Chapter 20
aimee
Lukas’ Fan Club
Val named the conversation “Lukas’ Fan Club”.
Ellory
I feel like I need to add Chase to this chat if that’s our name
Ellory added Chase to the conversation.
Chase
Why am I here?
Ellory
Val summoned you.
Chase
…?
Val
We’re Lukas’ fan club now.
Chase
Again, why am I here?
Ellory
Aw come on, don’t be shy.
Chase
Ellory
Chase left the conversation.
Isabella
Val…
Val
It’s a good thing you’re not home right now
Isabella
Eloise
[sends pic Lukas & Aimee hugging]
Jessa
Are you 100% positive he doesn’t have a brother?
Eloise
They’re literally so hot together.
[sends pic her and Annalise grinning]
Cami
You should add Annalise to this chat, she’d be Val’s number one fan.
Val
Eloise added Annalise to the conversation.
Annalise
I fully agree to this group chat name.
Annalise
WAIT, Val…like Valerie Temple??
Val
Annalise
Eloise has been telling me all about your books, she gave me MOONLIGHT KISS to start.
Val
Oh she’s throwing you into the deep end. I love it.
It’s one of Aimee’s favorites too, but she’ll never actually admit it.
Our girl’s got a kinky streak
It was official—I was never drinking again.
Like Lukas had said, we’d ended up passing out on the couch, all piled on top of one another.
My body ached and my head pounded from who knows how many bottles of wine we’d gone through last night.
I’d woken up to blinding light and too many messages on my phone to even make sense of.
My friend’s being out of control trolls and my biggest supporters.
Despite it all—all the pain and the anger that had been dealt with last night, I felt good.
Better than I had in a long time. Except for the headache.
The headache sucked, and every slight movement, every flash of light or too loud sound made me want to vomit.
Eloise and Annalise weren’t in much better shape.
After Lukas had left last night, we’d drank more, and they recounted every moment of the kisses, and then spent a good hour imagining what he was like in bed.
I’d nearly died from embarrassment before finally passing out.
“So, how late did you stay up, and how much is the bar tab?” Orion asked, pitching his voice louder on purpose.
The three of us groaned and my parents couldn’t hide their shared grins behind looks of concern fast enough.
I also knew full well there wasn’t a bar tab.
I’d had a message from Lukas—wasn’t sure how or when he’d gotten my number, but he informed me that any bill we might have accrued, he had it covered.
“Ssshh,” Annalise whispered, waving her hand at my brother.
I glared at my brother and he just smiled.
“Let me guess, you stayed up gossiping and hitting each other with pillows.”
Eloise snorted and then groaned, Annalise smacked him and I just continued to glare, not sure if I opened my mouth if I’d throw up or not.
“One, that’s sexist. And two, we stayed up drinking and cursing Asher for being a cheating prick. Three, you wouldn’t have been invited if we had done a pillow fight,” Eloise said.
I wasn’t sure if my parents had seen the interview, but by the looks on their faces, they had. A shadow crossed over my brother’s face.
“If I’d know that little punk had been pulling that shit, I would have beat his face in — friend or not.”
I let the glare slide off my face.
“We spoke to the Leland’s—they had no idea. Alice is beside herself, so is Jon. They know you’re hurting, but they wanted to let you know that if you ever need anything, they’re still there for you,” Mom said.
In light of the bomb that went off yesterday, it had never even dawned on me to cut them out of my life. I’d made that mistake for two years and they weren’t to blame for Asher’s lacking commitment.
I just nodded, still not sure if the lump in my throat was vomit or emotions.
“Yeah, and then Lukas showed up,” Eloise said.
“Hey, I thought you said it was girls only, no guys allowed!” Orion dropped his fork on his plate, looking incredibly offended.
“You should have seen the way he kissed her—well the way Aimes kissed him. It was so hot.”
I stared at Eloise. It was her turn to get the full weight of my glare, but she wasn’t looking at me—but at Orion.
“I mean, panty melting, fan your face kind of hot.”
