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A pretty woman with sleek black hair sidled up next to Jamie. “Want to go swimming with me?”
I had spoken with her before, but couldn’t remember her name. She was beautiful like all the puck bunnies, but couldn’t hold a conversation unless it involved material bullshit, like where the next party was going to be held – stuff that I didn’t care about, at all.
Jamie winked at me and accepted the woman’s outstretched hand. She literally skipped as she led Jamie to the pool’s edge before playfully trying to push him in. He played along and wrapped his arms around her, and the two of them tumbled into the pool, a giggling bundle of flailing arms and legs.
The band broke into the song “Red Red Wine”, and suddenly there were couples surrounding the lounge chairs, grinding to the music.
“Ugh.” I shook my head and vacated the lounger, looking for some shade.
Jamie had the unnamed raven-haired woman pinned against the side of pool and they were kissing like teenagers. I liked Jamie, and the dude was single, but I couldn’t count how many women he’d been with since I’d known him, let alone just this past summer.
I’m no angel, but during the season I try to behave. Sex messes with my game, and up until this last year, I’d stuck to that rule. I didn’t know whether it was my will power that had faltered, or if the woman who’d cracked me was just so spectacular that I didn’t have the skills to resist her.
All of these women paled in comparison to Everleigh I thought, while scanning the pool. And I hadn’t even slept with her. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t get her out of my mind. I shook my head and emptied the cup of beer. Maybe I needed to get drunk and bang a bunny to forget about her.
There was a keg next to me, and I refilled the plastic cup.
“Hi Gunnar.” A very tanned brunette leaned up against the tiki bar next to me.
“Have we met?”
She put on a fake pout. “You don’t remember me?”
I had no idea who she was, but didn’t want to seem like a total asshole. “You look familiar.” I tilted my head like I was thinking, then noticed that her hands were empty. “Would you like a drink…”
“Paula.” She twirled her hair and bit her lip.
I handed her my cup and poured myself another. “Cheers.” I tapped my plastic cup to hers and leaned against the bar.
The thatched roof of the tiki bar provided us with some shade, but it was still over ninety degrees. Paula was wearing a string bikini and high heels. She pulled her hair away from her neck, set her drink on the bar and fanned herself. “It’s so hot.”
The pool was starting to look a little more appealing. I didn’t drink often and my tolerance was likely lower than Paula’s. The heat and the alcohol had started to make me feel a little lightheaded – and horny.
“It is.” I downed the small cup in one sip.
Paula started to sway to the music and sipped her beer. “This is kind of a cool song.” Her voice was high-pitched and she did that annoying baby talk thing that I hated.
I scrunched my brow. “You’ve never heard this song before? How old are you?”
“Twenty-three. Same as you.” She reached out her hand and pulled me from the shade. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Smitty elbow Johnny and knew that the guys were watching me. I didn’t dance. Luckily, the cheap domestic beer told me that I could dance, and soon enough I was twirling Paula around. The best part about dancing was that it stopped her from talking. The conversation had been awkward, and she was kind of annoying. On the last twirl she slammed into my chest on purpose, but I let it slide. She rested her hand on my waist and looked up at me. Her sunglasses had slipped down her nose and she squinted into the sunlight over my shoulder. “Let’s go swimming.”
“Sure.” I patted my shorts and took out my wallet and phone, but something caught my eye. The screen was lit up, and not with the usual photo of Norman, my dog.
“It looks like I butt dialed someone.” I stepped into the shade to look at the screen, and when I saw whose name was on it, I almost dropped it onto the pool deck.
“Come on.” Paula made the come here gesture with her pointed finger and bit her lip again.
I held up my hand and stared at the screen. The timer said the call had been going for thirty seconds and counting. How much had she heard? Had I butt-dialed her, or had she called me on purpose?
Glancing back, Paula was standing at the edge of the pool with her hands on her hips. I shook my head. I couldn’t believe that I had considered sleeping with someone so – someone who wasn’t Everleigh. Taking a deep breath, I prepared to say hello, but by the time I raised the phone to my ear the call had disconnected.
My heart poundedagainst my chest and I held onto the bar to steady myself.
“Oh Gunnar.” Paula wagged her hips and put her hands over her head, pressing them together like a child learning how to dive.
The contents of my stomach – beer and a barbecued cheeseburger, two things I didn’t normally put into my body – suddenly felt like they were going to make an appearance. I held up my phone and pointed at it. “I have to take a call.”
I didn’t wait to see her reaction. I grabbed my shirt from the back of the lounge chair and made my way into the beach house. The chill of the air conditioning snapped me out of the foggy state. I sat on the edge of an ottoman and stared at the call history on my phone. Everleigh.
