by Hughes, Maya
“I need to talk to you.” The muscles on the outside of his jaw worked triple time. He grabbed Declan and Heath by the arm and dragged them down the hallway.
I jumped back, giving them a wide berth.
“You two, too.” He motioned with his head, and Colm and Ford followed behind him. The door at the end of the hall—the one to my room—slammed shut so loud it was like a gunshot went off in the house. The knot in my stomach had turned into an entire herd of balloon animals. Instinctively, I stepped toward the front door.
Mak grabbed me around the waist. “Oh no you don’t. You’re not running away. I invited you, and everyone agreed. This is his problem to deal with.” The fire in her eyes was enough to melt steel. A few people’s gazes shot up to the ceiling, not daring to even entertain the idea of a challenge.
“Mak…” My words fled just as quickly as my courage about forging ahead and putting the past behind me. “He hates me.” That raw ache threatened to consume me. “I’m not going to have this turn into a shit show because I joined at the last minute.”
“It’s not going to be a shit show. It’s something you both need to deal with. Stop running away from this. He’s not going away, and neither are you.” She grabbed my hand, squeezing it firmly. “Tell him everything.”
I shook my head so fast it made me dizzy. He couldn’t know everything. There were so many things I’d kept hidden so long I’d lost the words to even say them. If I told him, I would cause him even more pain than I had already. He’d never forgive the betrayal, and then there was the gut-churning realization that he’d thought the worst of me. His first reaction had been to shut me out. It was easier this way.
My eyes stung. I blinked back tears. No, everything would never work. I could tell him some, but even in my worst nightmares, I didn’t like to think of everything that had led up to that night. Bile rose in my throat. I shut those memories out, squeezing my eyes shut.
“I fucking paid for this house!” His voice boomed, and our nervous glances shot toward the darkened hallway and closed door.
I blanched. “He did?” My gaze whipped up to meet Mak’s. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“Because he didn’t.”
“What?” Now I was confused.
“The guys let him think he was paying, but everyone chipped in.” I opened my mouth, but she cut me off. “And before you say anything, no, you’re not contributing anything. You’re not creating any more expenses, and it would have cost the same regardless of whether or not you came.”
“But—”
“No buts. You’re not leaving. If he wants to be a child about this, he can leave. I’m not going to let him run you off.” She looped her arm through mine and dragged me onto the couch. “Liv, can you get us a few more drinks? I think we’re going to need them.”
Olivia rushed off to make some before Colm got back and punted her to the moon. Kara flopped onto the couch beside me, and Mak filled her in on the sanitized version of our past. I stared straight ahead. No more yelling came from the back bedroom, but the tension traveled all the way to the living room.
Liv thrust a cool, tall glass into my hand. “It’s a Long Island Iced Tea. I figured we could use something that packs a punch.” She drained hers in less than a minute while keeping an eye on the hallway.
“Damn, Liv, this is amazing.” Mak took long sips before I pulled the straw out of her month.
“Slow down there, Miss Tipsy.” I laughed, and she laughed in between her hiccups. Declan would be in for it later.
“I think you guys would totally get along with my grad school friends,” Kara offered before sucking down some more of her drink. “This is dangerously good.”
The bedroom door opened with a lot less force than had been used to close it. Like they were on the way to a funeral, the five of them came down the hallway.
“I didn’t want to have to do this, but I’m straight up making you guys choose.”
Sharp breaths and wide eyes accompanied Emmett’s declaration.
“Avery.” Mak’s hand shot up with her lips wrapped around her straw.
He shot her a look. “I meant the guys.”
“Why just the guys? We’re all here for the summer. This isn’t just your trip, Emmett.” She jabbed her finger at him, her drink sloshing over the rim of the glass.
I wanted to hug Mak and tackle her to the ground at the same time.
“Emmett, calm down. Don’t do this. We can rearrange some things and it will be fine. I can take the couch. Avery can have the other bed in the triple, and you’ll get the bedroom down here.” Heath ran his fingers through his sunshine strands and pointed to the hallway they’d just emerged out of.
“No.” I could practically hear the enamel on his teeth creaking from the tightness in his jaw. It was still weird seeing him without any scruff on his face.
“Dude, be reasonable.” Declan stepped in front of me, but that didn’t stop Emmett’s glare. It was the kind of look that would leave bruises in its wake.
“You want me to be reasonable? You of all people? You were there that night—you know what happened.” Emmett’s words sliced through the air, and it sounded like he was barely holding himself together.
“I know that, but I also know it was a long time ago.” Declan held out his hands in front of him like he was trying to placate a feral animal.
Emmett shot him a look like he’d punched him in the face. His biceps bunched.
Colm broke the staring match going on between us. “Listen, it’s late. Why don’t we all go to bed and we can sort this out tomorrow?”
“There’s nothing to sort out. She goes or I go. It’s that simple.”
Everyone knew Mak’s vote. No one else came down on either side, which was probably the best I could hope for given the situation.
