When I find Annie a few minutes later, her back is to me, and she’s talking to our older brother Ethan and his new girlfriend, Sloane. Well, new as in this time around. They were a thing in high school before my brother landed in the back of a cop car after a bad punch sent her brother to the hospital.
Long story short, after her douchebag of a fiancé knocked up his ex-girlfriend before their wedding a few months back, Sloane finally visited Merritt Point for the first time in years. And she hasn’t left.
We’re delighted. Meincluded.
Until today…
“Don’t say it, motherfucker…” I growl at my brother.
Ethan cocks his brow, his hazel eyes damn near gleeful when he clocks my discomfort as he spins his hat backward. He’s tall and brawny after years of hauling lobster traps, but I can still take him.
“Sloaney?” I’m desperate for her to help me out.
She brushes back her long brunette hair, batting her lashes all innocent-like. “I heard it happens when we hit thirty. Can’t hold our liquor like we used to.”
“I’m twenty-nine,” I snap. “I still showed. I’d like some credit.”
She shrugs. “You’re going to bethirty…” She drops her voice to a playful whisper: “And you’ve had a rough go of it. All those fights, all those hookups…”
“I know you’re not slut-shaming me right now, Sloane Arden.”
Ethan tugs Sloane close by the belt loop on her overalls, buries his head against her forehead, and the two giggle. My grumpy-ass brother giggles now?
“You look like shit,” Annie blurts out. “There, I said it. I’m the cutest and youngest. Can’t be mad at me. It’s, like, a rule.”
I flip her off, even as she continues. “You have no shame. We all know that.” Annie folds her arms, then steps aside, revealing who they had been talking to.
My date.
Her name… I’m searching my brain for it. I swear Annie announced it. Lila? Alana? Thea? Fuck, I don’t remember.
I stuff my hands in my jeans pockets. I use my dimples to my advantage. Girls love dimples. Ask me how I know.
“Two thousand dollars.” Sloane grins at me. “Very impressive, Mr. Merritt Point.”
“My agent is going to be getting calls. I’m usually not so cheap.”
I mean it to be playful, but there’s an edge to my words. My parents refused to take any money from me after the fire, and they’ve decided not to rebuild. The neighboring businesses didn’t want my help either. Annie came up with this idea, and I agreed, because why the hell not? PR is always on my ass to clean up my image, not for the team’s sake. The Breakers couldn’t care less if I’m a decent human being. But brands notice, and Heather is convinced I’m losing money by being me.
I’d say it doesn’t bother me, but I think there’s a little part of me that does.
But right now, I can’t stop staring at the woman who won. Soft pink lips, shiny with gloss. Shaggy black bangs framing her face, a little wild, a little careless. She’s wearing ladybug earrings and a sweater thrown over a silk floral sundress that only draws my attention to her delicious curves. Yet, she isn’t looking at me. Again.
Instead, she’s anxiously searching the crowd, probably trying to clock an exit. Like she’d rather be anywhere else.
She doesn’t even want to talk to me?
That’s new.
My mouth is dry, and I scoff, mostly at myself. Jesus, I need sleep. Usually, my dimples work. I must be off my game…
“Hi.” I reach out my hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m?—”
“I need to go.” She spins around, waving to everyone. “Sloane, Annie, I’d better see you at paint night next week.”
And for reasons I don’t like at all, I want to knowwhereshe’s going.
She skirts through the crowd, hell-bent on disappearing.
