by Smith, Megan
“Nope, I think that everything is done for tonight. You ready to get out of here, Hails?”
Looking as if she would drop any moment, she answered, “Yes, I’m exhausted. We should get up early to come back down here, so we better get going.”
We left Hailey’s car at the shore house, since it was late she didn’t want to drive the forty-five minute ride home by herself. Fifteen minutes into the ride, Hailey was passed out. I looked over at Hunter wishing I could just scoot over and lean my head on his shoulder.
“See something you like, CC?” He had the biggest smirk on his face.
Damn, he caught me looking at him. I turned away from Hunter and looked out the window, hoping to hide the blush creeping up my neck to my face.
“You know I do.” I mumbled, hoping he would not catch what I said.
“And what would Dominic think about that?” Hunter reached over and ran his fingers down my arm, causing me to shiver. Over the last year, Hunter had seriously kicked up the flirting game with me. I’m sure it was because of Dominic.
I rolled my eyes at him. “You always bring him up, why?”
“Because I don’t think he deserves you. Is he actually going to make it here tomorrow for the party, or is he going to blow you off again?”
“He promised he would make it this time. He didn’t blow me off the last time. He got held up at practice, and it didn’t make any sense for him to come all the way here, and turn right back around.” I paused. “Besides, he sent me flowers a few days later.” Yeah, I was still mad, but it’s not as if he could drop what he was doing just to come home to see me. I knew football was his life.
“If I was him, and you were my girlfriend, I would make damn sure I was home every chance I got.” I noticed when he said this, that he gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, and his knuckles turned white.
“He’s trying, Hunter.”
As we were pulling into the driveway of my house, he mumbled under his breath something that sounded like, “He needs to try harder.”
“What did you say?” I asked, wanting to clarify what I thought he said.
He shook his head. “Nothing. What time do you want me back to pick you and Hailey up?”
“You don’t have to; I’m going to drive my car down in the morning. I just need you to make sure my brothers are there by seven. I don’t care what you have to tell them, just get them there.” I reached over the seat and shook Hailey’s leg and said “Hails, wake up. We’re home.”
***
The next morning Hailey and I were up before Mason and Cooper. We quickly got ready, and made our way back down to the shore house to finish setting up for the party. Finally, after all the food was out, and everything was set up, Hailey and I went up to my room and got dressed.
“What are you planning on wearing?” Hailey asked as she dumped out everything we had packed.
“I’m wearing my white shorts, and that…” I pointed to the black low cut halter-top she had in her hand, “with my black peep toe pumps.”
I picked the outfit because Dominic could never keep his hands off me. He always told me that wearing white shorts made my legs look miles long.
“Your brothers are going to throw a fit. That shirt barely covers the girls.”
I smiled, looking at her reflection in the mirror in front of me, and just shrugged my shoulders. I knew she was right, but I didn’t care. “You should wear those hot pink shorts on the pillow over there, with the white strapless shirt and those cute white pumps with the pink underneath them. The white shirt will bring out your tan.”
Hailey picked up the outfit and held it up to herself in the mirror, “Yeah, I think you are right. I do look pretty hot in pink.”
Hailey was gorgeous. She was tall with long blonde hair, dark olive skin, dark blue eyes and flawless skin. I never could understand why she felt so insecure about herself.
After Hailey and I finished getting ready, we made our way downstairs to start greeting everyone arriving for the surprise party. We had our next-door neighbor Jimmy have everyone park in his parents’ driveway. Hunter and my brothers would think it was Jimmy throwing the party. Around six-thirty, I got a text from Hunter saying they would be there a little after seven.
Wondering why Dominic was not here yet, I sent him a text to find out where he was. I didn’t want him ruining the surprise by showing up late.
Me 6:36pm: Where r u?
Dominic 6:38pm: on my way stuck in traffic
Me 6:40pm: text me when you cross the bridge
Dominic 6:41pm: I’ll be there by 10
Me 6:42pm: Y so late?
