Chapter 28
“Can my friends keep a secret? I guess I’ll find out.” ~ Paisley
Paisley
“Ugh,” Chloe groans. “I’m still hungover from the end of the summer ball.”
I frown at her. “The ball was several days ago. You shouldn’t still be hungover.”
“I am. And it’s your fault.”
I rear back. “Why is it my fault?”
“Your boyfriend filled the limo’s bar with whiskey.”
I lift an eyebrow. “And then he forced the liquid down your throat?”
She nods. “Exactly.”
“And you didn’t dare his brother, Kai, that you could drink more shots than him?”
“He started it,” she pouts.
“Because our Chloe never starts shit,” Sophia says.
“It’s true. I’m a reformed woman.”
At Chloe’s proclamation, I burst into laughter with the rest of my friends. Chloe may be married and have a stepdaughter she dotes on now but she will never be reformed.
She throws a coaster at me. “I’m being serious.”
Maya rubs her still flat stomach. “Try being pregnant.”
Nova nods in agreement. “I’d take a whiskey hangover over morning sickness any day of the week.”
“But then you wouldn’t have little Iliana,” Sophia points out.
Nova smiles. “True. She loves Hudson more than me and she can scream for hours on end without reason, but I love the little terror.”
Maya sighs. “I can’t wait to have my own terror.”
“I hope you have a boy. Iliana can fall in love with him and then we’ll be a family for real.”
Maya squeezes her hand. “We are a family for real.”
My heart fills with joy for Maya. She longed for her parents to love her for most of her life. Until Caleb showed her what true love is. Now she no longer puts up with shit from her parents.
“Hey!” Chloe slaps a hand on the table. “I have a daughter, too. Maybe she’ll fall in love with Maya’s son.”
Maya frowns. “It would be quite the age difference. Natalia’s thirteen now.”
“Fine. I’ll get pregnant and my son will fall in love with Iliana.”
“What if you have a girl?” Nova asks.
“Then, she will fall in love with Iliana. ”
Sophia claps her hands. “I think we’re getting off track here. We’re supposed to be discussing the financial situation of Five Fathoms Brewing. ”
“Does Flynn have any idea when he’ll be able to finish the repairs on the brewery?” I ask.
“We’ll still waiting for the insurance company to process our claim,” Maya answers.
“I thought we agreed to begin the repairs immediately.”
“No.” Nova shakes her head. “We agreed to wait once Eli offered us space for the brewery at his distillery.”
I fidget in my seat. “I’m uncomfortable accepting handouts from Eli.”
Sophia waves away my concern. “He’s a billionaire. He can afford it.”
I narrow my eyes on her. “It’s wrong to take advantage of him just because he’s wealthy.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “But we can take advantage of him because he’s your boyfriend?”
“No.”
“No, he’s not your boyfriend?”
“What are you? Ten?”
“I love this,” Nova says.
My brow wrinkles. “You love how immature Sophia’s being?”
“I love how you’ve fallen in love. How we’ve all fallen in love.”
“And,” Maya adds, “we’re all staying on the island.”
Nova smiles. “Our kids are going to be best friends. ”
I hold up a hand. “I’m not certain I want children.”
“Why not?” Nova asks.
Chloe moans. “You had to ask? She’s going to start lecturing us on the state of the world and how she’s unsure if she should bring children into this messed up world.”
“I don’t constantly lecture you,” I claim.
Chloe raises an eyebrow. “You spent fifteen minutes explaining the difference between paper towels and hand dryers in the restroom at the ball.”
“I did not.”
“I timed you.”
“Really? You timed me? As I recall, you’d lost your shoes and purse by this point of the evening.”
She throws her arms in the air. “Then, why did you lecture me?”
I shrug. “Because I could.”
She points at me. “You’re cruel.”
“I’m cruel? I’m not the one who stole the last piece of chocolate cake.”
“I didn’t want you to bloat in your dress. You were showing a lot of skin.”
“It was a sexy dress.” Maya sighs. “I bet Eli couldn’t wait to tear it off of you when you got home.”
He didn’t tear it off of me. He lifted the skirt up and had his way with me. It was fantastic. I press my legs together as memories of the night assail my mind. Eli appears all prim and proper in his three-piece suits but the man becomes a bad boy in the bedroom .
Chloe plants her elbows on the table and leans forward. “I want details of whatever has your cheeks turning red.”
“I don’t need details. I have an excellent imagination.”
