“A joke. I think I’m entitled to at least one after four years.”
“Bitch.”
“Watch the language if you want me to pay attention to Seth.”
“You know, he’s the type that would let you boss him around.” My eyebrows arched. “Let you tell him exactly the way you like it. He might even be good at it too.”
“Sweetie, tongue is extra in the little business arrangement. You want a make out session with Seth then I need to hear you talk about your feelings. Use those three little words.”
“I love Sadie.”
“Not to me, you neurotic mess. Now get your behind over there. But, Alex.”
“What now!”
“Watch yourself. Any actions on your part that are not completely sincere are wrong.”
“I thought you wanted me to do something about all of this.”
“I said talk to him. Tell him the truth for a change. Sometimes you forget he has feelings. Real feelings. You can’t be flippant about it. Don’t do something moronic tonight because you feel guilty about your decision. All in or not at all.”
“That sounds dirty. Make up your mind.”
“Stop being defiant. If you can’t bring yourself to tell Jess how you really feel then keep your ridiculously painted nails to yourself.”
“Black Locus is actually a popular color.”
“Who buys nail polish named after poisonous plants!”
“Whatever. I get it. Now jump in there and be slutty with Seth and leave me alone. Give Brandon a little peck on the lips too. Don’t make him feel left out.”
“That’s undeniably disgusting.” Unzipping her sundress, Sadie let it fall to the floor, revealing a pink bikini. She glared at me all the way to the steps.
Turning my back, I walked across the deck to Jess. He sat on top of the picnic table in a burnt orange t-shirt and faded jeans. Taking another sip of his Bud Light, Jess gave me a sexy little grin as I approached. I hated to think it was sexy, but it came across as nothing less when he allowed his thoughts to surface in the creases around his lips. He needed to stop doing that to me.
I shot an unspoken quit, with the slant of my eyebrows. Jess chuckled under his breath as I took a seat next to him. The butterflies in my stomach changed to flying, anxious dragon flies. I had to get this over with tonight. The guilt physically hurt.
“What’s goin’ on over there?” He gestured back to the hot tub. Sadie’s face glowed with one hell of a fake politician smile as she sank down next to Seth in the bubbly water. One day, people would vote for that face and it scared the crap out of me.
“I talked her into having a little fun.”
“You must have some good blackmail on her. Ms. McAllister is now slummin’ with a can of beer. Seth might just drown in there.”
“Or she might drown Seth. You never know with her.” I watched Sadie chug the whole can in almost one gulp and then wipe her manicured fingers across her pouty lips.
“She still pissed about Brandon?”
“Yup.”
“It was worth it, just to see the look on her face when I carried him to the truck. It was even better when I put him in the room next to her. I thought she might curse at me.”
“You like tormenting Sadie a little too much sometimes.”
“She’s like a firecracker waitin’ to be lit up. It’s all there, just needs a match.”
“I didn’t know you found Sadie that attractive.”
“Seth’s words, not mine. The guy’s got it bad for her. He gets turned on when she’s all wound up. Gets a hard-on every time she gets bitchy.”
“I really didn’t need to know that.” I looked back at the hot tub. Sadie watched me with an evil stare, sending hazel daggers right at my head. It was time to move this little talk out of her supervising view.
“So…um, you want to go for a walk?”
“Ok. Somethin’ up?”
“It’s nice right now out on the beach. Everyone’s partying in town or in that hot tub movie from hell,” I laughed.
“You like stirin’ her up as much me.”
“True, but I get roommate rights. You don’t have to live with her insanity.”
“She’s not all that bad. You know it.”
“Interesting change of opinion.”
“What? You know I actually like her.”
I narrowed my eyes and leaned over close to his face. “You’re still not going to tell me about your date with her?”
“You could always ask Sadie if you wanna know so badly.”
“I’m not asking my roommate. I’m asking my best friend.”
“And I said there’s nothin’ to talk ‘bout.”
“Fine. Asshole.”
“You like my ass.” His eyes sparkled as he flirted with me again.
“No, I don’t.”
Jess slid off the table and I jumped down. His hand touched the center of my back, letting me pass in front of him. The warmth seared through the fabric, leaving an impression long after we stepped down the path. I smelled the ocean as we walked out toward the private beach. The sand squished between my toes. It was peaceful. I was fidgety.
“I see Crater,” I said, looking up at the clear sky. I started our usual game as a distraction.
“Hmmm.” Jess seemed amused. “Goin’ for the big ones. Sure that’s the best first move?”
“It keeps you from pulling those out at the end to trump me.”
“I see Bootes.”
“Cancer.”
We played this like a chess game. I could count on one hand the number of times I’d beaten Jess since he first introduced me to the dark, mystical world floating just out of reach from Sprayberry. Usually, Jess kicked my butt, leaving me with four wins over the years; each victory rubbed so hard in his face, it was worth his months of retaliating torture.
“Ursa Major.”
“Canis Major.”
We kept a slow, meandering pace. The waves brushed up every so often then swirled back into the ocean, leaving chunks of seaweed. Peering out in the darkness, I searched for my next move. “I see Perseus.”
“Liar. Wrong time of year for Perseus.”
“I swear its right there.” Our feet stopped moving, and I pointed off in the distance. He shook his head and stuck his hands in his pockets, kicking sand up with his bare feet.
“I’m not lookin’.”
“Come on. Please, Jess. I’m not kidding.”
“I’m just gonna pretend you’re not tryin’ to cheat. Unless you wanna forfeit?” Coming up from behind, I slipped my hands around his cheeks to tilt his face upward. My body pressed into his back; my nose into his shoulder as I forced him to see where I pointed. “Nope. I’m not lookin’. Now stop before you end up somewhere you don’t wanna be.”
“Fine. The moon.”
“Really? The moon?”
“Yes. The damn moon counts too, even though you say it doesn’t. Beach rules, not Sprayberry.”
“Fine. I see your moon and raise you a Hydra.”
“Now you’re cheating.”
“You get the moon. I get Hydra.” His eyebrows went up taunting me. I stalled again, searching the sky. He had me in a virtual choke hold and I was about to lose once again. “That’s the best you got, Al? I even let you have a mulligan.”
“That was completely fair. Besides, I swear you said Leo twice.”
“Nah…that’s not gonna work. You out?”
“Fine!”
“Fine what?”
“You win, again.”
“So that’s like my five hundredth win? It’s ‘bout time you paid up.”
“Bullshit. I don’t remember us betting on it.”
“Bullshit is right. You pulled me out here for somethin’. So tell me what it is?” We stopped walking at some point and he stared down in my face just inches from my nose.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I was delaying the inevitable. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him tonight after-all. I wanted his smile to continue just a little longer.
“Ok, then truth or dare. You pick.”
“Jess, I don’t play that with you anymore.”
“Dare it is.”
“What? No!”
He laughed as the red spread across my cheeks. How did I get myself into this mess with him tonight?
“Alex, I dare you to get in the ocean.”