Dominic 6:44pm: Traffic
Of course, he was going to be late; he would be late to his own damn wedding. I knew I shouldn’t act pissy, but he had known about this for weeks. He should have been here hours ago, but at least he was coming this time.
“Everyone, please find a hiding place. They will be here in the next few minutes.” Hailey yelled over all the chatter in the house.
I heard their street bikes pulling into the driveway so I “shushed” everyone to give a warning that the boys were here.
They walked in laughing, and flipped the light switch on. Everyone screamed “Surprise!”
Cooper and Mason’s eyes flew wide open. When they noticed everyone, they were in complete shock. When their eyes landed on Hailey, Jaylinn, and me standing in front of the stairs, they smiled and shook their heads.
After being greeted by a few of their friends, they made their way over to us. Mason pulled me into his arms, “I knew you were up to no good.” He let go of me and grabbed Hailey, while Cooper hugged me. “I can’t believe you two did this. Mason said you girls were out on dates tonight.”
“Is that why you left so early this morning?” Cooper asked. “I was surprised when mom said you left around ten. Your ass never gets up before noon.”
Hunter walked up behind me and draped his arms over my shoulders, “I knew you and Mason wouldn’t let us leave without a fight, so we had to disappear early.”
“You’re damn straight we wouldn’t. Oh, this,” Cooper motioned behind Hunter, “is Jessica, Alexis, and Angel.”
I knocked Hunter’s arms off my shoulders, and then turned towards them. I was surprised to see Alexis standing there with two other girls I didn’t recognize. “Hi, I’m MacKenzie, their sister, and this is my best friend Hailey, and Jaylinn over there is Hunter’s sister.” Alexis rolled her eyes, which she did a lot, and the other two girls just mumbled their hello.
I excused myself and walked into the kitchen to grab a drink when my older brother, Jackson, and his pregnant fiancé, Chloe, walked in.
“Hey, you guys made it! How are you feeling Chloe?” I reached over to rub her baby bump.
“This morning sickness is seriously kicking my ass. I don’t know how long we will be able to stay, but we wanted to show up for a little while.”
“You and Hailey did an excellent job, Kenzie. Mase and Coop were freaking the fuck out all day. Hunter and I had to keep them from coming to search for you girls,” Jackson said.
“Well, thanks for covering for us. You know how hard it is to surprise those two with anything. Hey, why don’t you guys just stay in your room upstairs?” I looked over at Chloe. “That way, if you don’t feel good, you can go upstairs to lie down. All the doors are locked, so no one can get into them.”
Jackson looked over at Chloe, and she nodded, “Alright, I guess we can do that.”
“Chloe, there are some clothes upstairs you can put on to sleep in.”
Chloe stood on her tiptoes, and kissed Jackson. He placed his large hands on each side of her belly. “All right, all right, get a room already you two.” Glued to each other ever since they met, it was no wonder she was pregnant.
I walked away from them to search for Hailey. Passing the stairs, I saw Alexis standing with her back to me, holding Hunter’s hand. “That’s just great!” I mumbled to myself. Her friends stood beside her. A
ngel held onto Mason’s arm, and Jessica looped her arms around Cooper’s waist. I didn’t say anything to them as I walked by. Out on the back deck, Jaylinn and Jackson were playing beer pong with Chloe’s friend.
“Hey, Kenzie, did Hailey find you?” Jackson said.
“No, that’s who I was looking for.” I said, looking around at all the people swimming in the pool, and sitting around the fire pit.
“Have you seen Mase, Coop and Hunter? I haven’t seen them since we got here.” Jackson said.
“They were over by the stairs last time I saw them.” I said, watching as his ping-pong ball landed in the cup on the opposite side of the table.
“Here, take over; I’m going to go get them.” As Jackson handed me the ping-pong ball, Hailey came running up the deck steps and grabbed my arm. “Fuck, Kenz!”
