I groaned and pulled at my hair, letting chunks of blond locks fall flat over my face. I gazed past my open door and to my sister’s room. The door was shut.
Two weeks had gone by since our fight, and we were decidedly not doing any tiptoeing this time. It was as if we didn’t even live in the same house. If I was down in the kitchen or the living room, she’d wait until I’d left or gone back upstairs to go downstairs.
Mom had tried to intervene at the beginning, but there was no hope for us. We’d never had a fight like this before—so pointed and personal and mean—so we didn’t know how to make up or get over it either. This was all dark, uncharted waters, and it was impossible trying to navigate it.
There were nights I’d sit at my desk, looking dead-eyed at my laptop screen begging and willing the creative block to clear. But Nikki had been right about one thing: I’d been so distracted by everything going on (both her and Brooklyn included) that that only added to the blockage. What was once a small pile of dirt and muck had evolved into this heaping mountain of bullshit, and I did not have a shovel.
However, that could not be anowproblem, as I still had to pack for this trip.
My phone buzzed somewhere underneath a pile of shirts, and I tossed them to the side over my bed until I found it, smiling to myself at Brooklyn on the caller ID. It was a photo I had snuck while we were at the beach. His back was to me but his head was turned around, and he was smiling that big dorky smile of his, with his cheeks tinged pink from the sun and the heat. Water glistened on his hair and sand dusted his shoulders. I had never been a great photographer, but I’d be lying if I said he didn’t make it easy for me.
“I’m outside. Are you almost ready?” His voice came through the phone as soon as I swiped to answer.
I eyed my suitcase. “Define ready.”
I heard a groan from the other end of the phone. “Nat, we’re only going for a weekend, and it’s a two-hour drive away.”
After a few moments of silence, he sighed. “You were definitely in bed reading all morning instead of getting ready. Admit it.”
“You know me so well.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. I held up a lime-green tank top, scrunched my nose at it, and tossed it to the floor. “I’m trying to be strategic about the clothes I’m bringing. That’s all.”
Brooklyn groaned into the phone again. “It doesn’t matter what you bring. You’ll look great anyway. You always look great.”
I saw a flash of blond hair in the corner of my eye. “I’ll be down in five minutes,” I said hurriedly, and hung up the phone before he could answer. I stalked into the hallway to see Nikki ready to disappear back into the void of her bedroom.
“Hey, wait,” I called to her.
She stopped, but kept her back to me for a few moments, and I held my breath for what felt likewaymore than just a few moments. Finally, she sighed and turned around, leaning against the door frame in an oversized pink hoodie that almost covered her tiny running shorts. “What?”
I realized I was sorely unprepared for if she’d actually turned around. “I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving in a few.”
She pinched her lips together and nodded tersely. She took one step to turn back into her room, but froze in the way people do in suspended animation and they won’t move until you activate them again.
“You should bring that silk dress you bought from Reformation,” she said. “It complements your eyes.”
Then she turned and shut the bedroom door behind her, and I let out a long exhale. The dress she was referring to was on my bed, unpacked and in the “questionable” pile. I had a long baby-blue halter dress I’d worn to a few formals in school neatly folded beside my suitcase, but as if touched by some kind of divine intervention, sunlight came through my window and shone directly onto the Reformation dress. There were little iridescent glints in the threading of the dress, and I could almosthearthe dress sayingPick me, I’m perfect.
Now I guess I was taking advice from a dress.
>> <<
The Grand Island Estate definitely lived up to its name—it was actually its own private island, and the entire estate was on acres of open land, with little inlets of water that spilled in from the ocean running through the open fields. The entranceway was well manicured, and the lengthy driveway leading up to the estate was lined with rows of colorful flowers that swayed gently in the breeze. It was dusk by the time Brooklyn and I arrived, and the sun was barely visible as it sank behind the horizon of the ocean, darkening the sky and turning it a grayish-purple color.
Brooklyn refused to let me carry my own suitcase as we trekked from the gravel parking lot through the property, passing the main pool deck and an extravagant garden where I was sure the wedding would take place. Farther off in the distance, a dock jutted into the bay. The property was quiet and empty, with most of the hotel’s patrons either enjoying a luxurious seafood dinner on the water or prepping for whatever nightlife was around in the area.
Another section of the estate stretched far past the main building, which looked more like a row of condos, in the same slate-gray color. It had its own smaller gated-off pool, and strings of lights hung low between the trees.
“My parents rented a suite here,” Brooklyn said as he swiped the key card into the room. “They’re finishing up a few things at home so they’ll be here tomorrow. Stella issupposedto be here already, and Alec’s also coming tomorrow since he’s got some work thing.”
“Wow,” I said as we made it through the front door. “I’dlivehere.”
The entire floor plan of the suite was open, with all the bedrooms and bathrooms to the left, and a small eat-in kitchen that blended into the common area to the right. Large sliding glass doors that opened onto the balcony covered the far side of the room. The bay was barely visible in the dark, but I could hear the faint sloshing of the waves in the distance.
“I’m here,” Stella called from the room closest to the balcony. “I’ve already claimed this room. And I don’t want to hear any thumping, humping, moaning, or groaning from you two. I need my beauty sleep.”
I smirked through my cheeks, flushing a brilliant shade of red. After giving his sister a disgusted look, Brooklyn slung his arm around my shoulder and guided me into the bedroom closest to the front door. A queen-sized bed adorned with plain white sheets and pale-blue accent pillows was pushed against the far wall. I took my time unpacking, and realized when I ran out of space in the small dresser by the bed how excessive I had been with choosing how much to bring. I delicately hung my dress bag in the closet, brushing over Brooklyn’s eccentric patterned suit jacket. It definitely suited him.
“Well, it’s still early.” Brooklyn sat on the edge of the bed and beckoned me over. I stood over him, my hands on his shoulders to steady myself as he gently ran his hand up my thigh. He looked up at me, and his blue eyes had a devious glint to them.
