by Parker Wren
Still facing away from him, I let him slip his hands from my hips to the front of my stomach. I laid my hands on top of his and ran my fingertips over his wrists, my heart pounding.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned my head to the left, knowing exactly where his face would be, not even daring to look him in the eyes. My lips met his. Within seconds, he had turned my hips around so that my whole body was facing him.
It didn’t matter that all of our clothes were on. In that moment, I was his, and he was mine. To taste him, to touch his face, to finally know what it was like to experience something I had been fantasizing about for weeks. It was too much to absorb in such a short span of time.
His lips were full and soft on mine, but he pressed hard with his mouth, eagerly. One hand cupped my face as the other wrapped around my waist and pulled me tightly toward him. As my hips arched into him, my head leaned back and let the force of his kiss and the taste of his tongue overwhelm me. I grabbed his face with my hands with a carnal desire to pull him closer and closer still.
Suddenly, he pulled away. I finally looked into his eyes. I felt completely consumed by the way he was looking at me. The intensity was overwhelming.
He grabbed my hips and lifted. Within seconds, I was sitting on the counter, my face even with his. He paused for another second before kissing me again on the lips. Softly at first, then forceful and desperate. His body pressed against mine, our clothes meaningless barriers, my legs wrapped tightly around his hips. His hands were everywhere—on my neck, on my legs, on my body—wanting to touch me, to have me, but still exercising restraint. I wanted to stop and tell him he could have me—that I was his—but I didn’t. I couldn’t stop—couldn’t stop kissing him, wanting to pull him closer, even though we were as close as we could possibly be—
I heard Henry and Brit’s bedroom door open. Like a snap of lightning, I was paralyzed; the adrenaline pumping through us shifted to panic. I pulled my lips from his and searched his eyes, my body frozen.
His eyes still on mine, Grayson pulled away. It felt like I had lost a limb as his warmth left my body.
I broke our gaze as I slowly slid off the counter and straightened my shirt and skirt. I patted my hair, uncertain how messy it was. I looked at him, still panicked, but he nodded. I was okay. I nodded back in acknowledgment.
Grayson went back into the position he occupied minutes earlier: leaning against the door frame with his ankles crossed and hands in his pockets. I reached for the wine bottle and opener. If it weren’t for my shaking hands and heat in my chest, I might have thought that I had gone crazy and only imagined what had just happened.
CHAPTER 32
“You guys want some wine?” my voice squeaked to a high-pitched note as Henry and Brit entered the kitchen.
Grayson smiled but didn’t say anything. My legs were still weak, and my mind was struggling to stay focused on anything other than his body.
“Thanks Ariel, you can have that, but I think we have some really good stuff over in the cooler,” Brit said. “Honey, could you grab some?”
“Sure,” said Henry, gracious as always. “We should have that bottle too, Ariel. Looks like a good one.”
Dom came in then, asking what was on offer. When we all sat down, I saw Brit had set placards at each seat.
Really, Brit? For five people?
“This looks delicious guys. Thanks,” Dom said, taking his seat next to me. And to my right—according to Brit’s design—Grayson was obliged to sit.
“Brit knows just the right people to call for a good, home-cooked meal,” Henry said.
Brit smiled. “Well, when you have the money, why do it yourself? Am I right?”
“Cheers to that!” Dom said.
Grayson and I raised our wine glasses and smirked at each other. Rich people problems, we thought.
The meal consisted of salmon, lasagna, cranberry-walnut salad, cheese plates, garlic bread, heaps of vegetables, and enough wine to make us roll out of the dining room rather than walk.
“So Ariel,” Brit said, “what are your plans after leaving tomorrow?”
I paused, thinking about what to say. “Well, I haven’t planned too much, to be honest. I’ll probably spend some time with my Aunt Sarah. She lives a couple of hours north of Boston, in New Hampshire. Then I’ll probably go back down to Virginia to work before school starts.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Brit said with a big smile. It was odd: Usually, the more I interacted with people, the more I felt like I understood them on some level. But with Brit, it was the opposite. With every question and every smile, I doubted how genuine she really was. At the same time, I couldn’t be sure what was true and what wasn’t. Being in this bizarre situation had likely obscured my judgment and ability to read people well.
“I thought you were off work over the summer. Isn’t your program just during the year?” Brit asked.
I wiped my mouth with my napkin. “Well, you’re right. I don’t get paid over the summer, that’s for sure!”
Henry and Brit gave me a sympathetic look.
“But, ultimately, for my career, I have to work on research during the summer. If I don’t, I get behind on my projects. I’ve done some work here, but I should dive into things more before the school year starts.”
I knew I was rambling, but it was a better alternative to any other tension that might be at the table. Besides, the longer I could drag out a conversation with Henry and Brit, the more wine I could drink, which would certainly help me relax.
“What about you, Henry and Brit?” I asked as I stared my third glass of wine. “Are you guys going to stay here for the rest of the summer? Or any other plans?”
Henry put his hand on Brit’s and smiled. “Well,” he said. “A bit of both, really. Traveling for work but also soaking up the sun as much as we can on Vineyard.
