Chapter 25
Alice
Alice had devised a schedule for fixing up the house, breaking down every task to match each person’s capabilities until all the projects were scheduled to be completed exactly on time.
She had also created cover stories for the majority of the excursions, although for some of them Freddie and Sierra were just supposed to keep Briar too distracted to notice the missing staff.
Physical labor was a great distraction from her now hard-to-ignore feelings.
And Noah proved to be an invaluable asset, both in his strength and his high spirits.
When Alice’s energy flagged, when she just wanted to give up, go back to camp, and wrap her arms around Briar, he was quick to remind her that it would all be worth it when they got to see Briar’s face at the party.
By the third day, they’d fallen into an easy familiarity with each other, joking around as they worked to reattach the closet door, with Noah holding it while Alice tackled the screws.
‘Are you sure you know how to use a screwdriver?’ Noah asked, his arms shaking from the weight.
‘Yes, I’m sure,’ Alice said, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. ‘Would you like to try?’
‘I’m just the brute strength, you’re the brains.’
‘Mind over matter,’ Alice muttered, working the hinge open. ‘Distract yourself, so you don’t think about your arms hurting. Talk about something.’
‘Okay, um…’ She pictured him closing his eyes, focusing.
‘Harper refuses to acknowledge her parents’ disapproval of our relationship.
And I don’t know how to talk to her about it, because I’m technically not supposed to know.
’ He paused. ‘And our venue coordinator called me last week and told me the final check, the one her parents were supposed to write, hasn’t arrived. ’
‘Woah, okay,’ Alice said, as she finally managed to get the hinge tight enough. ‘You can let go of it now. It should stay in place.’
‘I just wish she’d tell me. The wedding’s in a few months. If we’re finding a new venue, she needs my help.’
Alice stood and brushed off her pants. ‘Noah, your parents are the best.’
Noah looked confused. ‘Yeah?’
‘Harper’s parents are assholes, and you don’t understand what that’s like.
Which is amazing, but sometimes limiting.
’ She paused, and he looked at her like he was realizing something.
She continued quickly, ‘Admitting that your parents don’t care about your happiness…
it feels like a personal failing. Surely, if you were good enough, if you were lovable, then they would love you, right? ’
She thought she’d said it unemotionally, logically explaining human psychology. Based on his expression, Noah didn’t seem to feel that way.
‘Oh, Alice,’ he said softly.
‘This is about Harper,’ she insisted. ‘You have to be patient with her. This isn’t about you, or how much she trusts you. It’s about how she feels about herself.’
Noah nodded. ‘Thanks for telling me that,’ he said seriously, and Alice felt like she was going to cry for the millionth time that week.
Just then, Harper walked through the front door. ‘Hey, guys,’ she said. ‘FYI, there’s a case of scabies going around. So that’s fun.’
Alice shuddered ‘How’s Briar coping?’
‘Oh, fine,’ Harper said. ‘She said anything’s better than lice.’
‘She was scratching her head for weeks.’
‘I think she’s in better spirits now too,’ Harper said, coming over to give Noah a kiss on the cheek. ‘Might have you to thank for that, Alice.’
‘Would it be pushing your gratitude to ask you to learn plumbing?’ Alice asked.
‘Most definitely.’
She sighed. ‘Noah?’
‘On it!’ he said, retreating to the kitchen. ‘Bringing out the big guns: dudes on YouTube who refuse to spend money on handymen.’
‘I have another task for you,’ Alice said, looking at Harper. ‘I need your help with a group text.’
‘What are you so scared of?’
‘I don’t know,’ Alice said drily, ‘that people might be mad that I’ve ghosted them for a decade?’
‘Everyone will be happy to see Briar. Just focus on that.’
Alice showed the text to Harper for approval.
Hey all! Alice here. Sorry for the long time, no text. Noah, Harper
& I are planning a party down at Briar’s mom’s house in Virginia for
her birthday on 8/3 @ 3 p.m. There will be food & booze. Hope you
can make it!
Alice pressed send. Before she could worry that no one would respond, a ping sounded.
‘See?’ Harper said, when Alice showed her. ‘Keep expectations of your behavior low, and you’ll always meet them.’
But Alice worried that she didn’t want to keep expectations of her behavior low anymore, that she now wanted the impossible.
To be known as someone who showed up, who was a loyal friend, and who fought for her relationships instead of letting them go as soon as they became difficult.
And she knew she couldn’t be that person.
In two weeks, she would once again be the girl who left.
On the final night of the session, Alice didn’t make it back to the cabin until late. She’d been making the rounds, ensuring suitcases were packed, stuffies were secured, and pickup plans were memorized. It had been a hard night of goodbyes.
