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As soon as we reach the kitchen, my knees give out and I collapse onto a stool. "Holy shit."
Ashton gawks at me. "The first conversation you have with Prince Philip is to tell him that you're never going to fall in love, ever? Omigod, that was ... intense."
"You like Grant?" Kaely asks in awe.
"What?" I forcefully shake off the remnants of what just happened. "I don't even know him." That seems to keep being my only defense to that question. Because I can't make my lips form, "No."
"Heard you broke a thousand hearts out by the hot tub when you declared to you'll never fall in love."
I groan as Brendan sits down next to me. "What are you doing here?"
"I was invited. Just like everyone else." He leans in close and lowers his voice. "It's nice to see you too, Princess."
I glower at him.
"Want something to drink, Brendan?" Ashton offers, setting a fresh cocktail in front of me.
"You know what I like," he says with a wink. She cocks her eyebrow flirtatiously. Ashton proceeds to scoop some ice cubes into a glass and pour an amber liquid over the top.
"I know exactly what you like," she says seductively, setting it in front of him. I have to move before I throw up all over both of them. I step in front of the window that overlooks the lake. People are sitting on the dock with their feet in the water. Others are jumping off the end, and a few are floating on inflatable chairs.
I don't remember exactly when I learned how to swim. Sherling has a town pool and we would go when I was little. A
nd I remember my mother taking me to a lake once or twice with a bunch of other families with kids, but the details are hazy. I'm not a strong swimmer. But at some point in my life, I learned how to do it well enough to keep me from sinking. I guess that says a lot about my life in general.
"He's not your type," Brendan says from beside me, looking at the same view. "He has too much ... integrity for people like us."
"Like us?" I look up at him in offense. "Don't start comparing me to you."
"Let's put it this way, we're at Blackwood. He is at Printz-Lee."
"So?" I don't know why I'm getting defensive about this. I shouldn't care if I'm Grant's type, or if he's mine.
Brendan grins that mischievous, knowing grin that makes me want to punch him in the throat. "We don't deserve people like him."
And that shuts me up. I don't know how to argue against that.
"I'm going outside," I announce to no one specific, choosing to use the side door out of the kitchen so I don't have to cut through the middle of the crowd.
Brendan's words deflate me, and I hate him for knowing just what to say to make me feel like shit. Dick.
Why do I care what Grant Philips thinks of me? I just met him today. I mean, how much can you actually know about a person after just a few hours? I haven't even spoken with him, other than to declare my vow to not fall in love.
I groan. If I could take back any five minutes of my life ... I pause. Yeah, that wouldn't be it. It'd be the time in the convenience store. Definitely.
There's a steady decline of small wooden platforms along this side of the house that eventually dump onto a small private beach. I lower onto a cloth covered lawn chair and watch people jump from the deck and splash into the water. The sun is setting on the far side of the lake, swirling oranges and pinks into the water, like someone dipped in a paintbrush to rinse it off. I can see the surrounding houses from here, nestled around the lake and within the woods.
I release a deep breath when I notice Grant on the dock. He's sitting next to two guys, listening to whatever they're talking about with their animated hand gestures. He's dangling a beer bottle between his knees, nodding along with their passionate conversation, like it's enthralling. As if he can sense me watching him from within this small inlet of the beach encircled by scraggly bushes, he raises his head and peers directly at me.
He smiles softly and I smile back. I think he's about to stand but then decides against it.
"Avoiding me?" I hear from behind me. I close my eyes and exhale my disappointment. When I look up at him, he says, "Don't answer that."
Parker sits on a lawn chair beside me. "Brought you food." He hands me a plate. It smells amazing.
"Thanks." I take the plate filled with beef skewers, grilled vegetables and potato salad. He holds out a fork. "And you know why I'm avoiding you."
"She's not here, Lana. And why would she have to know?"
