Chapter 14
HARMLESS
Gemma’s already waiting when we pull into the long driveway of her family’s colonial-style house. I take a deep breath because looking at her makes me feel emotional, and I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t want to feel anything right now.
Vladimir parks the car, and I don’t wait for him to open the door for me. Instead, I grab my bag and rush toward Gemma.
“Hey, you,” she says softly in her baby voice, hugging me. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s just one of those days, but I don’t feel like talking about it right now,” I tell her. “Could we just … hang out?”
“Sure, come in.”
Gemma grabs my shoulder as I wave stiffly at Vladimir from a distance, thanking him for the ride, feeling low-key embarrassed, and follow Gemma inside, shutting the door behind me.
“Are your parents home?” I ask as she scurries away. She’s tiny but fast.
“No. They’re at a charity gala in D.C. They’ll be back on Sunday.”
Perfect. I might spend the night here, even if my dad hates it. Some critical distance from my family feels like exactly what I need right now.
We step inside Gemma’s bedroom, and she shuts the door with a thump. She gestures for me to follow her inside her massive walk-in closet, shoots a wicked little smile at me, and says, “Okay, let’s get you dressed up for this party.”
Henry was right about Gemma’s ways. But if the world’s already on fire, I might as well enjoy the blaze. Maybe a little noise and lip gloss is exactly what I need to clear my head.
We step out of the car, and Vladimir doesn’t look pleased with the scene before us. Josh and Paxton’s house is packed. People are smoking and drinking in the front yard, and from what we can see from a distance, the inside doesn’t look much different.
“Your father wants you back in the house by twelve-thirty, Miss Cho,” Vladimir says in his cold, Russian accent.
“Oh, come on, Vlad. It’s Friday,” Gemma says, waving a dismissive hand at him.
“Besides, Belén never goes out. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I’m not going to pass up.
You’re not going to rat me out, right?” She pats Vlad’s elbow twice before pulling me toward the house as I adjust my black leather skirt.
“This skirt’s too short,” I say, looking down at my legs.
I loved the outfit she picked out for me, but I’m taller than Gemma, so I have my doubts about the length of the skirt I’m wearing.
She paired it with a simple white T-shirt made of the softest cotton I’ve ever felt.
I wanted to keep it simple. I’m not used to wearing flashy clothes like Gemma does.
But she insisted on adding a few layered gold necklaces which I didn’t mind.
They look elegant and give the outfit a dressier touch, perfect for the occasion.
“Short?” She scoffs. “You wear way shorter skirts than that on national television. So suck it up. You look great. You’ve got killer legs, and you know it. Let’s go.”
She’s not wrong about the short skirts. I do wear them all the time, but it’s athleisure.
Fortunately, the drizzle has stopped, but the night is still chilly.
Gemma insisted I shouldn’t wear a coat because it would only get in the way and ruin my outfit.
She, however, is wearing a thin blazer, which feels unfair.
Apparently, it goes with her outfit, and I know better than to argue with Gemma about fashion.
Once inside, we realize the party isn’t the total madness it seemed to be from afar. Sure, the place is packed and the music is loud, but people are just talking and drinking. It’s nothing too wild.
“Hey, girls!” Josh says, approaching us. “So glad you came!”
It’s been a while since I last saw him, but he still has those chubby cheeks that make him look younger than he is. I like Josh. Safe, sweet, and always the guy who made everyone feel welcome.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Belén. Gemma, though … she’s a regular,” Josh says with a laugh, and Gemma shoves him playfully.
“Thanks for the invite,” I say with a tight smile.
I wasn’t officially invited, but here we are.
“Can I get you ladies something to drink? Or will Rob give me crap about it later?”
“Robbie won’t mind,” I say with a shrug. “Promise.”
Or maybe he will. I’m not sure. But I’m desperate to get my hands on a drink, just to see what all the fuss is about.
“Right this way, then. Pax! Get in here!” Josh calls out to his older brother.
Gemma’s glancing around like she’s searching for someone. I spot a few of Robbie’s friends scattered around, but aside from Josh and Paxton, there’s no one else I know.
“Take it easy, okay?” Gemma whispers in my ear. “You’ve never had a proper drink in your life, and don’t you have to train tomorrow?”
“You sound just like Henry.” I roll my eyes and pull her toward the huge, modern kitchen. “Besides, this was all your idea, remember? I’ll have one or two drinks tops. I just need to take the edge off.”
Gemma shrugs.