“I’m really excited about next week,” Brit said as she pulld her hand out from under Henry’s. “Next weekend, I head to the Caribbean with some girlfriends from college. Henry has to work, so it seemed like good timing.”
Dom had been quiet throughout most of the dinner, which was rare for him, but now he spoke up. “What kind of work, Henry?” he asked.
Henry gave a sly smile. “Oh, you know,” he said. “This and that.”
Dom wasn’t going to let that answer go. “Stuff for your dad, or your business?”
Henry scoffed. “I don’t work for my dad anymore. Not for months. It’s for my business.”
“Can you tell us more about it? I feel like I keep getting vague answers anytime I ask you about it,” Dom said. Grayson and I exchanged nervous looks.
“I mean,” Dom continued with a slight laugh, “it could all be made up, for all I know!”
Henry’s eyes narrowed. “You know that’s not true, man.”
I put my hand on Dom’s arm. “Dom?"
He lifted his arm to remove my hand and continued to address Henry. “It’s okay. I know you’re developing a charity app. It’s cool stuff, man.”
My stomach clenched. I couldn’t believe Dom had said that—revealing what we learned about Henry’s business by hacking his computer.
Henry was visibly tense now. “How the hell do you know about my business?”
“Tell me why it’s such a big secret first,” Dom countered. He was emboldened. By what? I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t like where the conversation was headed.
And I couldn’t predict how Henry would react.
Henry’s response was tense. “I just wanted to have everything lined up before telling anyone I knew in my personal life. Okay? You have to remember that you and I are working together at the same place this fall. I know word might get out that I’m starting something, but I would rather it not screw up my other job if it doesn’t work out.”
“Henry is just being extra cautious,” Brit explained, her tone intended to calm Henry down. “Please don’t take it personally, Dom. Henry hasn’t been telling anyone the details.”
Any attempts at diffusing Henry’s anger had failed as he shot a glare toward Dom. “And now my question for you: How the fuck do you know about my business?”
Dom didn’t look intimidated. “Sorry man, I wasn’t going to say anything,” he said. “I just heard a rumor.”
“From who?” Henry demanded.
“My friend who runs a blog about charities in D.C.,” he said. “She just mentioned it to me in passing. Said it sounded cool. Asked if I knew you.”
Dom’s voice softened then. “Look man, I’m really sorry if I upset you. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’ve had too much to drink. What I wanted to tell you was how proud I am of you. I think your app is such a good idea, and knowing you, it will be hugely successful.”
Henry’s demeanor started to relax. “It’s okay,” he said. “I am just on edge about all this stuff.”
“Hey, I get it,” Dom said. “Which is why we are partying as much as we can this summer—well, I am anyway—before we have to start working those crazy hours.”
Henry nodded. He didn’t seem like he had forgiven Dom, but he didn’t seem to want to argue about it anymore. He suddenly looked exhausted.
“How about I get us some shots?” Dom said, banging his hands on the table excitedly.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Brit said. “I am absolutely stuffed!”
“For Henry, then,” Dom said. “As an apology.”
Dom stood up, and I stood up quickly after him. “I’ll help,” I said with a smile.
As soon as we were both in the kitchen, I confronted Dom. “What was that?” I asked in an angry whisper. “You could have outed us in there! Why would you bring that up?”
Dom shrugged and focused on pouring fireball shots. “If we haven’t made any other progress, why not keep pushing? Who knows what we might find out? I plan to get Henry as drunk as possible and then find out what he knows about his father.”
“Did Manuel ask you to do that?” I asked.
“Yes,” Dom said. “Well, kind of. Like, the job was always based on the assumption that Henry was moving money around for his dad. Which we’re pretty sure he isn’t. But Manuel was always, like, find out whatever you can about the dad as, like, a bonus. And Henry sure as hell knows some shit about his dad.”
I leaned on the counter and sighed. “You’re right about that. Grayson mentioned some things. Plus, what we read in the email from Henry to his dad, it sounds like Henry did some work he shouldn’t have for his dad—wasn’t happy about it—and it’s partly why Henry and his dad are on bad terms now.”
“Some work, huh? Of the illegal variety?” Dom asked as he took a shot.
I gave him a side eye.
“I’m testing it,” he said in his defense.
“Who knows,” I said. “I don’t even care at this point. Come on, let’s go back in before it starts looking weird.”
“Shots for everyone!” Dom said as he entered the dining room, laughing.
Even though I’m not sure how, we kept snacking and drinking. Everyone had seemed to have cheered up considerably. I couldn’t help but look a little bit too long at Grayson whenever he smiled or laughed. I memorized the lines next to his mouth; they weren’t quite dimples, but they brought a quality to his face that made me love his smile even more.
When I finally thought the dinner was over and everyone was getting along again, Henry stood up.
“I have one more thing,” he said.
After spending a few minutes in the kitchen, Henry brought out a big chocolate cake with a separate bowl of strawberries and vanilla ice cream.
“This is for you, Ariel,” he said. “For enlightening us this summer with your intelligence and wit. For making Dom the happiest I’ve seen in the time that I’ve known it, which—I suppose—isn’t that long, really, is it?”
