12. Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
I was spritzing a little extra hairspray here and there when I heard my phone ding. I went with a low messy bun and paired it with a set of gold hoops. I left my makeup simple and natural. The dress was already more than I was used to.
Sam:
We’ll be there in 3 minutes. You better be ready.
It was most definitely not three minutes when my phone dinged again.
Sam:
Here.
Dashing for the stairs, I snagged my tan sandals and gold clutch.
Anthony’s black BMW came to a screeching halt in front of my apartment building, sending a sense of unease through my body.
Even after eleven years, cars still made my skin crawl. However, tonight, it looked like I didn’t have any other choice.
“Okay, damn. Where have you been hiding?” Sam hollered as she rolled down the passenger-side window.
“Oh my god, stop. It’s just a dress.” Concealing my embarrassment, I clung to my sandals and climbed in the back seat. “Hey, Anthony. How are you?”
“Hey, MJ. I’m good. Stoked for this party, it’s going to be absolutely wild. You girls better be ready.” His eyes gleamed onto Sam before returning to me. “How have you been?”
“You know, living the life.”
“Oh, really?” The ambiguity in his voice was deafening.
“Ha,” Sam rebutted.
I giggled. “Okay, rude. But I’ve been good. Just the same old same.” I paused, knowing my next sentence would surely go straight to Sam’s head. “Excited for a night out. Glad Sam forced me to come.” I threw my hand over the back of the passenger seat, jokingly smacking Sam’s shoulder.
“Mhm. You’re welcome. You can thank me later.”
The tiny inkling of doubt about this dress had vanished as soon as I saw Anthony and Sam. Anthony was wearing a white linen collared shirt and khaki pants, paired with a black blazer. Sam was wearing way more than a simple black dress. I’d never seen her in anything so trendy.
I let out a deep breath as I relaxed against the leather seat, but it only lasted until Anthony laid his foot on the gas pedal. Gravity pulling me backward, and I reached for anything to hold on to, finally landing on the side of my seat and squeezing so hard my knuckles turned white. I would wager there was probably more than one fingernail imprint on the leather.
“Is this at the same house you went to last year?” I asked, trying to make conversation.
“Nah, my other buddy decided to have it. His house is way more dope than last year’s,” Anthony responded.
Thinking back to what Sam had told me about last year’s party, I couldn’t imagine a “more dope” house. It had a massive backyard, and said backyard backed onto the ocean. There’d been a DJ, dancers in cages, and a man shucking oysters, for fuck’s sake. How could anything top that?
“Nice. I can’t wait to see it,” I replied.
I sat quietly for the remainder of the drive, watching their interactions. Sam was smitten; I could tell by the way she leaned toward him, hugging onto his right arm that he’d casually laid in her lap.
She was a grown-ass woman and could make her own decisions, but I wanted her to remember that it was easy to get caught up in the shiny, glamorous things that surrounded these men.
We’d always just be the summer girls.
“We’re here.”
“Holy shit,” Sam said.
I’d been fidgeting with my hands, but her comment made me look up. In front of us, at the bottom of a steep driveway, stood the most beautiful house I’d ever seen.
My mouth dropped open.
The sight itself was un-fucking-believable. The property spanned at least three acres across the beach. The grounds were strung with more lights than I could count, and each one highlighted something more picturesque than the one before it.
The vast house was finished with traditional shake siding, giving it the ultimate beach cottage look but on a much larger scale. The substantial pillars that decorated the double-story wraparound porch were spectacular. I’d never seen a house this big, and I’d lived here my entire life. To be fair, the house was tucked away, so even if you passed by the driveway, you’d never suspect what lay just past it.
Anthony pulled up to the circle drive.
“Good evening, sir. I can take it from here,” the valet said as he simultaneously opened mine and Sam’s doors.
“Thanks, man,” Anthony chirped back.
So… I guess we have valets at parties now.
“This is wild, Sam.”
“No, this is absurd .”
I stepped out of the car and instantly noticed the landscape. The abundance of manicured bushes and flowers decorated the perimeter, at least as far as I could see. There were hydrangea bushes that overtook the lower portion of the porch, and of course they were perfect, just like the house. They looked like they’d just been pruned for the cover of a magazine. Hydrangeas were a popular choice on the northeast coast, but these hydrangeas were the familiar lilac color that I’d grown to love so much.
A tiny smile crawled across my face.
I’d already fallen in love with the house and I’d barely seen any of it.
“This way, ladies,” Anthony said, motioning toward the front door.
He opened one of the massive white doors and we were immediately welcomed by loud music and people chattering.
“Thank god I bought this dress today,” I said, looking down and admiring my purchase, feeling more confident by the second.
“Huh?” Sam asked, clearly mesmerized by what lay in front of us.
“Oh, nothing. I was talking to myself.”
The entryway was a spectacle in itself. The double doors led to towering ceilings and one enormous gold light fixture that hung at least thirty feet above our heads. The light-washed wooden floors and white walls made the space feel even bigger than it was, which seemed impossible.
The walls, or at least the ones that were in sight, were decorated with art that I was sure cost more than my entire salary, and each of the pieces was accessorized with golden wall sconces.
