I shrug, not wanting to get into it. “Inside joke.”
Brooklyn casts a glance towards Anaya’s retreating form. “She’s pretty.”
Her voice is sour, like it’s my fault that another girl happens to be good looking. In truth, I hadn’t really registered how Anaya looked. I picture her big brown eyes, her full cheeks and cute smile. Thinking about it, she really is pretty. Very pretty.
But, Brooklyn’s statement feels like a trap. I venture an, “I guess so...”
I wait for a response, but nothing comes. I look at Brooklyn and her face is red. Is she… jealous? No, Brooklyn doesn’t get jealous. Ever. She’s always had all the confidence she could ever need, and then some.
Her stunning eyes bore into mine and she takes a step closer. She places a hand on my arm, her touch light as a feather. She bats her long eyelashes and I realize I’m no longer breathing.
“Prettier than me, though?” Her voice is low and flirtatious, like she used to sound when we were together. Like old Brooklyn.
My heart flutters and I put my arms around her waist, pulling her close. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
She laughs, the sound light and twinkling. She flips her hair and smiles her signature full-lipped smile. “I already know your answer. I don’t need to hear you say it.”
She steps out of my arms and I trail behind her as she walks with Snuffles. She barely looks back, but she doesn’t need to. She knows I’ll follow her.
As we make our way towards her cabin, my mind spins and a thought tugs at me. I glance behind me, towards the place where Anaya had been just moments before. If Brooklyn was, in fact, jealous of Anaya, that means that a part of her still cares about me. And if she cares about me, that means that there's a hope of us getting back together.
The answer is clear as day. If Brooklyn is jealous, we might get back together.
The question is — how can I make Brooklyn jealous?
10
Anaya
I wobble down the gravel path towards the Inn, cursing myself for wearing heels. As I approach the lovely building, I follow the thumping sounds of the bass. It sounds like the Welcome Bash has already started. I walk through the garden and the delicious smells of roasted herbs and garlic waft from the balcony above.
Tonight, I’m on a mission. After my double run-in with Wes-the-hot-lifeguard earlier today, I spent the rest of the afternoon tucked away in my cabin, formulating a plan. I need to find out which Edendale High students are working here, and then see whether any of them might tell Isabella the truth.
My hair is damp and it clings to my shoulders, the moisture soaking into the back of my baby pink sundress. I’m not even in the event room yet, but I’m already uncomfortable. It took me an hour to settle on wearing this dress. All I want is to blend in seamlessly with the crowd at Legacy.
I take a deep breath and push open the doors to the event room. Almost immediately, I sigh with relief. I made the right choice — everyone is moderately dressed up. Now, as long as I don’t trip and fall on my face, I should be fine.
“Cheeseburger taco?” A loud voice on my left startles me and I teeter on my heels, barely avoiding my tenth stumble of the day.
I swear under my breath. Daniel’s right, I am a klutz.
The speaker is a tall, slim woman and she holds a tray of delicately-placed tacos under my nose. She wears a colorful, printed dress, and a jaunty cowboy hat atop her long and white hair.
“Oh, thank you, but I’m okay for now,” I say, not wanting to be rude. My stomach, of course, chooses this moment to rumble.
The lady tilts her head and smiles. “Nonsense, dear. Have one.” She wiggles the tray in front of me. “No, have two!”
I can tell by her sharp eyes and determined smile that she’s not going to let this go.
I force a smile, blushing. I hate being an inconvenience. “I’m a vegetarian.”
The lady bursts into boisterous laughter and moves the tray away from me.
“Why didn’t you say so? There are plenty of vegetarian options here.” She sets the tray precariously on the edge of a table and then holds out her hand. “You must be Anaya.”
I laugh and shake her hand, relieved she’s not put out. “That’s me. The veggie thing gave me away?”
“I always pay special attention to our student workers’ dietary restrictions. We only had one vegetarian this summer and here you are!” Her smile widens. “I’m Delia. Delighted to meet you.”
So this is my new boss. She seems to be the perfect blend of commanding, eccentric and warm. I love her already.
