by Bella Emy
But how could I not go to the last party of the summer? This was the one all the kids from school waited the whole summer for. I had to be there. Anyone who was anyone would be there. Okay, so maybe crazy house parties aren’t really my thing, but it was all Erin had been talking about for weeks, and there was no way I was going to let my best friend go alone.
I wait for Erin to get about halfway down and then follow her out of the window.
“Lexi, would you relax? It’s going to be fine.” She hops off and lands on the ground as if she had just stepped on a cloud.
Once I reach her, I look up at my window, but she interrupts my thoughts. “Plus, your folks are not even going to notice we’re gone. Your mom thinks we’re out cold for the night. We just have to be back before the sun comes up.”
My eyes widen. “Before the sun comes up… right,” I chuckle nervously.
Erin laughs. “Come on, girl!”
She tugs on my sleeve, and then we start running off before someone can see us. The warm end of summer air hits my cheeks. The night sky is beautiful with a blanket of stars up above our heads. Overall, it has been a steamy hot summer, and I’m looking forward to the chilly autumn days to come.
We reach the next block before I add anything else to our conversation. “I don’t know how you’re so calm. You’re acting like your father wouldn’t whoop your ass if he catches you out tonight.”
Erin bursts out in laughter. “Please. He doesn’t scare me.”
I turn my head and face her. “Well, he should. Your dad is intimidating, especially when he’s angry, and I’m sure I haven’t seen the worst of it.”
Erin shrugs. “You haven’t. But anyway, you’re just scared cause he’s an ex-SEAL army-man.”
I chuckle. “Maybe.” Standing at 6’3, Mr. Cole is pretty impressive. Even though he’s Erin’s dad, you can tell he must have been a good-looking man back in his day. Now he’s got graying hair and a few crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes. Still handsome for his age, I guess, but eww. He’s in his forties or fifties, I’m assuming. And hello? He’s my best friend’s dad.
“Come on, girl. We’re almost there. Don’t you wanna have fun? There are only five days left until it’s back to school, and then we can be all serious and responsible and stuff.” Erin pulls my arm gently as we walk across the street, but I know she’s only half-serious. Just because school starts in a few days does not mean she’s ready to give up on fun.
“I can’t believe we’re going to be juniors this year,” I say, taking in a deep breath.
“I know, it’s going to be amazeballs!”
“Next year will be better.”
Erin shakes her head. “It’s going to be great. Watch. We’re going to get boyfriends this year and lose our virginity.”
I laugh. “Really? That’s what you’re worried about? We’re going to be juniors, the most important year of our high school education. SATs and such, you know?”
She waves a dismissive hand at me. “Oh, of course about all that academic stuff, but let’s be for real here a second, Lex. We have to lose our virginity before we graduate high school, preferably before we’re seniors. I don’t wanna be known as a loser, and I refuse to let my best friend be known as one, either.”
“We’re not losers, we’re just waiting for the right guys,” I add.
We stop walking once we reach the block where the party is going to be, and Erin turns to face me. “Right guys, schmight guys… it’s going to happen. I’ll be sure of it.”
I roll my eyes playfully.
Erin chuckles. “Come on, girl. We’re here.”
She points to the last house on the block. A bunch of kids from school are littering the front lawn and the surrounding area of the house. The music from inside is now audible, filling our ears. This is usually not my scene, but like I said before, there was no way I was going to miss this. Erin would never let me anyway. Plus, I need to be here with her. My best friend is known for living on the wild side. I need to keep an eye on her.
Still, I like to pull her chain. “Tell me why we’re risking our asses again to be here…”
She offers me a smile from ear to ear, flipping her long, blonde bangs out of her eyes. She had just dyed her dark hair to a golden blonde this morning. Lord help her when her parents find out. “Too late to back out now. Let’s go.”
