“Uh,” Jessica stumbles, cheeks slightly flushed. Her eyes flick between us. “Yeah, we should go get in line, right, Isabel?”
“Yes. Definitely.” She picks up the third drink from the table. “And give Lilah her drink.”
“Great! Make sure you tell my mom who you are, okay?”
The girls scurry from the table and I glance over at Summer, who has a small smile on her mouth.
“What?” I ask.
“I saw them over here flirting with you.”
I laugh. “I’m not sure what they were doing other than looking for trouble, but you either shut them down or started a fire.” She laughs but there’s a strain, and I squeeze her hand. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” but it’s not convincing. She frowns. “We need to talk after the party. Maybe in the morning.”
“Something bad?” My eyes flit around the room for the guys. Each is involved with whatever task they’d been assigned by Anita while engaging customers.
“Something weird.” She touches my stomach. “Not about you. Just…we’ll talk later, okay?”
The door chimes again and Shay enters, dressed nicer than anyone else in the room. Her eyes skim the crowd. “I think she’s looking for you.”
“Ugh, I think you’re right.”
“She’s still bothering you?”
She sighs. “Actually no, she’s okay, but I’m just ready to hang out and chill, you know? No parties, no fan mail, no interviews, just long lazy days at the beach.”
I kiss her temple. “Sounds like a real townie. All you want is to hang out on the beach, but real life beckons. Unfortunately, you’re not a tourist anymore. Welcome to our world.”
That does earn a real laugh and smile. “Can we be a tourist just for tomorrow?”
“Yep. All day. The three S’s. Sun, sand, and surfing.” She raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“I think you missed one.”
I’m trying to figure out the final S when she drifts off to greet Shay. But it comes to me as I’m filling the next glass of wine and she gives me a wink from across the room.
Sex.
45
Summer
There’sa moment in the party where it’s so crowded and loud that I retreat down the back hall, away from the people and music for a bit of quiet and air. I bump into Isabel in the hallway across from my mom’s office. She barely gives me a second look. I walk into the kitchen and see Pete rummaging through the refrigerator.
I pause when I see him, still rattled from the information earlier in the day. I’d been convinced Pete was leaving me the notes and flowers, but there was no way he was sending the postcards.
“Hey,” he says when his head lifts from behind the refrigerator door. He steps back with a Mountain Dew in his hand. Anita ordered Coke and Sprite but Pete’s a Pepsi guy.
“Hi,” I say, feeling my hesitation but trying hard to push through. Whatever’s going on, tonight is not the night to confront it.
“Everything seems to be going great. Your mom is totally in her element.”
“She’s great with the fans,” I agree. “Even the die-hards like Avery or the not-so-interesteds like Jessica and Isabel.”
“Yeah, Isabel was just snooping around back here. I told her to scram.”
I raise an eyebrow. “She wasn’t back here flirting with you?”