Paxton greets us with a quick hug while Josh rushes back to a girl waiting for him in the living room, or so he claims. Paxton is Josh’s opposite in every way.
He’s tall, lean, and athletic. His shoulder-length brown hair looks shiny and smooth.
He’s wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, and a few pieces of silver jewelry, like a chain around his neck and a thick, flat ring on his pinky finger.
He looks like trouble.
“Okay … so, there’s a bit of everything,” Paxton says, brushing a few strands of hair off his face. He starts rearranging the bottles, listing off our options. “There’s rum, whiskey, three kinds of tequila, beer, Smirnoff Ice—”
“Got any gin?” I ask.
Why experiment when I already know what works back home? Elliot, my former coach, always stressed the importance of using techniques from people who know what they’re doing. If it worked for them, it’ll probably work for you.
“We do.” Paxton glances over his shoulder, smirking our way. “How do you usually take it?”
“Tonic water,” Gemma answers for me, reading my mind as usual. “And I’ll have the same, please.” She winks at me and gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
“Coming right up, ladies.”
“Let’s have fun, okay?” Gemma whispers.
She knows how badly I need this, even though I haven’t said a word about what happened with my mom or how I’m feeling about my performance in China. She gets me, and I love her so damn much for that.
“He’s cute,” I mouth, pointing at Paxton’s back with my thumb and jerking my chin at him as if to say, “Why don’t you go for it?”
Gemma’s about to reply when Paxton turns around and hands us our drinks.
“Thank you,” I say, lifting my glass to my lips. It’s as bitter as the first time I tasted it, but I welcome the flavor this time.
“So, are you dating anyone?” I ask Paxton, suppressing a laugh as Gemma glares at me over the rim of her glass.
“I’m … not.” The corner of his lip quirks into a teasing smile. “What about you guys? Are you still with Liam?”
“I am.” I force a tight smile and take a longer sip of my drink, hoping it helps push Liam out of my mind.
I don’t know how he’d feel if he knew I came to a party.
And that I’m drinking. But I’ll call him first thing tomorrow morning and let him know I came here with Gemma. It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong.
I need a moment to clear my head and forget about the reasons behind my terrible performance in China. About my never-ending issues with my mom. And Henry. I definitely don’t want to think about Henry.
“What about you, Gemma?” Paxton asks as Vivienne, his older sister and my former nanny, walks into the kitchen. She’s wearing jeans and a blush pink sweater. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek, tight ponytail. She always looks so sophisticated and put together. I admired her so much growing up.
“Gemma’s single,” I tell Paxton, walking away. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to say hi to your sister.”
I glance over my shoulder, and Gemma’s shaking her head with a smile. I’m sure she’s silently thanking me because Paxton is hot. She looks tiny beside him, and the height difference is adorable.
“Hey, Viv!” I shout over the loud music as she opens the fridge.
“Oh, my God! Belén?” She sets a milk carton on the counter and nudges the fridge door closed with her hip. “Get in here!”
She pulls me into a tight, warm hug, and I’m worried I might accidentally soak her with my drink. “I almost didn’t recognize you all dressed up. I’m so used to seeing you on TV in your cute sporty outfits.”
Vivienne pulls away, smiling, but her amber eyes seem sadder than ever. She’s clearly trying to hide it.
“It’s been years since we last saw each other.”
“I know!” I say. Viv must be around twenty-four now. “How’s everything? Are you still dancing? Tell me everything.”
Her smile falters, and I wonder if I’ve hit a nerve. I take a sip of my drink to fill the awkward silence. She glances down for a moment and forces another smile.
“I left the company last summer. So… I’m back living with my parents.” She sighs, grabbing a cereal box from the pantry, along with a bowl and a spoon. “But not for long …”
“Wow, that’s huge. Are you happy about it?” I ask, pulling out one of the stools to take a seat.
Her cereal looks surprisingly appealing, but I’m already halfway through my gin and tonic, savoring the unexpected calm it’s bringing me. I push aside the thought of pouring myself a bowl and stick to my drink instead.
“It was time to leave the company for good.” Vivienne frowns, pressing her lips together as she scans the nutrition facts on the cereal box.
“I’d been miserable for a while and flat-out exhausted.
You know how it is. I mean, you’re a tennis player and not a ballerina, but I know you understand the pressure that comes with living up to excellence.
And honestly, what I really want is to be a lawyer. ”
She stares at the cereal box for a moment before pouring herself a bowl.