Somehow, I find my way out of the crowded party and exit out through the kitchen’s side door. Casey Holander’s place is huge, and considering the fact that her parents are out of town until Sunday afternoon, no wonder she and her older sister, Melanie, had thrown this event. Melanie just turned nineteen a few months back, so her parents figured what could possibly go wrong while they were away for three days. She was here on break from college for the summer.
Little did they know what their daughters were planning since the moment they found out their parents would be away. But as the old saying says, when the cat’s away, the mice will play. That statement couldn’t be more accurate.
As I step foot outside, I take in my surroundings. There’s no one out here but me and nature. Most people are inside dancing to the music, drinking of course, and acting like fools. I don’t even know how I had escaped out of Erin’s sight. No, wait. Maybe I do know. A few minutes after we’d arrived, Jason Delaney, her crush since freshman year, asked her to dance. I had become totally invisible since then.
But that was fine with me. This would give me a few moments to catch my breath. I’m not much for the crazy party scene. I prefer to stay in most nights and catch up on some of my reading. I’m a total bookworm, but I’m not some nerd. I love music, love to dance, and I’m popular enough at school. I just love the feeling when I get lost in a book. That’s all.
I walk to the edge of the back porch and sit down on the wooden bench. I pull out my cell phone from my back pocket. Scrolling through it, I click on the reading app on my iPhone, and the last place I left off in my story pops open. A smile forms on my face, and I indulge myself once more in the characters and plot.
Moments later, I’m rudely interrupted.
“Must be some really interesting conversation you’ve got going on there to be missing this great party.”
My head snaps up and standing a few feet away from me is a guy I’ve never seen before. I definitely would have remembered him. Granted, he’s dressed modestly with a faded pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, but damn, the way those clothes are sitting on him look like they were made for him. I need to look away.
Yet, I can’t.
He’s breathtaking. His dark brown hair and scruffy beard give him that rugged bad boy look I’ve never been able to resist. He’s got to be at least a year or two older than me, maybe even three. Maybe he’s one of Melanie’s friends from college. Damn, she’s lucky. If guys looked like this at my school, I would never be absent.
But now he’s looking at me funny. I’d better say something.
“Excuse me?” Great, Alexa… you’re doing great. If I could facepalm myself right now without being so noticeable, I would. I so would.
His lips pull into a smug grin.
I gulp as he walks closer to where I’m sitting.
“I mean, yeah. There’s the end of the summer party going on inside. Everyone is in there having a blast. And yet, here you are. All by your lonesome. You must be having some amazing conversation reading a super long text from… hmmm,” he places a finger on his stubbly chin and then adds, “a boyfriend who couldn’t make it?”
Who the hell does this guy think he is? Does he think he has my life all figured out? Yeah, not really. His guess couldn’t be further from the truth if he tried.
“No, I’m just reading,” I hold out my phone so he can glance at my screen.
“Not much of a partier… I get it. Me neither.”
“I never said that…” I begin, but he’s obviously amused, and even though it irks my nerves, I’m totally intrigued.
“Okay, my apologies. May I?” he asks,
pointing to the seat next to me, but it’s not like he waits for me to answer. He makes his way over and sits down. Almost immediately, I’m inhaling his scent. Not purposely, but his cologne is so strong. Not in a bad way. He smells amazing. He fucking looks fantastic, too.
Shit. Listen to me, cursing up a storm. Totally not like me, but this guy is making me do things...
He puts his hand out. “I’m Kalen Starling.”
God, I already love his name. In fact, it’s my absolute favorite name, even though I’ve never heard it before now.
Kalen.
Kalen Starling.
Kalen and Lexi. I love the sound of that.
I bite down on my bottom lip, and coming back to my senses, I reach out and his firm handshake practically pulls me out of my core. Holy crap. “I’m Alexa Alderidge, but my friends just call me Lexi.”
His eyes widen. His gorgeous green eyes. Fuck.
Our hands let go, and I’m sticking my phone back into my pocket.