“It’s lovely to meet you, too,” I say. “I’m excited to be here!”
“And it’s absolutely wonderful to have you. Just marvelous…” She trails off as she gazes over my shoulder, distracted. “If you’ll excuse me, dear, it appears that Vin is having a bit of trouble with the food table.”
With a wave and a swirl of her colorful dress, Delia’s gone, her tray of cheeseburger tacos long forgotten. She strides purposefully across the room towards a slightly lopsided table piled high with various dishes and casseroles. A man stands at one end, adjusting the table legs.
I hover awkwardly by the door and survey the scene. The room is beautifully decorated with ropes of delicate string lights and paper lanterns. The tables are scattered strategically around the room and a dance floor is set up at the center. The Inn has gone all out to make the staff feel welcome.
I spot a few people I recognize from Edendale High — Bree Lewis, Noah Sawyer, Stefi Clark, Kiara Garcia...
And then I spot Jonathan Wright. Isabella’s ex boyfriend.
My heart sinks and I feel sick. What is Jonathan doing here? He’s the star midfielder for the Edendale Eagles. Surely, he has somewhere else to be this summer — a fancy soccer camp or something? If he’s still in touch with Isabella, she’s sure to find out my secret sooner rather than later.
I study him from a distance, my stomach flip flopping. Right now, he’s talking to Kiara, his body tense and his eyes shining mischievously. It certainly doesn’t look like Isabella is on his mind.
“Here’s hoping,” I mutter.
“Talking to yourself again, dear?”
I spin around to face Nath’s twinkling dark eyes, crinkled at the corners as she smiles.
I laugh. “Guilty.”
“We all do it.” Nath swats her hand in the air, and then her voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper. “So. I heard the most interesting news today.”
The blood drains from my face. Did she hear about Wes “saving” me earlier? I don’t want to be known around Legacy Inn as the swim instructor who can’t swim. I play dumb, stalling for time. “What’s that?”
Nath nudges me in the side like we’ve been friends for years. “You must know.”
“Uh,” I stammer, heat rising to my face. “If you’re referring to what happened earlier today, then—”
Nath cuts me off. “So you know about him too!”
Her voice echoes around the room like a foghorn. I have no doubt that you could hear her from across Legacy Lake. My face turns bright red and I pray that no one is paying attention.
But, heads turn and I cringe. Of course I know about Wes, I can’t imagine why she’s being so obvious about it. After a painful moment, I meet her gaze. She’s bursting with excitement, her face flushed. Could I be missing something?
“Who do you mean?” I ask carefully.
“Cooper Monroe!” Nath exclaims in an excited whisper. Not that the whisper is any quieter. “Can you believe it?”
I exhale and relief floods my body. “Never heard of him.”
Nath’s mouth drops open like I’d just told her I was born with four legs. “You’ve never heard of Cooper Monroe? Kade Monroe’s son?”
I stare at her blankly and her mouth drops further.
“Kade Monroe, the movie star? Voted Hollywood’s Hottest? Nothing?” Her eyes bug out in shock.
I laugh and shake my head. “I do
n’t really watch TV.”
Nath puts her arm around my shoulders. “My girl, let me give you an education.”
With that, Nath drags me further into the event room, chattering on about Kade Monroe and his blockbuster film series. Apparently, he and Cooper are staying at Legacy Inn for the summer. Clearly, Nath is starstruck and her excitement and happiness are contagious. I’m doubled over laughing in no time.
Then, Delia claps her hands and brings our attention to the front of the room. As I look over, I lock eyes with a familiar turquoise stare. I nod at Wes and he nods back in greeting. I remember the beautiful blonde he was with earlier — Brooklyn. Wes was wearing this awesome blue shirt that really brought out his eyes. It looked like he dressed up — perhaps for her? I wonder what their story is.
Before I can think about it further, Delia launches into her welcome announcements and Brooklyn and Wes are shoved from my mind.
As Delia wraps up the announcements, the room erupts into chatter and laughter. The music starts and staffers bustle around me.