“Eloise!” I kicked my best friend under the table, and she grunted, snapping her eyes to glare at me. I mouthed at her to shut up, but she just kept talking.
I glanced at my parents—Dad looked like he was choking on whatever bite of food he’d just taken, and my mom looked like she was fighting a grin.
I got stuck on the look on my mom’s face.
I couldn’t remember the last time I saw her smile—even if it was mildly at my expense.
I bit back my own smile. I was still going to burn all of Eloise’s spicy romance books, and possibly bury her body where no one would find her—Val would probably have research on how to do it.
But right now, I would let her make me uncomfortable if it meant that my mom would smile again.
For the first time in almost two years, things felt like they were almost normal.
Annalise smacked Eloise who yelled in shock, and a slow smile spread across Orion’s face and yep, Eloise was dead. She’d better sleep with both eyes open because I was so going to get her back for this.
“I have to go,” I said, my voice thick and I was pretty sure the lump was vomit.
“Oh no you don’t. You have to tell me about this kiss.”
“Kisses,” Eloise corrected. “He kissed her more than once.”
“Eloise,” I barked.
She looked up at me like she didn’t realize what she’d said. Maybe she was still drunk, it was the only explanation.
I pushed back my chair and stood up.
Orion was grinning, Annalise was staring at her cup of coffee like it could solve all her problems, Eloise was definitely still drunk, and my parents were trying to pretend like they were anywhere else.
The dining room around us bustled quietly—it was late enough that most had already come and gone out to hit the slopes.
Morning light filtered in through the large windows lining the room, a fire crackled in the hearth on the far side.
White walls covered in photos of the scenery and wooden beams made the space feel fresh but cozy.
Rugs of various colors, textures, and sizes covered the wooden floor and softened my footsteps out of the room.
I needed a bathroom, a pot—anything. Because last night’s drink-a-thon was making a reappearance.
I slammed face first into a body, and before I could stagger backwards and undoubtedly land on my ass, hands caught my arms and kept me on my feet.
But I was done and vomit spewed out of me, down the front of a sweater, snow pants and ski boots.
Ice cold embarrassment filled me and I squeezed my eyes shut and hoped when I opened them, this would all be a dream.
I took a breath, and when I looked, I still wanted to die.
“I feel like I probably deserved that.”
My cheeks heated and tears of embarrassment pricked at my eyes as my gaze jerkily moved up to come face to face with Lukas. Because of course it was him, and I just threw up on him.
I was a mess, and alcohol sucks, and I was never going to drink again, and he probably hates me now, and probably regrets the kiss and inviting me to go skiing. The tears burned and slipped from the corners of my eyes.
One of The Lodge staff came over, grimacing.
Although, they plastered a friendly smile on their face.
, I think they assured Lukas that they’d have my mess cleaned up in no time.
They offered him a towel and a bag—he cleaned up the best he could, but it was futile.
Last night’s party and the meager bits I had for breakfast adorned the entire front of him.
I think I saw him give a small wave to my family—I wasn’t sure. But he took my hand in his and led me away from the dining hall. Before we got far, a bottle of ginger ale was pressed into my free hand. I was on autopilot. My mind racing through every possible scenario that could happen.
“Come on. I have to go get changed, and you look like you might vomit again,” he said chuckling.
How he could find this funny was beyond me, but I was beyond embarrassed and didn’t know how to react—I had no words, no retorts, no fire.
I focused on breathing, because I think Lukas was right—I definitely felt the need to vomit again, and keeping my mouth shut and just breathing was my only function.
It didn’t take long to reach his rooms. The door clicked open with a little automated beep, and I shoved past him and into the bathroom.
Whatever contents were left in my stomach emptied, and I felt his hands gather up my hair, keeping it out of the way.
Once he had it gathered, a hand moved to rub my back as I dry heaved into the bowl.
“I’m never drinking again,” I mumbled, feeling so many different kinds of awful.
“Probably a good idea,” he said, chuckling.