“Alderidge, as in Alderidge Estates?”
Oh, great. Of course he’d heard of it. Anyone who wasn’t living under a rock knew Alderidge Estates.
I nod. “Yeah. That’s my dad’s company.”
He nods, too. “Nice.”
He has no idea. Ever since I’ve been a little girl, I’ve had everything handed to me on a silver platter. I’m not complaining, and I’m aware of how lucky and fortunate I am. I don’t ever take that for granted, but sometimes I wish people would know there’s more to me than just my family name.
And still, all the money in the world can’t stop people from fighting. My parents have had the worst fights lately. I hate to hear them bicker, and most nights when they do, I head out to stay with Erin.
I take in a deep breath and want to avert my thoughts elsewhere. I want to ask him why the hell he came out here if inside is such a great party, but before I have a chance to figure out how to word it, because right now the words are not coming to me, he’s speaking once more.
“So, Miss Alderidge, who would rather be reading than partying with her fellow Tranquility Creek classmates before the start of her senior year—”
“Junior year,” I cut him off abruptly.
“Junior year?” His eyebrows furrow. “I seriously thought you were a senior.”
I grimace. Is that disappointment washing up on his face?
“No. I just turned sixteen two months ago. You’re in college?”
He chuckles. “No. I’m a senior. Turned eighteen a few months ago.”
“Oh, I thought you were older, too.”
“Disappointed?” He smirks.
“No, not at all. But which school do you go to?”
“Tranquility Creek High School.” He flashes me a smile that makes me forget my train of thought for a second.
No way is he a student at Tranquility. I would have definitely seen him around school. It’s not like our school is that big. And a guy like him, with eyes like his, a smile like his, and a body like his? I’d definitely remember him. Definitely.
Before I can say anything else, he adds. “I just moved here, about two or so months ago. I met Jason Delaney at the construction company I started working for this summer.”
Construction? No wonder he’s built like a freaking god. That explains a lot. And he’s friends with Jason? Erin would love this.
“I see,” is all I manage to say.
He chuckles, and I’m instantly drawn to the sound. Jesus.
“So, Lexi… besides reading, what else do you like doing?”
I think I love my name. Or at least the way it sounds when he says it. I could watch his lips saying my name all day long.
As I go to open my mouth and respond, Erin barges out with Jason to her right. “There you are, Lex! I’ve been looking all over for you!”
I take a glance at my watch and see that it’s already past ten. How the hell had an hour passed by so quickly? “I was just out here... reading.”
“Um… reading what, exactly? That hunk’s shirt that has no visible writing on it?” She points to Kalen’s black shirt.
Kalen, Jason, and Erin exchange a laugh. Of course, I had put my phone away and now I look like a moron. Two points for Lexi.
Before I can tell her I had been reading on my phone, Kalen rises and extends his hand. “Hi, I’m Kalen... Jason’s friend.”
Erin smiles widely and shakes his hand. “Erin. Nice to meet you.” Once they let go, she looks at me, and covers her mouth to say to me, “He’s hot.”
I look down and giggle quietly to myself as I nod at her statement. He sure is.
Erin looks back and forth from the guys to me and says, “Jason and I were going to get ice cream, why don’t you guys come with us?”
Ice cream does sound good. It’s hot enough tonight. And Kalen is not helping to cool me off at all.
“I’m actually probably going to head on home in a bit,” he responds.
Okay, now I’m disappointed. Even though I don’t know much about him, I was really enjoying getting to know him.
“Lexi, you can go with them if you like. I don’t want to keep you from hanging out with your friends,” he says.
Listen to him talking as if Jason isn’t his friend, too.
“Well, I—”
Jason intervenes before I have the chance to decline the offer. “Come on, dude. You should come, too.”
Kalen thinks for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”
He gives me that mesmerizing smile of his and asks, “What do you say, Lexi? You want to get some ice cream?”
I smile back. Do I ever. But instead, I respond, “Ice cream sounds great.”
