“Cush!” I yell.
He strides over, hugs me, and then puts my hand on his stomach. “Got them back.”
“It’s about freaking time. How’s Oregon?”
“I’m over Oregon and moving back. I miss the beach and girls in bikinis. Plus, we need to party it up our senior year.”
“Hell yeah, we do,” RiAnne says, joining us with Dallas in tow. “I miss dancing on your bar with Keatyn. You should see us, Dallas.”
“Oh, I’d like to,” he flirts.
Cush gives me a casual once-over, then grins, showing off those sexy dimples, and causing Katie to practically swoon.
“I gotta say, I miss Keatyn dancing on my bar too,” he says.
“Can’t be as hot as the pool table,” Aiden says from behind me, wrapping his arms possessively around my waist.
“It definitely isn’t,” I say to Aiden. Then I make introductions. “Cush, these are my friends from boarding school, Dallas, Aiden, Katie, and Maggie.”
They shake hands as Kerri Sampson and Walker Rhodes walk by, heading toward the bar.
“Cush, have you ever met Kerri? She’s the daughter of —”
“We all know who her dad is,” RiAnne says.
“Who?” Katie and Maggie ask.
“Howard Sampson is a big-time producer. Everyone in L.A. knows his name,” RiAnne replies.
“And this is Walker Rhodes.”
“Walker Rhodes,” Maggie says. “Why does that name sound familiar?”
“He’ll be performing at my party tonight. He’s music’s next big thing.”
Walker blushes. “Here’s hoping so.” He turns toward Aiden and gives him a fist bump. “Good surfing with you and Damian this morning, man. You keep it up, you’ll kick my ass pretty soon.”
“Well, I can’t sing like you,” Aiden says, giving me a squeeze. “I gotta do something besides stop a soccer ball to impress this one.”
“You a goalie?” Cush asks him.
“He’s one of the best,” I reply. “It’d be fun to see the two of you face off.”
“I vote for a shirtless face off to commence immediately,” Katie giggles.
We all laugh as Jake, Sander, Paige, and some of the cast members from the remake of A Day at the Lake arrive.
“Jake. Sander. Making the movie star entrance, I see.”
Sander nods as Jake rolls his eyes at me. “We were waiting for Paige to finish getting ready.”
“Well, it was worth it,” I say, giving Paige a hug. “You look beautiful.”
Riley and Ariela also arrive.
“Mr. And Mrs. Director,” Sander says, slapping Riley on the back. “Don’t you make the most beautiful couple? All that gorgeous dark hair.”
“Happy Birthday, Keatyn,” Ariela says to me.
Riley kisses my cheek. “I’m here, baby. Time to start the party.”
“Not so fast, Riles,” Knox says, walking in the door for his perfectly-timed, fashionably late entrance. “Not without me.”
I look around for B. I really hoped he would come tonight.
But they’re right. It is time to get the party started.
I grab Aiden’s hand, whisper in his ear, and lead him into the kitchen with me. He helps me up onto the kitchen bar then grabs the trays of shots out of the fridge, giving me one before he passes them around.
“The buses will be here soon, so it’s time to get this party started with a few shots!” I smile as they raise their glasses in the air. “For those of you who came to my party last year, thank you for still being my friends, even though I left with no explanation. For those of you I’ve met since then, thank you for understanding why I had to lie to you, and for still being my friends. The party we’re heading to is the same as last year’s in so many ways. Same club. A lot of the same people. Last year, I had hoped all my friends—from surfing, partying, and school—would come together and instantly become friends. But you didn’t. And now I know why. It was because of me. I wanted to keep you separate because I didn’t know where I fit in or who I wanted to be. So, raise your glasses and toast each other. This is for you. Love yourselves. Find control in your chaos. Follow your heart. And don’t be afraid to wish on the moon.”
Everyone downs their shots.
As Aiden cranks up the music, I pull Peyton, Maggie, RiAnne, Keri, Paige, and Vanessa up on the island to dance with me.
I’m dancing like a maniac with Aiden—and, well, everyone—when Brooklyn surprises me by cutting in.
He says to Aiden, “Do you mind? This dance is long overdue.”
Aiden graciously bows out and Brooklyn wraps his arms around me.
“I’m glad you came tonight.”
“I am too. Keats, I’m really sorry I didn’t dance last year. This is my feeble attempt to make it up to you.”
“It’s okay, B. We were both going through some big changes.”
“I got to your house just as you were giving the toast.”
“What’d you think of it?”
“I think fate is a tricky bitch,” he says. “What a fucking year.”
I hug him tightly and laugh. “I’ll toast to that. Hell, let’s go get a drink!”
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19TH
AIDEN