Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
CALLIE
Through the cluster of trees, glimpses of Ridge Lake start to appear, the dark blue waters rippling beneath the summer night sky. I shiver as a mix of excitement and dread washes over me.
It’s been so long since I’ve been to a lakeside bonfire.
“Ready to get your toes wet?” Aspen asks.
“I didn’t bring this swimsuit just to look pretty.
” I tug at the strap peeking from beneath my tank top.
It took thirty minutes of going back and forth between an old one piece and my bikini.
I know what my stupid ex would have said, what I would have done to appease him.
Maybe that’s why I cut the one piece into ribbons and tossed it in the trash.
I love my body, my bikinis, my cleavage. I love my grungy too-big t-shirts, my cute sundresses, and every outfit that Theo would have criticized. From this moment on, no more making myself small to make a man happy.
The humidity tries to smother us as we climb out of the car. In a matter of seconds, my skin is already sticky with sweat, but the trees offer enough shade to make the heat bearable.
Lily shields her eyes, peering at the lake house where silhouettes move behind curtains like that scene in Home Alone. “Looks like the party’s in full swing.”
“Let’s hit the beach first.” I nod toward the tree line that separates us from the water. “I need to cool off before dealing with people.” Plus, out on the beach, I can escape from people I don’t want to see. Stuck in a house? Not so much.
We trek through the wooded path, pine needles crunching beneath our sandals. The smell of smoke grows stronger with each step, along with the distant chorus of laughter and conversation. My heart thuds a little faster, breath quickening.
This isn’t New York where anonymity is a given. Here, every face knows my name and history. How many of my old classmates saw the video?
Oh god, kill me now. My phone vibrates in my pocket. An unknown number glares up at me. My stomach twists into a knot. Fuck. I still haven’t changed my number and Theo is relentless. It’s like he knows the moment I’m comfortable and he can’t wait to destroy that sense of safety.
“Who’s that?” Aspen leans in, her nose wrinkling as she tries to peek at my screen.
“No one.” With a scowl, I silence the call, sending it straight to voicemail alongside the dozen of other calls from Theo, and shove the phone back into my pocket. Theo can call all he wants. He can beg, plead, whatever. I’d rather swim with sharks than answer.
Aspen and Lily exchange curious looks. The last thing I want is more pity for yet another failed relationship.
“I need a drink,” I tell them with a grin.
The trees give way suddenly, revealing the wide stretch of beach where a towering bonfire throws sparks toward the slowly darkening sky.
People crowd the shore, some waist-deep in water, others lounging on blankets and towels spread across the sand.
A few float on the water. I recognize so many faces that my steps falter for a heartbeat.
“Come on.” Lily tugs my arm, guiding me toward a pile of logs arranged in a circle around the fire. A blue cooler sits nearby, promising liquid courage. Thank fuck.
The first person to spot me is Emmit. His face breaks into a wide grin. “Hey, Callie Mae.” He wraps me in a bear hug that smells like beer and cologne. Emmit has always been nice, though.
“Careful.” I laugh despite myself. “I’m not drunk enough for this much affection yet.”
“We can fix that.” He winks, pressing a cold beer into my palm.
As I crack it open, the satisfying hissing and popping of carbonation mingles with the crackling fire. My shoulders relax a bit as I take my first long drink. The cheap beer tastes like high school summers and bad decisions, and somehow, it’s exactly what I need.
“Oh shit.” Lily’s voice drops to a whisper beside me.
I follow her gaze across the fire pit, and my blood turns to ice despite the heat.
Penelope fucking Hartley stands with her back to us, her bleach blonde hair practically glowing in the firelight as she tosses her head back in laughter.
She’s telling some story with wild hand gestures to a group of people I vaguely recognize from high school.
I bet she hasn’t even suffered. That bitch is the entire reason I left Big Ridge and she’s here acting like everything is fine? I take a step toward her.
“Nope, not happening,” Aspen says quickly, grabbing my elbow and steering me in the opposite direction. “Let’s check out the dock. I heard they’ve got a cooler with those fruity seltzers Lily likes.”
“What is she doing here?” I hiss, though I already know the answer. It’s Big Ridge. If there’s a party, everyone in town knows about it, and almost everyone in town attends.
“Okay, take a breath.” Lily falls into step beside us. “I really don’t want to bail you out of jail for assault and I told your mom we wouldn’t fight.”
