Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Oliver
I’m being a dick to two different girls right now.
The Cove Bash is the second biggest beach party of the summer. I don’t even hate all the rich snobs here that normally pollute the water.
Everyone brings something—from the kegs, games, and even our fireworks showcase at the end of the night.
“Hey, Moore, what are you thinking about?” Jade walks up to me.
She’s dressed to the nines like always, in a two-piece green swimsuit and a see-through button-up shirt. Her hair is wet from the little dip she took in the lake.
That’s what I’ve always liked about Jade. She might be a princess from the lakefront, but she’s always ready to come down here and let loose.
It’d be easier if I liked her, but that’s not even a possibility now.
I feel Sally’s eyes boring into the back of my head. I’ve felt them since I stopped playing volleyball.
I thought we were having a breakthrough last week when we visited my mom. Why would she agree to come if she didn’t want to be around me?
Because you were freaking the eff out, and she’s nice.
I curse at myself under my breath.
“Ollie?” Jade takes my attention away.
“Huh?” Flip, was Jade talking to me? I quickly throw my arm over her shoulder, bringing her in a bit closer, and I feel even shittier knowing this is for show. “Sorry, I must have spaced out.”
I’m being a dick to both Sally and her. I’m sure Jade won’t be too heartbroken, but I’ve pretty much ignored her advances this summer, and now the main reason I’m pulling her into me is because Sally is here. Like a prick, I want to see if I can make her jealous.
Jade narrows her eyes at me and then looks over her shoulder. Maybe Sally is still glaring daggers at me.
She tightens her arm around me before standing on her tiptoes and placing a kiss on my cheek. “It’s a bit barbaric, but making a girl jealous is fun.”
“What are you talking about?” I pretend like I have no idea what she means.
“Oliver,” she chides. “You haven’t given me any attention this summer, and I’m not stupid.”
“Never said you were.”
“You’re acting like it. We’ve had a good arrangement the past three summers, but this time? Nothing. And it all started when that pink-haired girl got here.”
My body tenses like I’m about to jump into action and defend Sally.
Jade pats my chest. “You don’t need to worry about your girlfriend.”
I open my mouth to correct her, but she continues.
“You want to make her jealous, and honestly, I’ve been fucking bored because I haven’t gotten to hang with you and your friends. I actually do like y’all, even if I don’t always say it.”
A pang of guilt hits me. Jade has never been considered a part of the group. She’s always just tagged along because of our arrangement.
“I’m gonna ask you this once,” she says. “Do you want to make her jealous?”
I look over my shoulder to see her talking with Ella and Jaxon. I furrow my brow as a man I don’t recognize stands by her, and he’s looking down at her with a little too much smugness.
My jaw clenches. “Yeah, let’s do it.”
“Yay! I’m excited.”
The air vibrates with anticipation from everyone's excitement for the fireworks.
My arm is still draped over Jade’s shoulder, and not only is she burying herself into my side, but she also takes every chance she gets to place a hand on my chest and pretend to whisper something seductive in my ear.
I’m really gonna have to thank her later. She’s putting on the performance of a lifetime.
Like clockwork, Jade taps my cheek and leans up as I crouch down. I never noticed our height difference before. She’s a solid five foot five, and I don’t know how guys can handle leaning down all the time.
Sally is taller than most of the girls here. The only one taller than her is Ella. That might turn some guys off, but I love that we are almost on equal footing. It’s nice not to have to always lean down to see her.
“It’s working, but I feel like I’m the one putting in all the effort,” Jade whispers in my ear. Normally, her voice would shoot arousal straight to my cock, but there’s nothing.
Also, how can she know it’s working? Sally hasn’t even spared me a glance since we walked over to them.
She’s staying quiet unless she is saying something to Ella or the guy next to her. She’s even giving him a genuine smile.
I have to fight the urge to leave Jade’s side and pick a fight with the guy next to her. I’ve never seen him here before. Are they bonding over being tourists?
A bitter taste fills my mouth at Sally leaving Alliance, but maybe she’ll come back during breaks. Her parents bought my friend’s house, so they must be renovating it to be a cheap beach house.
Sally is in her typical uniform of a crop top, skirt, and choker. God, she looks so sexy with that thing around her neck.
I smile, giving her another once over. Everyone is dressed for the beach, ready at any moment to go in the water.
Once again, Sally looks like she doesn’t even want to dip a pinky toe in the lake.