Crown molding effortlessly outlined the doorways, floorboards, and ceilings. Honestly, it was art in itself. The chunky wood was painted to match the walls but added the most breathtaking detail. I couldn’t stop admiring it.
I began taking in the people that had gathered for the party. You could tell with one glance that these weren’t locals. Their outfits were designer, their makeup and hair clearly professionally done, and the aura that floated through the air was different, but dare I say… exciting? For the first time, I didn’t mind that I wasn’t surrounded by locals. Instead, I was getting to experience how the one-percent lived.
Honestly, it was a bit of an escape.
The outfit, the house, the party, the entire night was a chance for me to flee reality for a few hours, and at this point, I wasn’t going to turn that down. I was very much embracing a Liv mentality, and that made me proud.
“I’m going to grab a drink, do you want something?” I offered, looking back at Sam.
“No, I think Anthony went to grab me one. I should’ve had him get you something too. My bad.”
“No worries. I’m excited to scope out the rest of this house anyway. I’ll be back.”
Making my way through the crowd, I admired what I presumed was the living room, the colossal space decorated like it had been staged for a Southern Living photoshoot. Enormous white couches, enhanced with navy pillows that were flawlessly placed, added an air of coziness. Sliding glass doors made up back wall of the room and gave way to an unreal view of the pool. Even more unreal was the view of the ocean just beyond the edge of the property.
Set up halfway inside and halfway outside was one of three bars that I’d already spotted. This was unlike any makeshift bar I’d ever seen, staffed with three bartenders and every type of alcohol you could imagine.
“Any chance I could get a dirty martini?”
The cute bartender smiled in my direction. “Absolutely. Gin or vodka?”
“Vodka, please.”
“Regular or blue cheese olives?”
“Oh! Blue cheese, please.”
“My kind of girl,” he said, winking.
Maybe I should wear dresses more often.
“One last question, how dirty?”
I smirked. “Extra.”
“No surprise there,” came from a familiar voice beside me.
My stomach plummeted and my face heated. I looked to my left, and I couldn’t help the slight grin that took over my mouth.
Grey Prescott, perched casually against the bar. His navy sport coat lay nicely on his broad shoulders as he placed his right elbow on top of the bar, resting his other hand under his chin. A hungry expression flashed across his face as our eyes met, making the muscles in his jaw tighten.
Returning my gaze to the bartender preparing my martini, I responded, “I should’ve known you’d be here. This party screams entitled rich guy.”
“It’s hard not to attend a party hosted at your own house, now isn’t it?”
My mouth dropped slightly, but I quickly pulled myself together.
“Makes sense,” I said, pursing my lips and nodding.
His fingertips swirled around the lip of his glass that sat on the bar. “Which part? That I’m an entitled rich guy or that this is my party?”
“Honestly? Both,” I said. “I should’ve known you were responsible for a party as over the top as this one, simply based on how you came barreling into town yesterday.”
“Okay, that’s not fair,” he said, very matter of factly.
“Oh? And how so? Please explain to me, Mr. Prescott, how your abruptness into town gave me no choice but to assume that you’re just like all these other New York City transplants? Here one second and gone the next.” I sneered impishly.
“Well, Ms. Morgan,” he said, emphasizing my last name. “To tell you the truth, you caught me at a bad time. I was dealing with my dad and some of his work shit, and honestly, I wasn’t paying attention. And for that, I’m very sorry, but you did show up to my party, which I’ll take as you giving me a second chance.”
“I’ve never been big on second chances.”
“Well, that’s a shame. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for second chances.”
I found his comment odd but brushed it aside as the bartender chimed in, “An extra dirty martini for you, miss.”
“It’s Miller, and thank you.” Giving him my biggest smile, I slid over a five-dollar bill.
“You don’t have to tip, you know. I always take care of my staff,” Grey said.
“Oh, I’m sure you do. But he’s cute, and he makes a great martini,” I said, taking a sip for show. “Mmm.”
His eyes darkened, a smoldering expression dancing across his face and making my insides flutter. “Miller, Miller, Miller…” he started. “You can’t go around flirting with everyone but me.” He swiped his thumb over his lip as he looked me up and down, motioning toward my dress. “Especially looking like that.”
All the heat from my belly rushed into my cheeks. Instinctively, I dipped away from his gaze, grabbing my martini from the bar while I decided what to say next. The idea of a fun summer was at the forefront of my brain, and I couldn’t ignore the way this was presenting itself at just the right time.
I confidently relaxed my body back in his direction, making sure to meet his eyes before letting the words slip from my mouth. “Who says I’m not flirting with you?”
Using my teeth to pluck an olive off the toothpick, I watched as Grey seemed to be at a loss for words.
His hand, the one that gleamed with that fancy watch, moved to his chin, rubbing the dark scruff that covered the base of his jawline. He clicked his tongue. “Well, isn’t this going to be interesting.”
“I sure hope so,” I taunted before moving toward the living room. “See you later, Grey Prescott.”
“If I’m lucky, Miller Morgan,” he declared. “By the way, tell Sam I said hi.”