“Hails, what the…” I spotted Hailey’s ex-boyfriend Matt as he walked in with some trashy looking girl with crazy red hair. “Shit!”
“What’s going on?” Jaylinn asked, looking around.
“Kenzie, what the fuck is he doing here?” Hailey was practically screaming at me. She had every right to be hysterical after the shit that asshole put her through.
“I have no idea. You know I wouldn’t invite him here after what he did to you.”
After senior prom, about thirty of us came to party here at my parents’ shore house. Alcohol flowed freely, and everyone became more and more trashed as the night passed. Matt cheated on Hailey with some skank who had come with one of our friends. They broke up that night, and Mason nearly beat the shit out of Matt.
I raised my chin in his direction, “Matt is here.” Jaylinn looked over at Matt, anger shooting from her eyes.
Hailey was in tears and near panic. “Why did he show up here? He knows whose house this is.”
“Look, let’s just hang out here, and finish the game. Try to act like he isn’t even here. Chloe, can you text Jackson, and ask him to handle Matt?”
“Yeah, I sure can.” She reached for her phone on the table, and I saw her tap out a text. A second later, her phone beeped. “He’ll take care of it.”
While Jaylinn and I finished our game, Hailey grabbed a bottle of vodka off the outside bar, and started chugging it.
“You better slow down. I’m not being the only one responsible if this party goes to shit.” I knew she would ignore me and be plastered by the end of the night. After Matt’s stunt, I seriously didn’t blame her.
“Just let her be, Kenzie. She’s a blast when she’s drunk.” Jaylinn said, as the ping-pong ball she threw hit the rim of one of the cups.
“Fine, but when she is puking her guts up, she is all yours.” I threw my ping-pong ball in the cup and turned to look at Jaylinn with my eyebrows raised, gloating that I made my shot.
Finally, my brothers and Hunter came over, but Mason looked pissed. He was watching Hailey as she drank straight from the vodka bottle. “Kenzie, how much has she had to drink?”
I rolled my eyes at his overprotective ass. “She drank the whole bottle of vodka over there,” pointing to the empty bottle on the bar, “and just started on the second one.” I scowled in Hunter’s direction. “Where’d your girlfriend go, Hunter?”
Hunter had dated Alexis briefly a few summers ago, and she had dated Dominic right before he and I started dating. She still was not over either one of them, and would do anything to get their attention. She started rumors that Dominic was going to leave me, and go back to her. She even tried to break us up by telling people that she and Dominic made out after a few of his football games that I had not attended. Dominic always denied it; I didn’t think he would do something like that to me, since he was the one who broke up with her.
“She left. Where’s Dominic?” Mason said, with a smug look on his face as he answered for Hunter.
“Low blow, Mase. I’m going upstairs.” I threw my ping-pong ball at Mason, and turned towards Hailey, “I’m going up to my room; are you coming?”
Hailey giggled at nothing in particular, and shook her head, “No, I’m good out here. I don’t think I can move at this point, since I can’t feel my legs.”
I glared at Mason. “You think you can keep her out of trouble, asshole?”
“Why are you going upstairs? Just stay down here with us. I’m sure Dom will be here soon, CC.” Hunter spoke up as I was getting up out of my seat.
“Kenzie, you’re not going upstairs! It’s my birthday, and you haven’t even had a shot with me yet.” Cooper said. He threw his arm over my shoulder and pulled me into a hug, trapping me.
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Fine, but if I have to stay down here, and deal with this bullshit, I’m going to need more than one shot.” I got up, and stormed away from them.
In the kitchen, I was about ready to down my shot, when I felt a pair of hands grip my hips. I hoped it was Dominic finally getting here, but when I turned around, I was staring at Hunter’s chest.
Seething through my teeth, I pushed back on him. “We need to talk. Let’s just go out front, and talk for a sec.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, looked down at the floor, then back up to me.
“We can’t be gone long; I need to go check on Hailey.”
Hunter and I made our way out to the front of the house, and I heard someone call my name. I turned around, and noticed it was Ricky, one of the football players from high school.