Delia introduced the student workers to the full-time staff by calling us up to the front of the room. I kept my gaze averted to a point on the back wall, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. I always feel awkward in the spotlight.
“Running into each other three times in one day. What are the chances?” a familiar, low voice asks from beside me.
I look up and meet Wes’ twinkling eyes. His sandy hair is combed back and he’s wearing classy slacks and a white button down. He looks pretty sophisticated for a high school kid, but I guess people dress differently in a big city like Billings. Without a doubt, he’s as attractive — if not more attractive — than any of the most sought-after guys at Edendale High.
“Given that we work together, I’d say they’re pretty high,” I say smoothly. “How are—”
“Wes!” Nath exclaims, breaking in between us. “How’re you doing, kid? Good to see you again.”
Wes laughs. “Nath, hello.”
He bends down to kiss her cheek — a gesture that makes him seem infinitely more grown up than any boy I’ve ever met. They fall into comfortable conversation and I look around, feeling rather awkward. I would break away, but Nath’s hand grips my arm firmly.
“So, you two have gotten acquainted already.” She grins like a Cheshire Cat and then turns to Wes. “Why don’t you take Anaya to get some of that delicious cheese bread.”
It’s a statement, not a question, and Nath winks at me sneakily. A blush spreads under my skin and I pray that Wes can’t see it. Nath is being painfully obvious about Wes and I “getting cheese bread together,” but a guy like Wes could never want anything with a girl like me. He’s ridiculously gorgeous and I’m “amazingly average,” as Isabella once put it. Plus, the beautiful girl I saw him with earlier is probably his girlfriend.
But, before either of us can object, Nath shoves us towards the food table and then disappears. We stand in slightly awkward silence, surveying the spread.
“Nath is nice,” I venture and then curse myself for not coming up with something more clever.
Luckily, Wes nods and smiles. “She’s the sweetest. I came here a few days ago and met her and her husband Vin, along with Delia. I wanted to thank them for taking me on when I’m not even an Edendale High student yet.”
“You’re in for a treat come fall.” I sigh and place some cheese bread on my plate, along with salad and grilled veggies.
Wes loads his plate high with a scoop of everything. “Wanna sit?”
“Sure.”
We walk the perimeter of the room, trying to find an empty table. As we’re passing by another table, someone directly in front of me pushes back their chair. I leap out of the way, stumbling slightly in my heels.
Wes steadies me with one hand. “Need saving again, Anaya?”
“Never,” I say, surprising myself with how smooth my voice sounds. Inside, I’m jittery and nervous.
I drop into a chair at the next table and Wes sits opposite me. He stares at me intently and his mouth twitches, like he’s trying not to smile. I take a massive bite of cheese bread to avoid having to speak.
Sadly, my plan backfires. It takes me ages to chew through the bite. Not to mention the fact that I’m not at my most graceful when I’m eating. Wes waits patiently for me to be done, taking tiny bites of his food with a cute little smirk on his face. His eyes dance with amusement.
Finally — finally — I swallow the bread and take a sip of water.
“Hungry?” Wes laughs.
“Always,” I retort casually.
“Probably from all that swimming.” He winks, his tone light and teasing. “I know I was starving after my rescue today.”
My cheeks warm and I fidget with my food, tearing my bread into pieces. Time to change the subject. “Anyway. Where’s your girlfriend tonight?”
“Who?” Wes looks surprised. “Oh, you mean Brooklyn?”
“Yeah. Does she work here too?”
Wes laughs, but there’s no trace of humor in the sound. “No, she doesn’t work here. And I don’t have a girlfriend.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Oh, I just assumed…”
He shrugs noncommittally but I see a flash of pain behind his eyes. “No, we’re nothing.”
I shift in my chair; I hit a sore spot, I can tell. Once again, I put my big foot in my big mouth. I stare at my bread, trying to think of what to say. Should I offer him comfort? Nice words? The rest of my half-eaten bread?