‘Bri?’ she called out as she climbed up the porch steps. There was no answer.
Alice crept into the hallway, catching the door before it could slam behind her. She tiptoed into the bedroom, listening for Briar’s light snores, but there was only silence.
Alice felt arms sneak around her waist, pulling her backwards into a warm body.
‘Jesus, you scared me,’ Alice said, trying to turn around, but Briar’s hands tightened on her hips, keeping her still.
‘What took you so long?’ Briar murmured into her ear, kissing the back of her neck. The sensation shot goosebumps down Alice’s back.
‘There was a lot to do,’ Alice said, her voice growing weaker as Briar kissed across her shoulder, slipping the strap of her tank top down. ‘Why are all the lights off?’
Briar laughed, her breath tickling Alice’s skin. ‘I wanted to surprise you.’
There was a rustling behind her, like Briar was digging around in her pockets, and then the room was cast in a low pink glow. Briar had hung fairy lights all around the room, ones that faded from pink to purple to blue and then back again. It gave the room a magical glow.
‘Oh,’ Alice said, touched.
‘I thought we could celebrate surviving the summer,’ Briar said, her lips brushing the sensitive skin under Alice’s jaw.
‘Like a party?’ Alice asked coyly, grinding back, enjoying how Briar’s fingers tightened on her hips. ‘Should I invite the others?’
Briar bit sharply at Alice’s jaw, making her gasp. ‘I’d rather you didn’t.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘Because I wanted to thank you,’ Briar said, then spun Alice around in her arms. Their faces were close, and Alice’s body was practically vibrating with anticipation. She leaned in, but Briar kept her lips just out of reach. ‘Properly.’
Then Briar kissed her, groaning as she tugged at Alice’s hair.
Alice melted into her, hooking a leg around Briar’s calf and nearly toppling them. They broke apart, and Briar fell to her knees.
‘What—’ Alice started, only to be hushed by Briar.
‘Just let me take care of you,’ Briar said, pulling at the laces of Alice’s boots, taking them off, followed by her socks. She kissed Alice’s knees, her fingers drifting up the back of her thighs. Alice felt unstable, like if Briar wasn’t holding on to her, she’d collapse.
Briar undid the front of her shorts, pulling them down and leaving Alice in her tank top and panties.
‘This seems hardly fair,’ Alice breathed. ‘You’re still dressed.’
‘This is about you,’ Briar said, kissing up her thigh.
‘And if I want to see you?’
Briar paused as if she were considering, then dropped a final kiss to Alice’s hipbone before standing. Alice reached for Briar’s shirt, pulling it over her head, then fumbled at the drawstring of her shorts.
Briar huffed out a laugh, swatting Alice’s hands away. ‘So impatient.’
‘Well, stop teasing me,’ Alice said, biting at the side of her neck. She sucked at the skin there, selfishly wanting to leave a mark, wanting there to be some proof of her having been there, even after she was gone.
Briar pushed her, and Alice fell onto the bed with a gasp.
She only had a second to recover before Briar was on top of her, grinding a knee between Alice’s thighs.
The friction was torture, lighting a fire low in her abdomen.
Alice claimed Briar’s mouth with a kiss, snaking a hand down to grab her ass and bring their bodies together.
Briar broke away, her expression making Alice shiver. Briar was even more beautiful like this, her bangs sweaty and stuck to her forehead, her lips wet and swollen from kissing, her eyes dark and dangerous.
‘You’re distracting me,’ Briar said.
Alice blinked, trying to figure out why they weren’t kissing anymore. ‘Sorry?’
Briar grinned at her, chest heaving. ‘This is meant to be a thank you. So if you don’t mind…’
She ducked her head, lips trailing down to Alice’s chest. Briar pushed up Alice’s tank top, mouthing at Alice’s abdomen and lower still.
Finally, Alice’s brain caught up with Briar’s words. ‘You don’t have to— Oh, holy shit.’
And then she couldn’t argue anymore.
‘What are you thinking about?’ Briar asked her afterwards, playing with Alice’s hair.
‘That I didn’t get a s’more at the campfire,’ Alice said wistfully. ‘The campers wouldn’t leave me alone. They needed to tell me every detail about the mushrooms they found during their hike.’
‘They love you,’ Briar cooed.
‘No, they love mushrooms, which is honestly better,’ Alice said. ‘I hope I’ve just created a new crop of mycologists.’
‘I’d study mushrooms if it was you teaching.’
A few seconds passed and then Alice sat up suddenly.
‘Oh no,’ Briar said, but a smile was blooming on her face. ‘That’s your scheming face.’
‘Do you want to sneak into the kitchen and make s’mores?’ Alice asked, grinning at her. ‘Like we used to?’