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Allister sips on his beer, cocking his head as he watches Raya and Matthew be hauled away.
“She is really hot,” he admits. “She reminds me of someone…”
I tense, wondering if my brother will make the connection.
“Catherine Zeta-Jones,” he decides. “But a younger version.”
I exhale. I never have to worry about Allister.
“Go back to the party, folks,” I tell everyone. “It’s not an actual party if someone’s not trying to crash it, am I right?”
There’s a bit of nervous laughter, but the music rises and octaves. The guests return to their drinking and eating as if Raya and Matthew were just part of the entertainment, and the back door slides open again. I glance up as Pike stumbles out, almost falling onto the cement patio between the deck and the back door.
I gape at him in disbelief and remember Aspen’s urgent words to me before the cousin arrived.
It’s going to be a long day.
CHAPTER 27
Pike
I catch myself from falling out of the back door, steadying myself against the frame, and look into the sea of partygoers. There are even more people here this year than last, and I barely recognize any of them.
“Pike!”
Aspen is at my side, and I grin happily at her. “Hey, sexy,” I murmur, blinking and happy to see her. “At least you’re here.”
“How much have you had to drink?” she whispers. My eyes widen at the brazen accusation.
“What?” I gasp, putting a hand to my chest. “It’s Lily’s birthday! I would never…” I catch the disbelief in her eyes. “Okay, maybe I had a couple of beers to take the edge off.”
“I’m getting you some coffee,” she sighs, taking my arm. “Come with me.”
I don’t argue as she leads me back into the house, but I look longingly toward the event. “I want to see Lily!”
“You don’t want her to see you like this, do you?” Aspen challenges, and contrition washes over me. I hang my head and allow her to take me toward the kitchen island and plop me down on a stool.
“What has gotten into you?” she demands, starting up the percolator. I stare at her mournfully across the marble-swirled countertop, dropping my heavy head in my hands.
“It was accidental.” The words are a slur. “I hate crowds.”
An expression of sympathy crosses over her face, but it’s fleeting. “There are kids here—and your neighbors and friends. These people like and respect you, babe. You need to go sleep it off.”
Burying my face in my hands, I moan. “I can’t miss Lily’s birthday party! There’s a present! It’s something I made!”
“Pike!” she growls, the frustration in her voice mounting.
“You are so beautiful, you know that?” I murmur, dropping my arms onto the counter, my eyes closing.
“Oh, no, you don’t!” she snaps, hurrying over to me. “Let’s go. Upstairs.”
Lazily, I open my eyes again and look at her. “Are you coming with me?”
The back door opens and closes.
“Thank God!” I hear Aspen sigh. “Help me get him upstairs. He’s loaded.”
“Pike?” Caden gawps in shock. “No way.”