Assault? Ha. I could kill Penelope. Okay, not really, but I’ve murdered her a dozen different ways ever since Knox told me she was the one who posted the video.
The tension between my shoulder blades grows with each step.
I take another gulp of beer, willing the alcohol to work faster.
I came home to escape one nightmare; I’m not about to let another one ruin my night.
“I’m going to need something stronger than this,” I mutter, tipping my half-empty can toward the lake as if toasting it. “Much, much stronger.”
Aspen squeezes my arm. “One drink at a time, Cal. We’ve got all night.”
I drink the rest of my beer and crumple the can in my fist. I wonder what sound it would make if I launched it at Penelope’s head.
Shit, okay. Maybe Lily is right. Breathing in, I try to let all the frustration go.
The night stretches ahead of us, full of potential for disaster or redemption.
There’s no telling which one I’ll choose once the buzz kicks in.
The cool lake water is incredible against my heated skin as I splash around with Aspen and Lily. The beers have me feeling loose and carefree and my body is warm from the alcohol. I’m properly buzzed and I’m loving it. I’ve missed this so much.
“Remember when the principal’s car got egged senior year?” Lily giggles, her red hair plastered against her freckled face.
Aspen snorts. “How could I forget? Showalter nearly had a stroke when he saw it.”
I bite my lip, the memory flooding back in vivid detail. Knox was driving while Brax and Jax took lookout positions as I unloaded a whole carton of eggs on Mr. Showalter’s pristine BMW. “That was me,” I confess, unable to stop the laughter bubbling up. “Me and the guys.”
My friends’ jaws drop in sync.
“No way!” Aspen gasps, splashing me. “You’re lying!”
“I’m not!” I protest, wiping water from my eyes. “Showalter gave Knox detention for a week for cheating off Penelope’s test, which is ridiculous because Knox was smarter than her anyway. So we decided to get revenge.”
Lily’s green eyes widen. “What else did you do?”
Biting my lip, I glance away, not quite ready to reveal the depth of my and the Williams brothers’ depravity. Breaking and entering is definitely illegal.
“Did you guys put his heart boxers up the flagpole too?”
I shrug, failing to hide my smirk. “I can neither confirm nor deny that.”
“You’re my hero,” Aspen says, dropping her hand on her forehead and pretending to swoon.
The memories feel good. Bittersweet, but good.
“Knox!” a deep voice shouts from the shoreline, cutting through our laughter.
My head snaps up, eyes scanning the beach until they collide with his.
Time freezes as Knox stares back at me, and for a moment, everything fades until all that’s left is that familiar connection between us and the thudding of my heart.
His expression shifts from surprise to something different as he holds my stare.
I can’t describe what his attention feels like other than hungry and greedy all at the same time.
Like if he had it his way, he’d march into the water and toss me over his shoulder so he could carry me back to his cave.
“Holy tension,” Lil whispers to Aspen.
The moment breaks, and I can breathe again.
Jax and Brax stand beside their brother, all three of them eerily still as they take me in.
My throat closes up, the beer in my system suddenly not enough to face this moment.
The intensity of their gazes are like a magnet drawing me in, and if I’m not careful, I’ll find myself right back in the middle of them.
Would that be so bad?
“Do you want to leave?” Lily asks quietly, her hand finding mine under the water.
I swallow hard, forcing myself to breathe. The need to put distance between myself and them overwhelms me. Especially Knox. After our confrontation earlier, I’m not ready to face him again. I’m still not sure how to deal with everything he shared. “No. Let’s go to the house.”
We wade through the water toward the shore, deliberately angling away from where the brothers stand. I scan the beach, relieved to see Penelope is nowhere in sight. Small mercies.
“Callie!” Jax calls, his voice carrying across the sand.
I pretend not to hear him, pretend my chest doesn’t ache. They’re still standing near the only path that leads to the house. We’re almost past them, almost safe, but then Knox steps sideways, deliberately positioning himself so our arms brush as I pass.
The contact zings through my body like electricity. My head jerks up involuntarily, my eyes locking with his. The intensity I find there steals my breath. Frustration, hurt, longing all tangled together in a look that pins me in place.
Don’t. Don’t get sucked back in. Remember how much it hurt the first time.
Breaking the gaze is like ripping off a bandage. I force myself forward, grateful when Lily and Aspen hook their arms through mine, pulling me toward the house. Every step is like walking through quicksand, my body hyperaware of three sets of eyes burning into my back.