“What’s wrong?”
“That was Brooklyn. You know how we’re supposed to leave in the morning?”
“Yeah.”
“They left without me tonight.”
Cush starts laughing.
“Shut up.”
He puts his hand in front of his mouth. “I so called that. I told you he doesn’t treat you right.”
“I don’t really appreciate your gloating.”
He smiles at me. “Maybe not, but your night is about to get a whole lot funner, Miss Douglas.”
I squint my eyes at him. “That almost sounds like a threat.”
“Now you have no excuses. And trust me, I am going to kiss you again.”
We park on the street. I’m barely out of the car when Cush closes the door and pushes me hard against the side of it.
He snakes an arm around me and presses his lips into mine.
It’s a nice kiss. Cush kisses quite nicely.
No.
Nice is not the word for it.
Hot. Smoking hot. Sexy. Steamy.
Those are better words.
“Um, we should probably get to the party,” I tell him, pulling my lips away from him. I can’t keep letting him kiss me.
His lips leave mine, but he doesn’t stop. He blazes a trail of kisses down my neck instead. The scruff on the side of face is tickling my skin, and I breathe in the wonderful, musky smell that is Cush.
Am I really in love with Brooklyn?
I mean if he was my one truelove, isn’t he the only guy I’d ever want to kiss again?
If I’m kissing Cush, and liking it, what does it mean?
The only answer I can come up with is that I’m going to have a very large glass of wine and see if I can get my brain fuzzy enough to shut the hell up.
A doorman escorts us to a bar in the entryway, where I get a Chardonnay and Cush gets a water. There’s a band set up in a huge room overlooking the ocean. Mom and Tommy are not in this room, but I stop and introduce Cush to an aging film star that is actively looking for his fifth wife, an up-and-coming actress that played mom’s younger sister in her last romantic comedy, and a well-known director. Then I spot Millie and Deron. Well, mostly I spot Deron. He’s six feet and nine inches of pure black muscle, a Lakers forward, and the husband of Mom’s best friend, prime time soap opera star, Millie Santino.
“There they are,” I say to Cush.
“Is that Deron Wallace?”
“Yeah, he’s a beast on the court, but he’s really a big teddy bear. His wife, Millie, and my mom have been best friends for years.”
I take his hand and lead him back to where they are and introduce him to everyone.
“Keatyn, you look stunning. That dress is to die for,” Mille says, after kissing both my cheeks. “It’d be perfect for Cannes. Can I borrow it?”
“You’ll have to ask Mom. I think she’s supposed to wear it.”
“You thief,” Mom says playfully.
“It’s Kym’s fault.”
“Well, you make a very handsome couple. Where have you been, all dressed up?”
“Had a school party to go to. It was Monte Carlo themed, but it was kinda lame, so we left.”
While Cush is involved in an intense discussion with Tommy and Deron about the varying horsepower of exotic cars, I walk out onto the deck to get some fresh air and think.
I’m kinda upset that Brooklyn left me.
No, I’m really upset.
Because I realize I was completely wrong about everything. Brooklyn doesn’t like me. He doesn’t love me. I’m just a convenient hookup.
I’m absentmindedly swirling my wine around in my glass and staring out into the ocean when a man leans his arms onto the railing next to me.
“We seem to keep running into each other on the beach,” Vincent says.
“Yeah.” I’m not in the mood to chat. Not even with Vincent. I take a very large sip of wine and hope he’ll take the hint and go away.
“You look amazing,” he says. “A little over-dressed for a beach party, but incredible. Prettiest girl here, if you ask me.”
I turn to look at him. He’s wearing a crisp aqua shirt, unbuttoned at the neck. Softly draped taupe slacks. Buttery leather loafers. Expensive gold watch. Everything about him screams money and privilege.
I take another big drink. Swallow.
“What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “Nothing, really. Same shit, different day.”
“I know how that goes. Even though I’m excited about our movie, it’s still been a rough week. I miss her.”
“I’m glad I could help a little. It must be hard going through something like that by yourself.”
He nods. “Yeah, but I do have some good news. Our movie is a go.”
“Really? That’s exciting. So you got the financing?”
“Grandmother left me a pretty large estate. I met with her attorney today and got all the details. I don’t have to worry about the financing now. I can do it all myself.”