“What’s the dress supposed to say?” Riley asks. “Because it looks really sexy. Too sexy.”
Gracie starts jumping up and down and hugging Kym. “Yay! You made me look sexy. Too sexy! It’s perfect! Come on, let’s show them the dress for the dance,” she says, dragging Kym back into the bedroom.
“What just happened?” Riley asks.
“You played into her hand,” Knox says, setting his drink down. “She likes Baylor. She wants to look hot for him.”
“She does,” I agree.
“She’s not supposed to look hot. She’s like twelve!” Riley says.
“Fifteen!” Gracie yells from the bedroom.
“Fourteen!” I yell back, teasing her. “But Knox is right. She likes him.”
Dallas lowers his voice. “Did you find out what happened with Brady?”
“He slept with her best friend after he told her they should lose their virginity to each other.”
“Oh, I’m gonna kill that little bastard,” Riley says. “What a fucking douche.”
“Like you never told a girl anything she wanted to hear to get her into bed,” Dallas says to Riley.
“I know I’ll tell them anything,” Brax says, walking out into the room wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Speaking of grown up,” I say to him, because last time I saw him in a swimsuit, he did not look like that.
He poses, almost losing the towel but grabbing it at the last second. “I was working out with Dawson before he ditched me for California. Put on a few pounds.” He looks down at himself, satisfied. “And a few muscles. Wanna lick my abs?”
“Can we do body shots off them like in the movie?” Gracie asks, coming back out in another dress. I see now why she tried on the other one first. It makes this pale pastel one look demure in comparison, but it’s really not.
“Pale peach Herve Leger bandage dress with rose gold hardware. Adds a bit of an industrial element to the lingerie style,” Kym says. “And walk, Gracie, so they can see the hem. I love how it flutters with the two-tone fringe. I’ve paired it with black wavy suede cutout booties by Sophia Webster.”
Gracie stands in front of me. Her hair has grown out to almost a bob, but she’s wearing long extensions tonight and looks even more grown up than usual.
I stand up and hug her. “You look beautiful, Gracie. It’s the perfect dress.”
“Your body is rocking, little Miss Gracie,” Braxton says. “Baylor’s jaw will drop to the floor when he sees you.”
“Do you think so?” Gracie says, clasping her hands together and spinning in a circle. “I can’t wait!”
“Keatyn, I’m going to touch up Gracie’s makeup. Why don’t you come try a few things on?” Kym suggests. “And boys, I shouldn’t have to say it, but get ready.”
“I’m almost ready!” Braxton yells. “That means I get to do a shot.”
I point my finger at the rest of them, sprawled across the couches and worn out from golf and drinking all afternoon. “You better do as she says.”
I’m dressed and ready before the boys are, so I join Braxton back out in the living room. He looks very handsome and so different from how he used to.
“You look like a man,” I tell him.
“I’m serious about a job. I know you think I just want to come out there and just fuck around, but I don’t. I’ve already gotten two promotions where I’m at.”
“You need to talk to your brother. I think he might have some ideas.”
“Awesome.”
“So, what happened with you and Embry? You were together for what—five, six years?”
“Since our senior year of high school. Made it through college together. I had even bought a ring.”
“You did?!”
“Yeah. I mean, it’s what was expected of us. We’d graduated college and everyone was asking when we were getting married. It seemed like the next step. But I’d had the ring for two months when she said she was going to Seattle without me. Every time I thought about proposing, something stopped me. So I think it was meant to be. Overall, she wants different things out of life than I do. She’s so serious. Everyone always said that it was good we were opposites. I know opposites attract, but you still need to have the same basic core values, the same goals in life. She didn’t know if she wanted to have kids. I don’t want them right now, but I definitely want them. Family is important to me, even more so after what happened with Whitney. I spend a lot of time with my nieces. I’m totally their favorite uncle. Speaking of that, you didn’t do a shot last night. You knocked up?”
I bite my lip, trying not to smile.
“Ha! Knew it!” he says. “Congratulations.” He goes and pours two shots. “And to prove just how happy I am for you, I’ll drink a couple shots in your honor.”
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH
Eastbrooke Academy - Connecticut
KEATYN
“You look sad,” Riley says as he sits down next to me.