speechless for a second. “And you came up with that handy piece of depressing poetry on the spot?”
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