by Zoey Dean
As for the others, maybe she could learn something from her experience in the desert: to be less judgmental and just be --to live and let live. Besides, everyone at this little gathering had been perfectly decent to her, hugging her and gushing about how glad they were that she was back. Not one bitchy word had passed anyone's lips, not even Cammie's. In fact, they were all rapt as Sam finished recounting the story of their odyssey.
"Wow, a psychedelic experience in the desert," Bennett gushed. "That could be life-changing."
"It was almost life-ending," Sam joked.
Skye sipped her Evian. "But wait. You're telling me that after all that, you and this Eduardo guy never hooked up?"
Sam shrugged. "Whatever."
Anna could tell that Sam was feigning nonchalance. Eduardo had seemed so terrific. She was sincerely sorry that Sam hadn't gotten the happy ending she deserved.
"Did you buy any cute clothes while you were there?" Krishna asked, apropos of nothing.
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"Tons of them. From all of the top Mexican designers." Cammie tilted her head back and laughed.
"Like who?" Dee asked, wide-eyed.
"Like none, Dee," Cammie explained slowly. "That's the whole point."
Dee twirled some hair around a finger. "I like southwestern-style clothes. Remember that really cute silver serape thing I got a couple of years ago at Cinnamon's? And then Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas wore the exact same one at the MTV Music Awards?"
"We didn't buy any designer silver serapes," Sam stated. She was methodically buttering a fresh-baked roll. Anna could see her fighting the urge to take a huge bite.
"So, what did you buy?" Skye asked.
Anna's memory was jogged. "A sculpture."
Sam met her eyes with something approaching amazement. She, too, had obviously forgotten the old Mexican artist. In a way, Anna thought, he was the whole reason they'd ended up in the desert.
"A what?" Cammie scoffed.
"A sculpture," Sam told her with dignity.
"A primitive. By a native artist. It's being shipped to her," Anna jumped in, exaggerating the truth only a tiny bit. After a phone call or two to Las Casitas, she had no doubt that the sculpture would be en route to Beverly Hills in a matter of days.
"Wow," Dee breathed. "I need to get a sculpture by a native artist, too."
Across from Anna, Cammie laced her fingers
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through Adam's and shook her curls off her face. "Before you two got lost, some of us had a fantastic time back here." She leaned over to kiss Adam.
Oversbaring, Anna thought. Maybe Cammie and Adam had swung naked from the chandeliers, but there was certainly no reason to broadcast it.
"I know that's true," Dee squealed. "I walked in on them." Then she clapped a tiny hand over her mouth. "Oops. I probably wasn't supposed to say anything."
"That was the general idea," Adam jested, but he didn't sound mad.
"Sorry," Dee chirped. "I'm just glad you guys found true love, that's all."
Could that be real? Anna wondered. She wanted Adam to be happy. But with Cammie Sheppard?
"So Anna, what did you do that was fun?" Krishna asked, breaking into Anna's thoughts. It was clear from her tone of voice that she couldn't care less.
"I learned to surf, actually," Anna offered.
"Oh yeah?" Parker asked, focusing his megawatt smile on Anna. Considering that he resembled a young Brad Pitt, that could have been an intense experience if Anna hadn't known he was as dull as he was good-looking. "We should drive down to Newport sometime. Or to Zuma."
"Urn, maybe," Anna responded lightly.
Krishna shot Parker a dirty look. "We never go surfing."
"You said it wrecks your hair," Parker reminded her.
"So?"
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The waiter set a tuna Nicoise down in front of Anna. She took a halfhearted bite. What was it about this crowd that seemed to bring out the absolute worst in her? She'd just lied and said that she'd learned to surf. For what reason? To impress them?
"I thought you were on a diet, Sam." Skye smirked when she saw Sam put a forkful of the Polo Lounge's homemade ketchup on the cheeseburger she'd ordered.
"I never said that."
Skye shrugged. "Dee told me."
