Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ariana
I embarrassed the hell out of myself last night. I’m suffering from humiliation and the world’s worst hangover today as my karmic punishment.
I didn’t go back to the party after the incident on the roof. Boston snuck back into the suite, grabbed my purse for me, walked me to my door, and let me go to bed—alone—while he went back to the festivities armed with excuses for my exit.
I took one look at my face in the mirror and gasped.
Kiss any chance at ever getting Boston Black to entertain my flirtatious games goodbye.
I looked like Ke$ha, circa 2009. Mascara and eyeliner were everywhere but on my actual eyes.
All because I was feeling a bit lonely being surrounded by people who weren’t.
All because I don’t know what my purpose in this godforsaken life is anymore.
Miraculously, Boston didn’t say a word about my freak out when we left the hotel this morning. He exited his room the same time as I did, my brother and Arden waiting outside of our doors, and gave me a quick look over—his face gave nothing away, but his eyes asked me one clear, pointed question.
I smiled gently at him and dipped my chin. I’m okay, and thank you.
We haven’t discussed it since. The wedding party (and me) climbed into our separate vehicles, none of us looking too bright and cheery this morning, and waited on the group chat for the address.
Apparently, the plan to use Declan’s family’s place fell through, so they’re renting a different property for us to use for the week.
Penny’s sister will arrive tonight, too.
We stop for gas and Carter comes back armed with sports drinks and snacks. We follow Declan’s Range Rover, which holds Avery, Penny, and Seth, right into the drive-thru line of a coffee chain.
“Thank god,” Arden murmurs. “I might combust if I don’t get caffeine soon.”
“Jesus, Fork,” Boston says, glancing at his haul of snacks. “You are aware that everything in this area is, like, an hour away at most, right? You’re packing for a twelve-hour drive.”
Carter shrugs, smiling over the console at him. “When I’m hungover, I like a little sweet treat. Sue me.”
“There are one hundred sweet treats in that bag,” I point out.
“Who knows what I’ll want when the hunger strikes?” Carter says, falling against the seat dramatically. Boston rolls down the window to order and my brother wipes a palm over his head. “I am too hungover to be interrogated about my food intake.”
“Drama queen,” Arden mumbles.
Boston orders our coffees and refuses to let any of us pay for them, and then we’re back on the road, none of us surprised when the brand new Jeep carrying EJ, Wyatt, and Callum zips past us in a flash before vanishing into the distance.
Carter begs Boston to catch up with them to try and beat them there, but Boston shoots him down with one stern look.
He will not be racing any blonds in Jeeps today.
Carter then seems to remember that his sister and his girlfriend are in the back seat, and he immediately drops the subject.
We pull up to the lake house about forty-five minutes later. The sun is shining brightly in the clear, blue sky, warming all the cold, dreary parts of me that fought like hell to take over last night.
You can’t complain about much once the sun hits your face, can you?
The lake is calm and welcoming for the early hour, like perfectly laid glass, mirroring the sky in a way that seems fictitious.
Like art. It’s the perfect weather for this kind of week, and we’re being blessed with a solid three-day stay before we head back to the hotel to prepare for the rehearsal.
I’m going to enjoy my time and lather myself in sunscreen so I don’t ruin my new dress with a sunburn.
It’s not a California summer, but it’s still summer, and summer is my favourite word.
Thankfully, we only had to pack our stuff for the beach since our hotel rooms are blocked off for the week. I don’t know how to travel light, and as my brother unloads my one exceptionally heavy bag with a glare, I can tell that I could have probably left a few more things behind.
I follow my brother through the freshly cut grass, glancing up at the beautiful white and blue, two-story lake house. My breath catches in my throat.
There are so many windows.
I know before I even step inside that the natural light in this place is going to be unmatchable. What I could do with a space with so much light…
The options are endless. They tickle my brain.
I glance toward the lake. The sun sets that way.
I would have a field day decorating the interior and exterior so that the occupants can optimize their sunrises and sunsets.
My eyes skim the wrap-around porch. So much potential.
It’s already stunning, but I could make it incomparable. I could make it jaw-dropping.
We've apparently been transported to The Hamptons, and a place like this does nothing to ease the ache of missing my job.
Declan and Penny are standing on the porch, near the rear door of the house. We all emerge from the driveway to find them looking down at us like we’re their pupils and they’re holding court.
Everyone seems to realize that this is some kind of moment, so we slowly stop at the bottom of the steps to give them our undivided attention. The conversation ceases almost instantly.
“So?” Declan says after a long second of silence. Both he and Penny are focused on a specific side of the lawn. Not the side that I’m on.
We all stare right back at them. Nobody says anything, because I don’t think anyone has the slightest idea what is going on. Me included.
Penny's smile fades as the seconds pass. She rolls her eyes, storming toward the door to point at the handmade sign hanging above it, which nobody had noticed until this very second: ‘Cabin Crew’.
It’s not a cabin. It’s a giant lake house. That’s my first thought.
“Is that a flight attendant pun?” Wyatt asks dryly.
Seth reaches up to scratch his head, eyes narrowed on the sign like it’s a riddle that he’s supposed to solve.
“Who is a flight attendant?” Wyatt continues, glancing at EJ. “Why would that ever be funny?”
“Dec.” Penny sighs, dropping her hands.
