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22
Lena
Late April weather in Wild Haven is a mixed bag, ranging anywhere between thirty to fifty degrees. It’s not uncommon for the temperature to drop below freezing at night. All things considered, it's fairly mild tonight. The temperature is hovering around the mid-forties and the breeze off the ocean is mild.
I grabbed a thick wool peacoat before we left my apartment and a pair of gloves just in case, but the brisk air feels refreshing for now. Growing up here, I’m used to the cold temps. As soon as there’s a hint of warmer weather, everyone comes out of hibernation to soak it up, even when others would consider it way too cold to be outside. Someone like Miri who’s cursing next to me.
“I don’t know why I didn’t wear my warmer coat. Dammit.”
“Here.” I pass her my gloves.
“You’ll be cold if I take these.” She frowns at me.
“It’s gorgeous out tonight. I’m good.”
Miri shakes her head at me and murmurs something under her breath about crazy islanders and the cold. I swear I hear something about swimming in the ocean as well. That’s a hard no for me. I am not going in the ocean when it’s this temperature.
“Let’s go find a spot near the fire.” Ruby takes off without waiting for a response, and Miri and I follow.
We’ve arrived fashionably late since Miri had to close up her shop for the night before we could head down to the beach. Not that I was ready and waiting.
“Is Davis coming?”
“Yeah, he’s supposed to be meeting us here.” Miri looks around and I do as well, but I don’t see him yet.
Ruby reappears with three cups that she must have sweet-talked off someone. I wasn’t really planning to drink, so I didn’t bother bringing anything with me.
Miri accepts her drink and immediately sticks her nose in the cup and starts coughing. “What’s in this? Turpentine?”
“Probably some cheap as hell rum or something.” Ruby shrugs and takes a drink, making a hissing sound that has me glaring down at my cup with a dubious look.
“Who did you bum this off of?”
“Jesse Filbert.”
“Your underaged boyfriend is supplying you with booze?” Miri groans.
“He’s not underaged, and he’s not my boyfriend.”
“Who’s not your boyfriend?” Ezra slings an arm over Ruby’s shoulders, causing her to spill some of her drink. She growls up at him and he points to her Goonies sweatshirt.
“You spilled. You’re supposed to keep that in your mouth.”
“Don’t worry about what’s going into my mouth.”
“Is that what not-your-boyfriend says to you too? That might be why he’s not your boyfriend.” Ezra chuckles at himself, looking smug. Ruby picks up his hand like it’s a dirty towel and tosses it off her shoulder. His dark eyes glint with the reflection of the firelight and there’s something animalistic about it.
I swear to God, Ezra’s like two different people. He’s respected in the community, and not just because he's the only vet in town. People rely on and trust him to take care of their animals, and he’s really good at what he does. He’s also just as broken as the rest of us. But there’s something about Ruby that brings out the extra crazy in him.
Tonight, he’s wearing jeans and a gold and yellow lumberjack sherpa jacket that should look idiotic. Ezra pulls it off with a vintage coolness that no one else I’ve ever met could possibly manage. Between him and Ruby, I wonder how much plaid and crazy patterns are in their closets.
My eyes wander around the beach, trying to make out shapes in the dark. Miri’s doing the same beside me and I know the moment she spots Davis because her face lights up with a huge smile. Davis crosses the sand until he’s right in front of Miri. He doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her, lifting her up as he plants a kiss on her lips that has my cheeks warming. When his hands land on her butt, I turn away because, while that’s all great and wonderful, I don’t need to watch my friend getting groped.
“Fucking Jean Jammer is at it again?” Ruby huffs as she sidles up next to me, taking a sip of her drink. I haven’t even touched mine yet, so I take a drink and nearly start coughing at the taste. The next breath I suck in feels extra cold thanks to the booze burning my mouth.
“What are you talking about?”
Ruby lifts her cup in the direction of the stretch of beach a little way away from the fire. It’s hard to see, but I can just make out people scattered outside the warmth of the flames. I squint and realize Loralei Sisily is talking to Archer and my stomach does a sickening flip. They’re close, like really close. Loralei is up on her tiptoes, holding on to Archer’s arm, batting her lashes at him. She must be saying something fucking hilarious, because they both laugh. My skin burns with a dangerous rage, and I jerk my head away.