“Wow.” Emmett stared around the room, skipping over me with such a sharp look of betrayal on his face, part of me wanted to go to him and help smooth over the pain.
See, that right there was why I didn’t need to be anywhere near him. Old feelings like that were unwelcome and unneeded. He hated me, and I couldn’t blame him one bit. I’d invited it and put a nice big bow on it like the ones in car commercials.
The guys crowded around him, trying to talk him down.
I opened my mouth, ready to concede defeat. I should have been leaving anyway, but Mak pinched my side. “If you say a word, I’m going to put Nair in your shampoo. Zip it. This is going to happen.”
“No, it’s not. He’s going to leave,” I whispered back.
“No, he’s not.”
Emmett broke away from them and stormed out the front door.
7
Emmett
I could barely breathe, even with the wide-open beach in front of me. Storming out of the house, I hit every third step and got back into my car. My heart thundered against my ribs and my hands were shaking. It was a nightmare come to life.
They’d chosen her. My chest was so tight, I struggled to breathe. They hadn’t said the words, but not kicking her out was all the answer I needed. I dragged my fingers through my hair. Fuck!
My hand shot out, slamming into the steering wheel. They’d slotted Avery into the Emmett-sized hole in the group. How in the hell did they think that was okay? After everything that had happened over the past four years? I couldn’t even hear her name; it was too hard, so hard I had to run or risk bleeding out all over the floor, and she was forgiven just like that. In the blink of an eye they welcomed her back?
The overhead light flicked on as the passenger side door opened and Heath slid in. I wrapped my fingers around the steering wheel so tightly my joints ached. “I cannot be in the house with her.”
Heath let out a sigh, the long-suffering kind that made me want to punch something.
“I don’t know what to tell you. We invited her.”
“And whose idea was that?” I glared at him.
He gave me a who do you think look.
“Of c
ourse it was Mak.”
He shrugged. “In fairness to her, you bailed, and didn’t say anything about coming down later. You were just like, I’m going to the Hamptons with my parents, bye.”
“So you just let my cheating ex move in on our summer plans?” Those old insecurities bubbled up from the past, the ones from a kid with no friends or family to speak of. It made me feel small and insignificant, like they were throwing me away. Casting me aside.
“Maybe it’s time you two bury the hatchet, and I don’t mean in each other’s backs. Look at Declan and Mak—they hated each other, and now they’re together. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. She’s friends with Avery, and you’re one of us. That’s also not changing, but having that constant animosity is going to fuck things up.”
I slammed my head back against the headrest. “Do you have any idea what it does to me to see her in there?” Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to get my pounding pulse under control. “To see her laughing and having fun and knowing how fake it all is? Knowing how she had no problem decimating me? And you guys chose her.”
“It’s not about choosing her. It’s not.” His gaze held a conviction that almost had me convinced.
Some of the tightness in my chest loosened, but it still didn’t make sense, didn’t make it okay.
“I wasn’t there that night, and I can’t imagine what happened, but you two also never got closure. You ran off before graduation, never even spoke about it again. You literally jumped out of a moving car when we tried to talk to you about it.”
“That was one time.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“This is the chance to hash it out, to get it all out there and move on. Remember that thing you said about your three-month relationship issue? Maybe this is part of it. It’s not easy to forgive people who’ve hurt you. You can ask Kara about that one, but I know sometimes it’s not about forgiving them and them walking away scot-free. It’s about freeing yourself from the damage their hurt was causing you by making the promise to yourself that it’s not going to hurt you anymore.”
I lifted my head from the back of my seat and looked over at him. “Since when did you become such a guru?”
He shrugged. “It helped with some stuff with my dad. I don’t know, just give it some thought. We want you here. We’ve missed you. It won’t be the same without you.” He squeezed my shoulder so hard I winced.
I punched him on the arm.
Tugging on the door handle, he hopped out of the car and walked back inside. I flicked on the overhead dome light and took out my phone.
Mom: Sloane is very sad you left early. She’s wondering when you might be coming back.
Oh I was sure Slone was “missing” me all right…also, I hadn’t even known my mom knew how to text. How could I have when this was the first one I’d ever gotten from her?
Dad: It would be wonderful if you could come back soon, perhaps by the 4th of July.
Me: I’ll do my best.
I couldn’t go back up there and be subjected to whatever weird matchmaking game they were playing. How freaking strange was it that now I was dodging them? The irony wasn’t lost on me. Going back to LA or the penthouse, rattling around the empty house all alone when everyone was living it up down here…the thought of either one turned my stomach.
That left one option.
Declan: Come inside. We can see you out in your car. It’s starting to get weird…
Staring up out my windshield, I couldn’t hold back my half-smile. Their faces were pressed up against the balcony door on the second floor like some weird totem pole. The laugh burst out of my lips before I could stop it. That was why I was there. My new team was full of great guys, but they weren’t the Kings, weren’t the guys who’d been more like brothers than teammates. No matter what, they could always make me laugh.
Emmett: I need a minute.
Colm: Are you staying?
Ford: ?