The gleam in her eyes at the aquarium would make you think she loves the water, but I’ve yet to see her swim.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to get her hair wet.
“Hey,” Jade whisper scolds me, “if you keep looking at her like that, she won’t have any reason to be jealous.”
“She’d have to look this way for that to happen,” I mutter.
“Boys really are dumb.”
I roll my eyes at her.
“She might not be looking very much, but since we’ve walked over, she’s made a point of barely tossing us a glance. You can also tell that every time I touch your chest, she reacts.”
With that, Jade places her palm lightly on my bare chest and glides her finger down my pec. Just like she said, Sally’s jaw quivers like she’s biting down, and her shoulders shoot up.
“After the fireworks, we should head back to my house. My parents are out of town,” Piper addresses the entire group.
She better not mean everyone currently here. I’d rather not party with the jerk flirting with my girl.
Jesus Christ…my girl.
“Are you providing the booze?” Jaxon asks with an arm around Ella.
Seeing Jaxon being so affectionate with a girl is kind of weird. He’s more of a one-and-done kind of guy and sees PDA as a waste of time since he never wants to date anyone. After having that talk on my porch, he’s refused to talk about their relationship.
I throw a glance at Casey, who isn’t batting an eye anymore. I give her a mental thumbs up.
“Daddy barely drinks anymore, so he won’t miss the cheaper stuff we have. Other people will be BYOB, but y’all won’t go thirsty.”
Ella walks away from Jaxon toward Sally and the jerk next to her. The guy introduces himself as Brandon.
I feel like I’m going to freak out. I need to say something.
A piercing loud noise shakes the air. Blasts light up the night sky as fireworks shoot off.
“They really went all out this year!” Casey cheers, and Piper leans into Tyler’s chest.
“Sal.” My head snaps toward the jerk. “You want to get a closer look at the fireworks?”
Sally looks at Brandon and then at me. Her brows furrow like she’s thinking before she looks back at Brandon and nods.
Brandon steps forward and takes hold of Sally’s hand. Her body tenses a bit, but she lets him take her toward the water.
I stop myself from lunging at them in an attempt to separate him from her. Biting the inside of my cheek, I march over to the cooler and take out another beer.
Three beers later, I’m just starting to feel the smallest tinge of a buzz.
Piper’s house is the biggest out of all our friend group.
Water's Edge isn’t the only business they own.
It’s just the main one they focus on. Piper’s family owns different vineyards across Michigan.
That’s the reason Water's Edge has not only the best drink deals but also the best wine in all of Alliance.
The house is filled to the brim with fresh-out-of-high-school students partying before college starts.
Piper doesn’t usually throw parties, but with her parents out of town for some convention, she wants to make use of the empty space.
There’s music playing throughout the house while we all play a drinking game. Casey even seems to be flirting with a new guy.
“Are you sure you don’t want to play?” Jade asks.
“I’m good.” Definitely don’t need help drinking tonight. I’m not a lightweight, but I should be more buzzed by now.
Casey flips a card numbered six, and the three dudes and Ella take a drink. Jaxon elbows Ella teasingly to make sure she’s taking a big enough drink and not just a sip. He wants her to let loose, and since they drew the mates card, every time one of them drinks, they both drink.
They flip a few more cards, and now they are chugging their drinks. Curiosity gets the best of me, so I glance at the kitchen.
Looking past the other people talking, irritation infects my bloodstream as I look just a few feet away. Sally is sitting on the counter, engrossed in a conversation with the jerk face—I mean, Brandon.
He is standing way too close to her knees, but there’s this tinge of hope that wades through the anger. I know what her body looks like when she’s completely comfortable. I’ve experienced the way she moves and the way she pressed herself into my chest and cock.
Sally’s not letting him in. Looking at it like a victory is stupid but I’m desperate.
The only reason I’m not marching over there and replacing him is because there might be a fight. Brandon looks absolutely enthralled by her. I think I’d be pissed if he didn’t look at her like that. But he also happens to be looking at the girl I’m interested in, so that’s his mistake.
I just need time alone with her. I should have talked to her while we were in Lansing, but I stupidly thought she’d stop avoiding me.
“What if we play seven minutes in heaven now?” Jade suggests, eyeing me.
Wait, when did the game end?
“That sounds like fun!” Piper exclaims, standing up quickly before stumbling a bit into Tyler.
“Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll get a clean bottle?”