"No, I didn't," Dee insisted. She looked at Sam with her big blue eyes. "I said that I read about this man who lived on air because he was able to transcend the physical needs of his body. And I said that you should try meditation. But I never said you were on a diet. I really didn't."
"The burger would work, minus the bun," Krishna suggested. "The South Beach Diet is the only one that works. My sister lost six pounds in a week. She bought the most adorable Valentino skirt to wear to the Olsen twins' birthday party at Pastis, remember? She was, like, as skinny as Mary Kate."
Anna glanced over at Sam, who was chewing a small bite with the most morose expression on her face. All the energy and joy Anna had seen in Mexico was gone. And these people were Sam's friends.
"Samantha?" Anna heard a voice behind her. British accent.
"Omigod." Sam literally dropped her burger.
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Everyone at the table turned toward a sharply dressed gorgeous guy, with copper skin, curly black hair, twinkling dark eyes, and a perfectly chiseled chin. He crossed toward Sam and took her hands as the table fell completely silent.
"Samantha," he repeated. His smile displayed two perfect dimples. Then he nodded to Anna. "Hello again, Anna."
"Hi, Eduardo." Anna kept her voice calm for her friend's sake, but she felt like jumping up and down with happiness.
"But--but ..." Sam stammered. "You were on your way to Paris."
"True," Eduardo confirmed. "I took the puddle jumper to LAX, where I would change planes. And then ... I never got on the other plane."
Like my sister, Anna thought. But better.
"For me?" Sam asked in a small voice.
"I called your home. Your stepmother was kind enough to tell me where I could find you," he went on. "And here I am."
Sam shook her head. "But you seemed annoyed when I left."
"I was being an ass when you left, actually. So do you have plans for the evening? We never did have our dinner date."
"Let me introduce you." Sam turned Eduardo so he faced the table. "Eduardo, these are my friends. Everyone, this is Eduardo."
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"Hello, all," he greeted everyone with perfect grace. "I hope I'm not intruding."
"My God, you really are hot!" Skye exclaimed.
"And he seems like he's really into her," Dee added supportively.
"Yes, he really is," Eduardo confirmed. As if to punctuate his words, he took Sam into his arms and gave her the most tender kiss on the lips Anna had ever witnessed. Then he whispered something in her ear.
Sam beamed and turned to her friends. "I hope you guys will excuse me. We've got plans."
"Wait!" Krishna demanded. "You can't leave your own welcome-home party."
"Oh, I'm sure you guys will be fine without me." She laughed, getting up from the table and taking Eduardo by the hand.
For a long moment, the table was silent. Finally Bennett broke the quiet. "Well, hell, anyone can change planes." He sniffed.
Everyone began to eat and talk again. But Anna was lost in thought. Sure, any guy with the right credit line could buy a ticket wherever he wanted to go. But not just anyone would do what Eduardo had just done. And no amount of money could make a boy look at a girl the way he had looked at Sam. Maybe Sam was about to experience love. Or it could turn out to be just lust. But she'd never know unless she put her heart out there. Took risks. Followed through.
Suddenly Anna pushed out of her chair. "I have to
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go," she announced to the table. "There's someplace I have to be. Right now."
Anna got her Lexus from the valet and headed west on Sunset Boulevard to the Pacific Coast Highway, then up the coast to Zuma Beach. At Diego's Sur
fing Emporium, she rented a wet suit and a longboard. She changed in the back room and then lugged her board across the PCH and down the long wooden staircase to the beach.
She surveyed the water. The waves were breaking evenly, about three feet, with plenty of time between sets. There were just a few surfers in the water. Conditions were ideal. It was now or never.
Anna carried the board into the water. Paddled into the surf the way Danny and Kai had taught her. Stopped out where the waves were beginning to break. Turned toward Hawaii and waited for perfection to arrive.
And there it was. She spun her board toward shore, paddled like hell, and felt the water rush under her. She rose to her feet.
Be the wave. Be the wave.
Arms out, knees bent, totally concentrated on the moment, Anna Percy rode the wave. She laughed with joy as the wall of water powered her toward shore. Life, love, boys--it was all about balance.
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