I closed my eyes. Leaving meant letting her win, meant I was running away like I’d done something wrong. Screw that! She was going to have to see my face, own up to what she’d done, and not get to pretend nothing happened.
Me: I’ll stay.
I sat in the car until the lights in the house started flicking off. Was she still awake? Had she taken my bedroom? Had she changed into pajamas? Dropping my head into my hands, I jerked upright when my head hit the horn, cringing at the sharp blare. Sorry, summer neighbors.
Walking to the back of the car, I grabbed my bag out of the backseat. Staring up at the house that had held promises of drunken nights, hilarious pranks, and lots of drinking, I now felt like I was walking into a fiery pit of angry wolves ready to rip me apart piece by piece.
My steps sounded like gunshots on the wooden stairs. I opened the screen and pressed against the front door. All the lights were off, not a sound in the entire place. Naturally, I slammed my foot into one of the end tables.
Cursing and sucking in a sharp breath, I clamped my lips shut to keep myself from yelling at the top of my lungs. I dropped my bag over the side of the couch and grabbed my foot. What the hell is that table made out of—titanium?
“What the hell?”
It was like ice water had been poured down my back. My bag rolled off onto the floor, and the lump on the couch whipped the blankets from over her head. Staring back at me was a pissed-off Avery. She rubbed her hand against the side of her head.
The pain in my foot evaporated, and as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could make out her form.
She licked her lips and spoke, her words coming out in a rush. “I didn’t come here to piss you off.”
“It’s not like you volunteered to leave once you knew I was here.” The reply shot out of my mouth.
“Keep your voice down,” she whispered harshly.
The muscles in my neck tensed. “You have no right to take this summer away from me.”
“I…I don’t want to turn this into a summer from hell, but I’m not leaving until my two weeks are up. I’m not trying to take anything away from you, Emmett.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
My eyes narrowed. I wouldn’t look away first. It was almost a reflex. “I would expect nothing less from you. You’re a taker, Avery. You pretend you aren’t, but it’s what you’re best at.” My pulse pounded. Everything I’d said to myself in the car about ignoring her had evaporated in a cloud of smoke at the look of shock on her face.
She shoved the blanket off her legs and knelt on the cushions of the couch, facing me. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. You have no idea what I’ve been through. You don’t even know who I am—but I learned that a long time ago. I haven’t had a vacation in…well, forever, so I’m staying.” Her harsh glare bounced right back into the molten anger brewing in me.
“Where do you want to go?” I whipped out my phone, pulling up a travel app.
Her eyebrows scrunched down. “What do you mean?”
“Where do you want to go on vacation? I’ll pay for a two-week vacation for you and a friend anywhere in the world.” I gritted my teeth. “A female friend.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Are you trying to bribe me? Pay me off to get me to leave?”
“I thought that was pretty obvious. I’ll pay for you to go anywhere you want—anywhere but here.”
“Wow, Emmett. I didn’t think you had it in you.” Her gaze traveled up and down my body. “Looks like you do. Apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.” She crossed her arms, tension radiating off her like a steam engine ready to blow. Good, because I was already there.
“What the hell does that mean?” My harsh whisper clashed with her sharp gaze.
“Nothing.” Her eyes darted away from mine before returning with all the sizzling fire from before. “There is nothing you can do to get me to leave this house. I’m going to have the time of my life, right here.” She jabbed her finger down at the couch.
Why couldn’t she be reasonable? This was a fucking fantas
tic deal, one she didn’t deserve, but other than dragging her out the front door, I didn’t have too many other options.
“And I plan on doing the exact same thing. You stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.”
“Done.” She flopped back on the couch and pulled her blanket up over herself.
I grabbed my bag and took off down the hallway. It was my vacation, and she was the interloper, not me. I wasn’t going to let her get to me any more than she already had.
8
Avery
“Come on, Percy, you can make it.” I patted the raised and bumpy dashboard of my car as I crawled along the pristine streets just off the beach. Percy had been with me through thick and thin, and we weren’t going to be parted by anything as silly as a busted transmission, barely there brake pads, and tires hanging on to the last of their treads. Offering to drive two towns over for the best crab cakes in fifty miles probably hadn’t been the best idea when I was eighty percent sure the floor was going to fall out of my car, but I’d wanted to contribute any way I could.
With my windows rolled down, the cool shore air breezed through the car. Seagulls called and swooped down behind the houses and shops lining the main street. Those flying rats were probably stealing some unfortunate kid’s funnel cake or French fries.
The forecast had called for a storm to hit and I’d nearly kept driving as far away from the shore as I could when I’d heard that, but Syd’s threat of violence had kept me on my crab cake run. So far it was a clear horizon. I’d most likely have a heart attack if a storm did break out.
A crawling shiver of dread slammed into my gut. The last time I’d been caught in a storm, I’d sought refuge in the bakery and made about ten dozen cookies, keeping the mixers going on high to drown out the sounds. It hadn’t been enough to block out the rumble under my feet that had me gripping the stainless steel counters and locking my knees.