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Well, I’m not going to be a shitty cousin and let her run out of this party by herself. “I’d better,” I say, giving him one last peck before taking off after Sybil.
I find her outside of the lobby, hand raised to catch a cab, but it’s busy tonight and none of the yellow cabs are available yet. I’m surprised she didn’t have a car waiting or a security detail here to get her. Things have been different lately with all the media attention. Sybil is usually on top of these things, but then again, she probably didn’t expect to leave the party right at midnight.
“Hey, are you okay?” I ask between pants from running to catch up.
“Oh, I’m great,” she snaps. “What a fucking pleasant evening this has been.”
Shit. I pretty much ignored her all night. No wonder her tone is stark. She’s mad at me. “I’m sorry,” I wince. “I shouldn’t have ditched you for Ethan.”
She sighs and drops her arm, turning to me. The air is cold and her breath puffs out in little clouds. “It’s fine, I get it. This isn’t your thing and it’s totally mine. And actually, I had a great time right up until the end.”
“Why? What happened?”
Her face pinks and not because of the cold. That is one thing we definitely have in common. “I kissed the wrong person at midnight.”
My eyes bug. “Cooper?”
She lets out a scoff. “In his dreams. Anyway, let’s just say Cooper decided to put his nose where it didn’t belong, just like he always does.”
“How so?”
“Oh!” She spots a vacant cab and holds up her hand again. It stops next to us, and she opens the door. “Come home with me and I’ll tell you all about it.”
I falter because I really wanted to spend the night with Ethan. It’s not that I have to be with him all the time, but it’s New Year’s Eve and that kiss stirred something in me.
“It’s fine.” She rolls her eyes, clearly not as pissed as I thought she was. “Go home with Ethan and we can talk another time.”
With that, she slips into the backseat of the cab and closes the door behind her. The cab drives off and I can only guess what happened between her and Cooper. I turn back to the hotel to find Ethan coming out of the sliding doors. He’s not alone.
Cooper’s arm is slung around Ethan’s slightly taller frame and his head is hung low. The guy appears to be more than just a little intoxicated. He’s plastered.
“Let’s take him home,” Ethan says to me as he helps his brother stumble to the sidewalk. “I’ve got a car already on the way.”
“What happened?” I ask.
Cooper groans and the scent of alcohol permeates the January midnight air. “Not so loud, you two love birds,” he slurs. “I’ve got a headache.”
Ethan’s mouth thins. “I don’t know exactly, but I’m sick of the drama.”
I nod because I feel the same way. We knew it would be an issue, and honestly, it’s a small price to pay to be together, but that still doesn’t mean we have to like it. Our families have been mostly civil about our relationship these last four months, though they usually just pretend the other family doesn’t exist. We should’ve known putting alcohol into the mix with Cooper, Sybil, and all their mutual friends, was a recipe for disaster.
“It’s okay.” I grin up at Ethan, reminding him of our upcoming plans. “Only two more sleeps and then we’re on our vacation. Just you and me.”
His face softens. “Can’t come soon enough.”
“Are you ready for this?” Ethan asks and I hesitate. He smiles knowingly. “Yeah, you’re ready. You’ve got this, baby.”
He’s right, I do. Or I don’t, but I’m going to pretend like I do anyway. Before I can talk myself out of it, I take off running into the surf.
The sand flings from my heels and Ethan is quick to catch up. He doesn’t take my hand or say another word, but I feel his support. He believes in me and that’s great, but what’s even better is I believe in myself.
I know I can do this. Fear or not, the ocean isn’t going to hurt me today.
The water rushes up as if greeting an old friend, sprays of salty foam gathering around my ankles, then thighs, and then stomach as I hurry into the aquamarine depths. The waters of the Maldives are not nearly as cold as the waters surrounding Nantucket, thank goodness. This water here is welcoming, an invitation to sink down even further into its lovely warmth.
With a deep breath, I dive under a wave, letting it roll over me as I swim further out. Tiny air bubbles tickle my back and legs. I pop back up for air, a smile plastered to my face.
“This is so nice and refreshing.”