Declan huffs a laugh, holding out his arm for her. Disappointed, she trudges back to him and slides under it. He tugs her to her side, giving her a shake of reassurance.
“We bought this lakehouse,” he announces.
My eyes light up. Oh, how exciting!
Avery gasps, covering her smile with her hands, and Seth’s brows jump to his hairline.
“We,” Penny emphasizes, making a circular motion between the two of them and their friends on the grass.
Silence.
Seth’s face falls, seemingly solving the riddle from that one, little word.
“I have two loonies in my pocket,” EJ offers under his breath, and Wyatt busts out laughing.
Dec ignores him. “The paperwork is inside. All the six of you have to do is sign. It’s fully paid for, but it belongs to all of us, not just me and Lucky.”
More silence.
I slowly drag my eyes to the other side of the lawn, squinting at their friends through the sunlight—trying to gauge their reactions. This is exceptionally generous, and the gesture might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever witnessed, but the crew does not appear to share the same sentiments.
My brother finally seems to understand what Penny and Declan are implying. He lets out a low whistle.
The one thing this group of people will always do is take care of each other. That’s what Penny and Declan are doing in their own way. This is a gift to their friends. They bought them a place to spend time together…forever. It’s a family home.
It’s sweet. It makes my heart ache in the same way it did on the roof last night.
Boston and my brother glance at the group, holding their belongings at their sides, frozen in place.
The silence stretches on.
“I might have an American dollar in my pocket,” Wyatt says, breaking the quiet.
EJ snickers.
Declan and Penny’s frowns deepen.
“It’s not a joke,” Declan says.
“It’s so we can spend our summers together, and you guys can use it all year round. It’s four seasons, so it’s weather-proofed. However we want to do this, it’s ours to decide,” Penny continues.
“It’s where we can all grow old and gray together, alright?” Declan sighs, dropping his hand. “And Lucky and I will stay here whenever we’re home.”
Silence, still.
EJ slowly glances at Wyatt, who is glaring up at them with hard eyes now, his jaw ticking.
“Absolutely not,” Seth finally says, breaking from his trance. He shakes his head, waving them off. “No way in hell.”
“Yeah,” Lauren breathes a laugh, slapping her hand on his shoulder, “this is not happening.”
“What?” Penny asks quietly, her face falling.
“It’s too much,” Wyatt tells her in a stern voice. His dark eyes slide over them both and he shakes his head, pointing a finger at them. “We don’t do this shit.”
Avery is still stunned to silence.
I’d like to go back to the car and hide for a few minutes.
“Guys,” Declan pleads. He glances at his future wife, whose face has fallen to near devastation.
She was excited about this. So incredibly excited to share this with them, and they’re too overwhelmed to see that their reaction is breaking her heart.
Her throat bobs, and Declan’s expression sinks further.
EJ Dalton, though, doesn’t get overwhelmed. His smile falters, noticing the subtle shift in Penny within an instant of the change. So, he does what he’s supposed to do as their token golden retriever. He saves the day.
“We don’t do this shit? Speak for yourselves, I’m milking all the benefits of having a millionaire for a best friend,” EJ says to the rest of them, shooting them a look of disbelief.
He drops his bags on the ground and sprints toward the house.
Penny’s eyes are full of disappointment, so she’s the one he goes to.
He reaches forward to cup her face, smiling down at her. “You can have both of my loonies, P.”
She laughs, her lip shaking. “I really want this to be our place. Christmases, summers, and…memories, Eej, you know?”
His face softens. He glances at Lowesy, who smiles a bit gentler than usual. EJ smacks him on the shoulder and tugs them both to his chest.
“You know there is no way we’re ever repaying you, right?” he asks, and the whole lawn breaks into laughter. Their friends don’t seem to realize that EJ just prevented a problem. They almost broke the bride’s heart before her wedding day.
“You repay us by using it,” Dec says, patting EJ’s back. His eyes skirt over the lawn. “Please, guys. This is something we’ve wanted since Lucky moved to Pittsburgh.”
Because their home will always be in this town. With these people.
The rest of the crew exchange a few weary looks, their startled expressions slowly growing into stunned smiles of disbelief.
Tiffany is now in tears, and I’m sure she’s imagining her son growing up here—eventually surrounded by siblings and cousins.
Seth is close to tears, too. He removes his glasses and pinches the space between his eyes.
As if connected by one brain, they all take off running up those stairs to the bride and groom, vanishing into one big hug—Avery completely disappearing in the middle of it.
I glance beside me to Boston, Arden, and my brother. Callum slowly makes his way toward us from across the lawn, too.
Boston’s eyes dart down to mine.
“This has to be a cult of some sort, right?” I ask under my breath.
He barks out a big, surprised laugh.
My brother reaches forward, wrapping his arm around my neck in a headlock, pulling me toward him, and rubbing his knuckles in my hair for the comment.
I smack at him, fighting against his hold and my smile.
Saltzy lets out a long, deep breath, staring up at the porch. He buries his hands in his pockets, not bothering to give any of us a second look. “I’m going to have to start spending summers in fucking Canada, aren’t I?”
Boston laughs even harder.
Carter finally lets me go, grinning at Callum, who made a rare joke, and we all take a second to watch him watch Wyatt Caulfield the way he always does.
I have a feeling he’ll go anywhere Wyatt asks him to.