Chapter 6 #2
“I guess. It’s not like any guys are really banging down my door. It’s hard, living here.”
We don’t have many new guys who move to the island. The tourists come and go, and while there are locals, it’s such a small community that it’s hard to date.
“I get it, girl.” She lets out a long, deep sigh.
“Hey, don’t be down on yourself.” I reach over and rub her shoulders. “You’ll meet a good guy. Maybe there’ll even be someone at the wedding.”
“Maybe.”
“Girls, what if we vow to have the best summer of our lives?” I jump up and hold my glass in the air.
“I’m in,” Josie says.
“Yeah. I wouldn’t mind some good sex and some hot kisses,” Wendy says, grinning wickedly as she stands up and spins around.
“I guess I wouldn’t mind some fun,” Louisa says with a devilish smile.
We all turn to Gigi, who is looking down and blushing.
“Hey, you already know that I fucked up and sent my Coworker those pictures,” she says, waving her hand in front of her face. She’s now bright red. “I think, right now, I just need to concentrate on the reno.”
“Or wickedly send him even sexier pictures?” I tease.
“Really, Mia?”
“What? I’m just saying, this is going to be our summer. We’re all going to have the best sex of our lives.”
“We’re all going to be wooed,” Josie says.
“We’re all going to fall in love,” Juniper says.
“I just hope to save the bed-and-breakfast,” Wendy adds.
“I just hope to get over my broken heart and succeed in business,” Louisa says.
“And I just hope to get the beach house looking as beautiful and wonderful as I’ve always envisioned it could be,” Gigi murmurs.
We all grow quiet then, because Gigi recently lost her parents, and we all know that she’s still getting over that trauma. I know that grief is something that never fully leaves you, but I want Gigi to know she will always have us supporting her.
“Here’s to a summer of fun. And to you, fooling the world into thinking Luke Haverbrook is your gorgeous boyfriend.” Juniper grins. “Cheers, girls.”
We all hold our glasses up and clink them.
I’m so happy to be in Coconut Beach with this group of girls. I haven’t known them all as long as I’ve known Juniper and Luke, but they all mean something to me. It’s friendships like this that make small towns worth it.
“Do you think we’ll grow up to be the busy Bees?” Juniper asks, laughing.
“Never. We don’t gossip,” Josie says. “As much.”
“Just all the time,” Wendy adds, and we all join in the laughter.
My phone rings. “It’s Lukey,” I say, waving it. “Should I answer or let it go to voicemail?”
“Answer,” Gigi says. “And does he like it when you call him Lukey?”
“I think he absolutely hates it.” I start giggling. “But it is what it is.”
I answer the phone. “Hey there, darling lover boy. What are you up to?”
“Are you drunk already, Mia?” His voice is dry.
“No, I’ve only had one glass. I’m here with the girls, and we’re getting ready to go to Cocktails & Chaos.”
“Oh.” His voice changes slightly. “So, you’re going through with that plan then?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t gotten there yet. We’ll see.”
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea, Mia, especially if—”
“My gosh, Luke. Let me have some fun. You and Beatrice had fun recently, didn’t you?”
There’s silence on the phone.
My friends look at me with questioning eyes, and I whisper, “I’ll tell you after I get off the phone.”
“What did you just say, Mia?”
“Nothing. Hold on. Let me FaceTime you.”
I press FaceTime on the screen and wait for him to pick up. He answers after a couple of seconds, and I can see that he’s still in the office.
“Hey.” He glances at me, his eyes narrowing as he takes in my outfit. “Are you wearing a belly top?”
“It’s called a crop top.”
“But it’s showing your belly.”
“Yes, Dad. It’s showing my belly. I live in a beach town, where most of us show our bellies.”
I move the phone around so he can see how the other girls are dressed.
“Hey, everyone. Say hey to Luke.”
“Hi, Luke,” they all chorus.
“Hey, girls,” he says. “Have fun tonight.”
“We will,” Juniper says. “Can’t wait to see you.”
“Yeah, you too, Juniper. So, I have something to tell you.”
He sounds nervous, and all of a sudden, my heart drops.
“Oh shit. What is it, Luke?”
“Hey, I haven’t even told you yet. No need to sound like that.”
“It’s fine,” I say as a million different thoughts pass through my mind. Has he found a real date? Is he about to tell me that he doesn’t want to go with me? Is he about to tell me that he’s changed his mind?
I’ve been having so much fun, talking about and getting ready for this fake summer relationship, that I didn’t realize that it was taking the place of a real relationship.
I wonder what it would be like to really be in a relationship with someone who chose me—someone who wanted to go to this wedding with me as my partner, not just as my best friend.
I’m desperately single, and I hate it. I don’t even want to think about what it’s going to be like, being at the wedding by myself with Luke there with someone.
“Hey, what’s going through your mind, Mia? You look miserable.”
“It’s fine. What is it? Are you going with Beatrice or something?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Why are you calling? You’re not changing your mind, are you?”
“Why would I change my mind?” he asks, looking genuinely confused. “You mean because it’s not going to be a Fifty Shades of Grey contract?”
“Did I just hear him say Fifty Shades of Grey?” Juniper squeals and comes running over to me. “Mia, what have you held out on us?”