Chloe rolls her eyes at Maya. “Not all of us inhale romance books faster than a mermaid can swim.”
“Speaking of Eli,” I begin.
Sophia rubs her hands together. “I can’t wait. I bet underneath those suits he’s a tiger in bed. Am I right? Wait. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to be disappointed.”
“You’re engaged.”
She blinks at me. “I don’t understand your comment.”
“Why do you need details of my sex life when you have a sex life of your own?” I ask.
Her nose wrinkles. “I’m still not understanding your point.”
I sigh. “Never mind.”
Chloe motions toward me. “Come on. I’m awaiting the details.”
“I’m not giving you any details.” She pouts. “I want to run something by you.”
“If it’s whether you should try handcuffs in bed, the answer is yes. The answer is always yes.”
My nose wrinkles. “Don’t your wrists get sore?”
She shakes her head. “You can’t use real handcuffs. You need the fluffy ones. Or you can use scarves as ties. Or ropes. Or—”
I hold up my hand to stop her. “I need to return to the brewery soon. I don’t have time to discuss your sexual habits.”
“Bummer.”
“What were you going to say about Eli?” Maya asks .
“I want to have a surprise birthday party for him. But—”
“Yes!” Nova pumps her arm. “What a great idea. We can host it at the resort. I’ll phone Hudson and ask when there’s availability.”
She whips out her phone but I snatch it from her before she can dial.
“Wait. There’s more.”
Chloe leans in closer. “More? Do you want to have a sex party? I’ve never been to one. What does it entail? Do I have to participate or can I watch? Is everyone naked?”
I stare at her with wide eyes. “Where did you get the idea I want to have a sex party?”
She shrugs. “You enjoyed orgy porn when we were teenagers.”
I groan. I am never going to hear the end of that.
“Hudson is not going to agree to a sex party,” Nova says. “He’s very protective of me. He won’t want anyone seeing me naked.”
“Same for Caleb,” Maya adds. “And he won’t go naked either. I haven’t managed to get him to go swimming in shorts yet. He’s very sensitive about the scarring on his leg. Naked is a no go.”
“I doubt Flynn would go for it either. I’m sorry, Paisley, but I can’t attend,” Sophia says.
“I am not having a sex party!” I shout since my friends apparently can’t hear me when I speak in a normal voice at a reasonable level .
“We’ll figure something else out,” Chloe says. “Maybe a costume party.”
“Will everyone please quiet down and listen to me for one minute?” I grumble. I don’t wait for them to agree before continuing, “Eli never celebrates his birthday. His family has this tradition of doing full day celebrations but Eli never participates.”
“Sad. Why not?” Nova asks.
I don’t answer her question. If she doesn’t remember Eli’s dad leaving the week before his sixteenth birthday, it’s best not to remind her. Eli doesn’t want anyone to pity him.
“I want to do something fun for him. He’s always doing everything for me. I want to be the one to surprise him this time.”
Sophia nods. “Then, we’re doing this.”
“We’ll help you plan. We know planning a party isn’t your strong suit,” Nova says.
“I don’t want Eli to find out. No one can tell him.” My friends nod but it’s not good enough for me. “Mermaid pinky promise.”
I personally don’t believe in mermaids but my friends take mermaid pinky promises seriously. We link our pinkies together. “No one will tell Eli.”
“Promise,” they say in unison.
“This is going to be so much fun,” Chloe squeals.
Maya flips a page in her notebook. “ What’s your budget?”
“Budget?” I didn’t think about a budget. “I thought we’d invite everyone to the bar and then yell surprise when Eli walks in.”
Sophia bursts into laughter. “You’re cute.”
“We need a theme.” Chloe drums her fingers on the table. “I’m thinking rumrunners.”
“What about a prohibition era speakeasy on the sea?” Sophia suggests.
“Or pirate smugglers’ hideout? We could do a treasure hunt, pirate-themed trivia, and a rum-tasting bar,” Nova says.
“What about an island of the lost legends theme? We could have a storytelling circle, a solve the mystery game, and a hidden speakeasy,” Maya adds.
I moan. “I’m not getting away with a party at the bar, am I?”
Maya pats my hand. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”
“Do you think Eli will enjoy it?” I ask because his happiness is all that matters.
I want Eli to be happy. I love him. His happiness is the most important thing to me.
I should probably tell him I love him at some point. But the time is never right. It’s a terrible excuse but what if he doesn’t feel the same? What if he runs away? What if he ends us?
I rub my chest as pain blooms. I can’t chance it. Not yet.