We all laughed. I was thankful for that distraction.
“It doesn’t take much,” Dom replied.
“Thanks,” I said and elbowed him in the ribs. I felt like this evening had hopefully eased Dom’s iciness towards me; however, it was hard to say when alcohol was playing such a large role.
Henry continued. “We are so sorry for what happened here that dreadful night. We hope you will be back another year, and we wish you the best, now and always.”
I felt my face flush as I was asked to blow out the candles. The whole night felt incredibly overblown and only deepened my guilt, which had started living with me constantly, like an outgrown imaginary friend.
“And now,” Henry said, “I would like to serve the first bite of cake to our hostess.” He cut off a small piece of chocolate cake and dabbed a strawberry and spoonful of ice cream on it.
Henry watched as Brit looked at the cake in front of her. “Chocolate,” he said. “It’s your favorite, right?”
“Yes,” said Brit. “But why are you acting so weird? Why don’t you go and cut the other pieces?”
“Yeah man,” Grayson said. “You’re creeping her out.”
“He’s just waiting to see how well the poison works,” said Dom.
“Oh, ha ha. So funny,” Brit said and rolled her eyes at Dom.
Brit bit into her cake carefully.
“This is good!” she said to Henry. But then she laughed. “Well, not like any of us made it.”
She kept eating. “OW!” she suddenly exclaimed.
Dom was grinning. “See? Poison. I told you.”
Brit glared at Dom.
“What is this?” she exclaimed as she pulled out a hard piece of something from her chocolate cake.
“Here,” Henry said. “Let me dip it in your wine.”
Before the rest of us could process what was happening (well, except Grayson, who clearly seemed to know what was going on), Henry was down on one knee. In his hand was a diamond that seemed much too big for its small band, with the exquisite center diamond adorned by smaller diamonds around the perimeter. Despite its size, it was gorgeous.
“Oh boy, here comes the speech.” Dom mumbled.
We couldn’t help but stare. It was like we were watching a movie—some bizarre, twisted movie, and everyone was drunk, but a movie, nonetheless.
“Britania—and yes, I know you hate that name more than anything, but I love it— because it’s you, Brit. I have loved you the moment I laid eyes on you. You make the world a better place, and you make me a better person. You are my heart, my world, and I want to wake up next to you every morning. Preferably naked, but really any way will do. Will you marry me?”
Brit had her hands to her mouth, so it was hard to gauge her reaction. Finally, with tears in her eyes, she nodded. “Yes,” she said “Yes! Of course I will marry you, Henry.”
Henry’s face was covered in ecstasy. He pulled Brit out of her chair and spun her around.
Grayson, Dom, and I all had huge grins on our faces. I still felt slightly awkward witnessing the engagement of two people that I barely knew, and whose lives I had been sent to ruin. But—hey—wasn’t love beautiful?
Brit was still crying when Henry rested her feet back on the floor.
“I hope those are tears of happiness,” Henry said as he brushed the liquid under her eyes with his fingertips.
Brit’s face was hung low, but she nodded. “It’s just…”
“Just what?” Henry questioned eagerly. His once-ecstatic face melted into despair.
Brit shook her head. “Oh, it’s just so silly,” she said. “I guess I just always viewed getting engaged as being a little bit… different. I don’t know, like a big surprise, an event, a little more…”
I had never seen Henry’s face look so pitiful.
“Oh.” It was all he said.
Brit wiped the tears from her eyes and pushed a smile through her contempt. “It’s great though. Really, Henry. The important thing is we love each other, right?”
Henry gave her a tig
ht hug, but both he and Brit looked miserable.
Suddenly, a loud, booming voice carried through the house into the dining room. “Hello? Is anyone here?”
Henry, Brit, and Grayson all looked up in shock.
CHAPTER 33
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything!” John Matheson said as he walked into the room. His air of walking was beyond confidence; it was not as only if he was in possession of himself, but also owned and controlled every other person and object in the room.
“What are you doing here, Dad?” Henry asked, his drunken voice seethedwith spite.
“Well, your brother Nathan told me you were planning on proposing this weekend,” John replied. “I couldn’t miss that! I was in the area for an event, I took the jet this weekend, and I thought I would drop by.”
No one said anything. John Matheson looked a lot like Henry. He was shorter and softer around the middle, but he had the same face and prominent ears.
“You have the worst fucking timing,” Henry said, and he stormed out of the dining room and onto the deck.
“I’ll go check on him,” Grayson said. He seemed happy for an excuse to remove himself from the room.
“I’m terribly sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused,” John said, but his tone suggested he wasn’t actually sorry. “Did I miss the big event?”
“Yes,” Brit said, her tone even, almost emotionless. “Henry and I are engaged.” She held up her hand towards John, but she was staring straight ahead, her gaze somewhere else.
John looked at the ring and squinted. “Ah, beautiful,” he said, though it was unlikely he knew all that much about diamonds. “My son certainly knows how to pick beautiful things. Yourself included.”
Brit just nodded.
Dom stood up. “I don’t think we’ve officially met, Mr. Matheson,” he said. “I’m Dominic.” He reached out his hand, and John took it.