Chapter 22 #2
I pretend I haven’t heard him, keeping my eyes firmly fixed on Elle Woods introducing herself to the Harvard admissions committee in a pink sequin bikini.
“Ridiculous,” he mutters, smoothing down the front of his slacks. “Harvard doesn’t even accept multimedia applications.”
I roll my eyes. Finn watches every movie like he’s cross-examining it for inconsistencies. Spine rigid, ears pricked. All he’s missing is his notebook.
“Legally Blonde is the greatest law film of all time.” I pop another chip into my mouth and gulp it down whole. The sharp edges catch the back of my throat, and I try not to cough. “So just shut up and enjoy it.”
The sound of my cell buzzing cuts his protest short. It buzzes again, and again, until the whole sofa is vibrating beneath me.
I flip it over on the armrest without looking at the screen and snuggle deeper beneath the blanket. I knew it was coming, because there’s no way Tayce would have read my vague text bailing on tonight’s plans and not put up a fight.
It’s Rafe Visconti’s poker party tonight.
He holds it in Devil’s Hollow every year, deep within the caves beneath the town.
Everyone on the Coast knows about it, and they’d pry the invite out of your cold, dead hands, given half the chance.
Not that it’d be much use though, because rumor has it, the buy-in alone could clear a mortgage.
All the stories I’ve ever heard about it have been hand-me-downs.
It’s always someone who knows someone who knows someone else, that’s worked at the event in some minor capacity.
It’s the first time I’ve ever been invited, of course.
And for free, at that. I guess there have to be some perks to your best friend marrying a Visconti.
I’ve been excited about it for weeks. I bought a new dress I couldn’t afford. Practiced my poker face in the mirror. I’ve daydreamed about locking eyes with a handsome gentleman across a velvet roulette table, and my arm brushing against his when he slides up to me later at the bar.
But recently, the suave man in my fantasy has distorted. Now he’s rougher, darker. He lurks in the shadows instead of sitting across the table. Locking eyes with him cuts, and if I were brave enough to brush against him, I’ve no doubt it would burn.
An electric shudder zaps through me. I pull the blanket over my mouth, and bite into a chip with a decisive chomp.
I told myself I’d be extra good from now on. I don’t know what that looks like anymore, only that it doesn’t look like spending an evening anywhere near the Boogeyman.
Another buzz. I ignore it again, but Finn doesn’t bother hiding his irritation this time. “You kids and your cell phones. If this were a movie theater, you’d be kicked out.”
“If this were a movie theater, I’d be allowed to eat popcorn—”
A heavy knock lands on the front door, slicing my sarcastic comment in half. I bolt upright, my stomach flipping, because for one dizzying second, I think it’s him.
Finn tuts, twitches the curtain, then turns his attention back to the screen. “Tell Tayce if she breaks my door, she’s paying for a new one.”
Oh jeez. Not Tayce. Suddenly, finding Gabriel haunting Finn’s front porch seems like a less scary alternative.
I pad down the hall, collecting my excuses as I go. When I crack the door open, Tayce is standing beneath the porch light, her arms crossed and her eyebrow hitched up to her hairline.
“Tayce?” I whisper, squinting out into the night. “Is that really you? My fever’s so high, I think I’m hallucinating.”
Her gaze narrows. “Stop it.”
“Don’t come any closer,” I croak, holding up a feeble hand. “I’m contagious.”
“If bullshit were contagious, you’d wipe out the entire Coast.”
“Honestly, I’m sick.”
“And I’m sick of you.”
Pressing the back of my hand against my forehead, I let out a weary sigh. But she’s still standing there, stone-faced, so I launch into a coughing fit instead.
I peek up at her. Nope. Zero sympathy.
She purses her lips. “You done?”
“For now,” I whimper, clutching my chest.
“Good. Now, do your makeup, put on a cute dress, and—”
“I’m not going and you can’t make me!”
The words shoot out harsher than intended, all desperation and no croak.
Tayce blinks. Cocks her head to the side, and sweeps a wary eye down my crumb-flecked robe.
“What’s really going on, Wren?”
The sudden softness in her tone makes my throat feel all tight. Guess the age-old warning to be careful what you wish for is true. I wanted Tayce’s sympathy, but now I realize I’m too weak to handle it.
I fiddle with the door’s safety chain and try to stop my bottom lip from trembling. “Nothing’s going on.”
“Well, you’ve been acting weird all day. You haven’t been answering your phone or replying to my texts. Not even when I sent you that video of the puppy having a spa day.”
My lips tilt. “That was cute.”
She lets out a breath of a laugh. “Looked more like animal cruelty to me, but hey, I knew you’d like it.”
For a moment, neither of us say anything. Tayce studies me like she’ll find the truth if she looks hard enough. I look down at the fresh manicure I had done especially for tonight instead.
Eventually, she breaks the silence. “Sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
I open my mouth, then close it again. Because it’s not even a question of where to start, but where to end.
If I told her about the incident in the garage or on the tender boat, I’d have to tell her about the lessons.
Why they exist in the first place. It’d lead to the night we met, and the lessons, and the dark.
It’s a whole can of worms not worth opening.
I shake my head, small and tight.
Her eyes search mine for another beat, then she gives a decisive nod. “Fine. Have you got any pajamas I can borrow?”
“Um, yeah?”
“That aren’t pink and frilly?”
“Oh. Then, no.” I watch as she pops off her earrings and slips them into her coat pocket. “What are you doing?”
“If you’re bailing, I’m bailing too.” She jerks her thumb over her shoulder, in the direction of my house.
“We can put on face masks and oil our hair and watch TikTok videos.” Her nose scrunches.
“I’ll even let you put on a musical. Not “Grease!”, though,” she adds with a shudder. “It reminds me of Benny.”
Though it sounds like the perfect evening, I dismiss the idea with a flap of my hand. “You’ve got to go, the dress you bought looks amazing on you.”
She shrugs. “So, what’s new? Everything looks amazing on me.”
“Well, what about Rory?”
“She’ll be fine. Penny’s going, and the two of them have got this whole scam thing going on.”
My ears prick up. “Penny’s going to the poker night?”
“Of course. She’ll be so bummed you’re not going, though.”
“You think so?”
“Oh, I know so,” she says, flicking her long, black hair over her shoulder. “I bumped into her in Cove the other night. She said you’re the kindest girl she’s ever met.”
I straighten up. “Did she really?”
“Uh-huh. She said you’re so pretty too, and that she couldn’t wait to see what you were going to wear, because you always have the cutest outfits on.”
“Yeah?” I’m grinning now, my cheeks hot with pride. “What else did she say?”
Tayce rolls her eyes. “That you’re the biggest compliment fisher on the planet.”
“Well, I did buy the cutest dress,” I muse, ignoring her dig. “It’d be a shame to waste it.” I strum my fingers on the door frame and chew on my bottom lip. “Besides, I’d hate to let Penny down. I really want us to be friends with her, you know?”
A smirk stretches across Tayce’s face, like she knows she’s already won.
I let out a long, dramatic sigh. “Well, I suppose I’m feeling a bit better.”
As I sit on the bottom step, tug on my boots, and shout my goodbyes down the hall to Finn, I try to ignore the screaming voice at the base of my skull. It’s begging me not to go, but I drown it out with water-thin reasoning and empty promises, like Gabriel will be easy to avoid.
Besides, my dress was really expensive.