Before I can embarrass myself further, he shoots me an easy, but guarded smile. “You swim a lot?”
I relax and take another bite of cheese bread, smaller this time. “I’m on the swim team at Edendale.”
“So, what?” He stabs a piece of lasagna with his fork. “You were practicing today or something?”
“Something...” I trail off.
I can’t exactly tell him the truth — that I was trying to escape the stress of having to conjure an imaginary boyfriend out of nowhere; that I was looking for calm and relaxation in the mess that is my life; that I wanted to lose myself in swimming, as I often do these days. Nath has already caught me talking to myself twice. I certainly don’t need two of my colleagues thinking I’m crazy.
To my relief, Wes doesn’t pry further. “I’m guessing you know all the other student workers here then.”
I pull apart another piece of bread. “You ask a lot of questions, Wes.”
He’s unruffled, his eyes twinkling in amusement. “I sure do. Is that a problem?”
I meet his steady turquoise gaze. Wes is the only student here who doesn’t know where I stand with Isabella and her pack of cheerleaders. He’s the only one who I know can’t rat me out. There’s something to be said for that.
“Honestly, I don’t know any of them that well,” I admit, deflated. And then, without thinking, I add, “I don’t have a lot of close friends at Edendale High.”
I clamp my mouth shut. Why did I tell him that? I didn’t intend for him to know the truth — that I’m kind of friendless around school. I stare at my cheese bread, waiting for him to laugh at me or make fun of me or something.
“Really?” Wes sounds surprised. “I was just chatting with Jonathan. He seemed to know a lot about you.”
My blood runs cold. What was Jonathan saying about me? Does he know about my ridiculous lie? He could so easily report back to Isabella. It’s clear, already, that I don’t have a boyfriend here. I’m done for.
Panic blurs my vision, but I force myself to stay calm. “What did he say?”
“Just that you’re tough.” Wes shrugs. “You stand up for yourself and for others.”
Now, it's my turn to look surprised. My eyebrows shoot up and my mouth pops open.
“Would you say his story checks out?” Wes’s eyes dance.
It’s a dare and I’m taking the bait. I narrow my eyes and purse my lips. “Absolutely. Don’t mess with me.”
Wes bursts into laughter and I join in. We hang out
for a while, joking and chatting easily as we grab seconds at the food table. Wes is much cooler than most of the football jocks at Edendale High. But even as I’m enjoying myself with Wes, a sinking feeling nags at me. I don’t know Jonathan well, so I’m not sure why he would say that I was tough.
Is it all a set up? Does Isabella have an insider here, ready to sabotage me?
11
Anaya
The early morning sun streams through the window, bathing my cabin in light. I stretch out on the small, rickety bed and check the time on my phone — 6am.
I stare at the ceiling, wide awake. I have two hours to kill before job training starts. My mind races, preoccupied with this “boyfriend” question. With a defeated sigh, I hop out of bed and throw on a bathing suit and sweats before setting off to the lake.
The dock creaks and sways under my footsteps. I walk to the edge, appreciating the quiet morning. The sun is rising over the peaks and the air is crisp. The lake’s surface is completely still, a perfect mirror reflection.
But not for long.
I strip down to my bathing suit and dive in. The cold water envelops my body, the sensation making every nerve tingle. I surface and propel myself gracefully through the clear water. This is pure bliss.
I may have a reputation for being klutzy and awkward, but that changes whenever I do any kind of sport. Whether it’s cheerleading, gymnastics, or swimming, when I’m in motion, I feel in complete control of my body. Powerful.
I alternate between breaststroke, front crawl and backstroke, taking advantage of the relative calm of my thoughts to consider the summer ahead. I have to be ready for all possible scenarios. Out of all of the Edendale High students that I saw last night at the Welcome Bash, Jonathan Wright is the biggest risk. Though he and Isabella broke up, he could still be in touch with her. Plus, she or Chloe could turn up at any time.
My arms slice effortlessly through the water as potential solutions stream through my mind.
The Complete Legacy Inn Collection: Four Sweet YA Romances Page 20