His comment stopped me in my tracks. “Wait, how do you know I’m with her?” I asked.
“This town isn’t very big, or did you forget?” He paused. “And my guy Anthony is head over heels. She’s all he’s talked about since last summer. He went on and on about how no other women compare to the women in Montauk, so much so that I felt compelled to make the trip to see for myself.”
“That seems a little dramatic.”
“Not as far as I can see,” he mumbled under his breath.
Despite the obvious compliment, I continued. “Well, I appreciate the enthusiasm, and I’m really glad to hear that Anthony may be a better guy than I initially made him out to be. Sam deserves that.”
“You might learn something about trusting those stereotypes of yours, like not to have them at all because most of the time they’re wrong.” His body was now casually resting against the wall, exposing his chest beneath the unbuttoned linen shirt he wore underneath his jacket.
I couldn’t help but let my eyes wander for a moment, until I forced my martini glass to my lips. Taking a sip, I started to choke, the sting of the alcohol piercing the back of my throat like a hundred tiny knives.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I stifled out.
Focus, Miller.
It took me a few minutes to spot Sam among the sea of people, but once I finally did, a sense of relief washed over me.
“You didn’t tell me that Grey Prescott was the host of this outrageous party!” I shouted over the loud music.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” She looked at me, confused.
“Grey Prescott. The good-looking guy from the bar last night. This is his house.”
“Well, I mean, honestly, that tracks. He’s hot and he lives in a stunning house. May I ask what you’re doing here then?”
It was my turn to be confused. “As opposed to being at home in my bed?”
“No, MJ. As opposed to being in Grey Prescott’s bed. Remember, you’re a grown woman and you have the right—no, you have a duty to go have some fun. Seriously. Go jump his bones.”
“Oh my god. You’re getting a little ahead of yourself over there. You got me out of my apartment, you got me into a dress, and you got me to a Montauk summer party. I’d say we are way ahead of schedule on this fun summer of ours,” I informed her.
It was clear from the slight sway in her stance that unlike me, she’d enjoyed a few pre-party cocktails and now tipsy Sam was dying to break free. Thankfully, based on the comment from Grey, I felt more comfortable with Anthony being in charge of her tonight.
Confirming my suspicion of tipsy Sam, she changed the subject. “Take a shot with me,” Sam insisted.
“I’m too old for that shit.”
“C’mon! If you’re too old, then I definitely am. Please? You just admitted you never come to parties like this, so you might as well enjoy it.”
“Have a little fun, MJ.” Anthony’s voice hit me, triggering a memory and revealing a sliver.
Liv always used to tell me to “have a little fun.” She was always the fun one in our duo, and she knew if she told me to, I would. She had a way of making everyone feel like it was time to participate, and even more so, making them feel like they wanted to participate.
I hesitated, flashes of those memories flooding back.
Grief was a funny thing.
One minute you were enjoying yourself, completely oblivious to the darkness that still hid in the shadows of your mind, and the next you found yourself drowning in a sea of memories. Although, with this particular memory, I couldn’t help but smile, because if Liv could see me now, she probably wouldn’t believe it. We always dreamed of partying in these houses, the ones that sat unoccupied for most of the year and then brimmed with life during the summer months. This was the exact kind of party we always wondered about—the ultra-exclusive ones you only heard about through the gossip that rolled through town. Now I was here, standing in the middle of one, and I had to cheers to that.
“I’m in.”
“Wait, really?” Sam sounded unsure.
“Don’t make me wait too long or I might change my mind.”
“Anthony, two lemon drop shots, stat!”
“You’ve got it, babe.”
Knowing that Anthony had been talking about her before he even made it back to town this summer gave way to a warmth in the depths of my belly. Although, that could’ve been the extra dirty martini too.
Either way, I liked it.
“I know I’m kind of drunk, but I think I’m into him. Like, really into him,” Sam said.
“I’m here for it.”
“You are? Okay, I’m not that drunk. Yesterday you were telling me off for hooking up with him again this summer and now you’re here for it?” she asked as she stared at me, waiting for an answer.
“I know, I know, but let’s just say he’s growing on me,” I responded. “Oh, and some insider information about him has been shared, and I’m happy to confirm he’s earning my approval.”
“Okay, now you have to fill me in. I need to know everything. I—”
“Two lemon drop shots.” Anthony returned faster than I expected, and he wasn’t alone. “This is my man, Grey.”
The interruption caused Sam and I to both misplace our thought processes.
The name left his mouth, but Grey and I had already made eye contact. Something about the way he looked at me made me feel vulnerable. I looked down, double-checking that nothing on my body was exposed.
“Grey, this is—”
“MJ,” he interrupted. “We met last night. And then again at the bar just now.” His tense gaze never faltered from mine until he spoke again. “You must be Sam. Anthony hasn’t stopped talking about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said, extending his hand.
Sam’s face lit up, taking his hand in hers. “You too.”
“Cheers to an unforgettable summer,” Anthony said, grinning as he held up his glass, making eyes with Sam.
While I knew his toast was referring to him and Sam, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful. Maybe this summer would be unforgettable, for all of us .
At least, I’d begun to let myself hope so.