“Hey, Ricky, what’s going on? Are you down here for the night, or are you staying somewhere?”
“A couple of us from the team rented a house down the road for the summer. We got wind that you were throwing a party, so we stopped by. Is Hailey here with you, too?” For as long as I could remember, Ricky had a crush on Hailey, but Hailey was not having anything to do with him.
“Yeah, she’s out on the back deck with my brothers and Jaylinn. I’ll catch up with you in a little bit.” I gave Ricky a hug, and walked down the front steps. Hunter and I walked down the driveway, away from the blaring music, and the people gathered on the front porch.
“What’s going on with you and Ricky? You know Dominic has a problem with that asshole.” Hunter asked, glaring at Ricky over my shoulder.
“Nothing is going on with me and Ricky. We’re just friends. You know, I’m allowed to have friends.”
“Why did you have to hug him then?”
“UGH! Are we seriously doing this?” Hunter shook his head. “Dominic only has a problem with him because he told me that he saw Dominic and Alexis together after one of the games. Look, I’m not having this argument with you. Let’s just go back inside. I need to go check on Hailey, and Dominic should be here soon.”
I started walking away from him. “Wait!” Hunter called out, and I stopped walking, but I didn’t turn around. “Please don’t be mad at me. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”
“Yeah? And what’s that?” Hunter took a few steps towards me, pushed his body flush against my back and whispered in my ear, “Keeping you away from me, CC. You know I want you. Fuck, you can feel it.” To prove his point, he shifted his hips so that I could feel his hardness. “We both know I just can’t have you.”
Hunter backed away from me, and walked back towards the house.
CHAPTER THREE
Hunter left me standing in the driveway, all hot and frustrated, as he walked back into the house. Yes, I knew he wanted me. That was clear. What I didn’t understand was why he would tell me this now. He knew I was with Dominic. I needed to clear my head before I could walk back into the party, so I took the little path beside the house that led to the beach. I watched the waves crash and the moon dance on the ocean for a little while before I went back to check on Hailey. I couldn’t imagine how trashed she would be if she were still drinking.
I was walking between the sand dunes when I spotted Hailey sobbing, sitting on the bottom step with Mason and Hunter hovering over her. I bent down to her level so I could see her. “Mase, what’s wrong with her?”
He looked a
nnoyed and disgusted. “I don’t know. She is either crying about her ex-boyfriend, her one-night stand from last weekend, or her own puke. None of those things are worth her tears, though.”
Hailey had a different relationship with Mason than she did with Jackson and Cooper. I had asked her a few times if she had feelings for Mason. She had always denied it, so I left it for them to figure out.
“He…had…Slam Station…carved…into his…headboard…and he wasn’t…even any good at it.”
Hailey spoke between sniffles and hiccups. She was trying to get over Matt, but going about it the wrong way. This was the third one-night stand she had this month. Lucky for her, Mason does not know about them. There was no telling what Mason would do to them.
Trying my hardest not to laugh at her, I reached over and put my hand on her knee. “Shut up, and let’s get you upstairs.” I seriously hoped she was done running her mouth. I knew she was going to regret saying that tomorrow.
She tried to stand up, but nearly fell over. “I’m not sure if I should be proud of you for waiting, or disappointed in you for letting your sex life get this sad, Kenzie.”
“Christ, Hailey! That is enough. Come on, let’s go.” I grabbed Hailey by her arm to try to pull her up, but she was dead weight. Hunter grabbed her arm from me, and picked her up so we could make our way inside. When we reached my room, I dug into my pocket for the key to unlock my door.
Hailey put her arm around Hunter’s neck. “You know what? I’m just so happy because I get to go to bed, and when I wake up there will be chocolate milk and Mason’s penis waiting for me.” I gasped, looking back at Hailey while she started to giggle.
“That is just wrong on soooo many levels.” Hunter said, trying not to laugh; clearly, the situation amused him.