Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
We get to the rental house just after lunchtime.
The place is nuts. The grounds are palatial!
A phrase I never thought I’d use, but I saw it on the brochure when we walked in, and they really are.
There are six bedrooms, a massive living room with a fireplace that takes up most of one wall, a huge kitchen inside, a bar outside by the pool, and covered patios—yes, plural.
Everything in this place is ridiculously over the top.
Maverick is behind the outdoor bar playing bartender. Rhett and I sit in front of it, and the three of us watch Dakota and Reagan chicken fight with Heath and Ginny in the pool. Mav brought Charli, and she’s running around the yard investigating every inch.
“Five bucks says Reagan falls first,” Rhett says, tipping his drink toward them.
I jump to my girl’s defense. “No way. Reagan’s scrappy.”
“Guess we’re on.” He holds his beer out, and I clink mine against the side.
Mav hops onto the bar and sits, his legs dangling over the side. “Dakota won’t let her fall. Guarantee.”
Reagan’s blonde hair is slicked back, and she’s concentrating hard as she and Ginny both try to push the other over. They’re pretty evenly matched as far as size goes, but Heath’s height advantage over Dakota gives Ginny the upper hand.
Reagan’s looking unsteady as Ginny pushes hard.
Dakota moves backward, and they readjust. This time when they come together, Reagan grabs Ginny’s hands and intertwines their fingers.
Then, Dakota walks backward, and that pulls Ginny forward.
She teeters and almost falls over Heath’s head, but he catches her in time.
Rhett chuckles. “This is quality entertainment.”
“Let’s go, Kota,” Mav yells.
Heath looks over to him. “What the hell, man? I thought we were friends.”
“He’s so sensitive,” Mav says quietly, then yells, “Sorry buddy, love you.”
Heath flips him off, and with one hand not protecting his partner, Reagan pushes my sister backward and off his shoulders.
Reagan raises her hands overhead and cheers as Ginny goes under. She shoots a grin over at me, and damn, she’s stunning. I’m totally gone for her.
“Well, fuck,” Rhett says. “Double or nothing?”
“I’m going in.” Mav puts his sunglasses on and runs toward the pool. He jumps in and holds his beer up to keep it from going under.
They get set for another chicken fight, but this time Dakota gets on Mav’s shoulders, and Reagan sits on the side of the pool cheering them on.
I glance over at Rhett. I haven’t seen him on the phone all day. “How’s everything with Carrie?”
“Eh.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
His brows lift toward the hat covering his head.
“I’m a good listener,” I insist.
He hesitates as if he’s considering it, but then shakes it off. “Nah, thanks though. I’m cool. Things with you and Reagan seem good.”
“Deflecting. Nice.”
A grin tugs at his lips.
“They are good. She’s great, man. I didn’t realize what it could be like. It’s…” I struggle to put it in words.
A real smile spreads across his face. “Congratulations, my man. Sounds like you’re in love.”
After a long day outside in the pool, we grill and then head inside. The fireplace is going, and we’re all in the living room drinking and talking.
Half-empty bottles of liquor litter the coffee table. Maverick went all out, buying everyone’s favorites, including his own.
“Happy twenty-first,” Heath says and lifts his cup.
We all mimic him, and Mav grins shyly as he raises his bottle of MD 20/20. “Thank you guys for being here. This is the first birthday in a long time that hasn’t royally sucked.”
Reagan’s sitting between my legs. She reaches over and squeezes Mav’s arm, and I wonder if she feels that way too.
Reagan’s parents aren’t around, and Maverick’s think they can buy him off instead of spending any time with him.
I’m irritated with my own parents for how they’ve acted recently, but not one birthday has gone by, my entire life, where they haven’t made it feel special.
I dip my head lower to kiss her shoulder. “We should play sardines or something.”
“I bet this house has some killer hiding spots,” Rhett says.
Dakota groans. “No, let’s play something different. We’re on vacation!”
“Truth or dare?” Ginny suggests. “Or I’ve never?”
“I love I’ve never,” Mav says. He puts his beer down on the floor and rubs his hands together. “I’ll go first. I’ve never kissed a girl.”
“We all drink except Reagan and Ginny.”
Mav cackles at Dakota as she drinks.
She glares. “I told you that in confidence.”
“Yes, I know. I’m sorry, babe, but it’s such a great visual.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’ve never had a threesome.”
We go around the room, taking turns. I’ve played with the guys before, so I know most of their secrets, but it’s fun finding out a little more about Reagan.
Like, she’s kissed more than one guy in a single day, and she’s had a one-night stand.
Stupid things that don’t change how I feel about her, but just peel back more layers and remind me what an idiot I was not to notice her before.
“Maverick, why do you like this game so much exactly? You’ve had to drink every single time,” Rhett asks. His experiences are a lot more limited than the rest of us since he’s dated Carrie for so long.
“Precisely. Plus, I’m an open book, but the shit you can find out about your friends with a little I’ve never is gold. Like who would have thought you and Carrie have tried anal?”
Rhett’s face turns red.
“I have one,” Ginny says and lowers her gaze to the floor as she continues, “I’ve never been engaged.”
Maverick, Rhett, and Dakota look around the circle to see who is going to drink.
“Who is it? And how do I not know about this?” Dakota asks. She looks at Mav.
He raises his hands. “No way, sweetheart. Not me.”
“Not me,” Ginny and Heath say at the same time.
Mav and Dakota look to Rhett. “No. Definitely not.”
Slowly, Reagan lifts her drink to her lips, and I do the same.
“What?!” Dakota screeches. Her voice bounces off the walls. “You two are engaged?”
“Fake engaged,” we say at the same time. Then we have to tell the entire story. Honestly, I figured they all knew. Especially Dakota.
“Wait, only Ginny knew?” Dakota asks.
“And Heath,” Ginny says.
Mav looks hurt. “Bro?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize this was such hot gossip, and I figured the rest of you already knew if I did. I’m never the one in the know first.” He shrugs.
Dakota excuses herself and heads toward the kitchen.
“I should go talk to her.” Reagan places a chaste kiss on my lips and stands.
I grab her hand and tug her back down. Her cheeks and legs are red from the sun, and her hair falls in waves over her shoulder.
She’s all sun-kissed and glowing, and it’s been a long day with our friends where I haven’t been able to kiss or talk to her like I want.
I have this uncontrollable urge to tell her how I feel.
That this thing between us is so much more than I could have imagined.
That I’m falling for her.
She smiles. “I’ll be right back, stud.”
“I’m going to bed. Meet you there. Hurry.”