Chapter Six
The four of us find ourselves sitting at a wooden table and chairs out back of Polar Freeze Treats, the town’s ice cream shop. The place isn’t too crowded but there are enough patrons here that we almost didn’t find a seat.
A little boy around the age of three holds on to his mother’s hand, while his other carries a dripping chocolate cone. I’m surprised to see a kid his age up at this time. Most children are asleep by now. But he is adorable with chunky cheeks and sky-blue eyes. When he catches me staring at him, he stops licking his cone and his eyes widen. I smile.
“He seems to like you, Lexi,” Kalen leans over to my right and whispers in my ear. “Can’t say I blame him.” He pulls back, and I feel myself blushing.
I look across the table at Erin and Jason, but they’re in their own little world, unaware of what Kalen just said to me.
But I noticed. And I take it in.
And I feel myself jumping up and down inside. Because honestly, I’m really liking him, too.
I turn my head slightly to face him, and he’s just scooping up his double mint chocolate chip ice cream onto a little plastic green spoon as if nothing happened.
And then, without ever turning his head, he winks at me through the corner of his eye.
I can’t help it as my lips curl into a smile.
“So, Jason was telling me you just moved here?” Erin’s voice breaks my thoughts, and in all honesty, I’m thankful for it. Because if I dwell on all the ways Kalen is making me feel right now, I’ll more than likely make myself into a fool. I’m known for screwing up things like this.
Because I’m smooth like that.
Kalen clears his throat and nods. “That’s right. I moved from New York a few months back.”
“Oh, nice. Is that where you’re from originally?” Erin takes a scoop of her vanilla-strawberry treat and then shovels it into her mouth.
“Well, not originally, but for most of my life, yes.”
I want to ask him where else he lived before that, but the same little boy from before runs over to our table and taps Kalen on the arm.
We all turn to see the little boy with ice cream smeared all over the corners of his mouth. A round of laughs escapes us right as his mother runs over, chasing after him.
“Tommy! Come here!” She’s got long blonde c
urly locks, appearing to be in her mid-thirties.
Tommy snaps his head toward the sound of her voice and lets out an excited shriek. It’s adorable, we’re all laughing again.
“Hey, little guy… I think your mama’s looking for you,” Kalen says to Tommy.
“Mama?” Tommy repeats.
As she finally reaches us, she grabs Tommy before he can get away and scoops him up into her arms. She lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. “I’m so sorry. One minute we were sitting over on that bench, and the next thing I knew, he’s taking off.”
“It’s ok, ma’am,” Jason answers.
“We just had the most colorful day… he fell at daycare and cut the back of his head on the slide… apparently, he went down backwards before anyone noticed. He also managed to get a nice little cut right in the middle of his forehead. We’re actually just coming from the hospital. Ice cream was the only way to make him happy.”
“Oh my gosh, is he okay?” Erin asks.
“Tommy okay!” the little guy responds.
We all giggle at how cute he is.
Tommy’s mother nods, and he lays his head on her shoulder. “Yeah, doctors said he’s a tough kid, but we all insisted on taking him to the emergency room to get checked out… didn’t want to take any chances, you know? By the time we were seen and then discharged, it got so late…”
“That’s understandable. We’re glad he’s okay,” I respond.
His mother smiles. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”
“It’s nothing, really,” Kalen answers.
“Well, I’ll let you kids get back to it. My husband is waiting for us to get back to the car. You kids have a good night. Say bye, Tommy.”
Tommy waves at us. “Bye, Tommy.”
We smile.
“Bye, little guy. Feel better soon,” Kalen says.
A few minutes later, Erin and Jason both get up from their seats. He whispers something in her ear, causing her to laugh and then says, “So, Lexi, Jason and I are going to go for a walk. Can I come by your house after?”
She’s supposed to be spending the night at my house. I guess she and Jason are not ready to say good night just yet.