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I’ve hesitated too long, and Greg’s smile turns into a frown of concern, a cute wrinkle between his eyebrows and his teeth biting into his lip.
“If you’re up for it, of course,” he amends. See? Doctor mode again.
“Maybe,” I hedge, and Greg leaves it at that.
5
I RESOLVE TO KISS HER AT MIDNIGHT
Greg
I didn’t botherMichelle about the party again, but I did sic Manny on her, and it’s hard to say no to Manny, especially when he wants you to party with him.
After all, New Year’s Eve is the whole reason we’re all here, and this party is going to be huge.
Parties aren’t really my scene, but they are Manny’s.
“What do you think?” he asks, holding his arms out. The invitation slipped under our doors this morning said, “tropical wear and bare feet recommended,” so we went to the resort’s store today and bought Hawaiian shirts. Manny’s is palm fronds and flamingos, while mine is coconut cocktails. Manny’s outfit fits him perfectly: loud and colorful and bold, while mine might be the brightest thing I’ve ever worn.
“You look like a guy ready to party,” I say, which is about the best compliment I can give Manny. His face lights up, and then his eyes drop to take in my shirt.
“So do you,” he returns. Then he scrunches up his face. “It’s weird. I don’t like it. Take it off.”
I bat his hand away when he reaches for my shirt, and a wrestling match ensues until Manny’s got me in a headlock. He’s twice my size, probably, and while he made me into a gym rat in med school, a habit that’s continued since, that doesn’t translate to hand-to-hand combat.
Manny, however, has two older brothers, so he knows what he’s doing.
He gives me a squeeze and then presses a loud, smacking kiss to the side of my head. “I’m glad we’re here, man.”
“Me too.” Manny lets me go, and we both straighten our shirts and fix our hair again. The invite said drinks start at five, and it’s a few minutes past. When we step out the door, I can hear the music playing already.
We stop at Michelle’s door and knock. Something brushes against my neck, and I swat it away. But then it does it again.
“What the hell?” I turn, and Manny grins at me. He’s holding a flower out, having tickled my neck with it.
It’s a plumeria, white with a yellow center and very fragrant. “Give her this.”
Manny and I had had a talk earlier when he—jokingly, I think—asked what my intentions were with Michelle. When I confessed I had a thing for her, he told me that I had a mission—kiss Michelle at midnight.
I take the flower as the door opens. Michelle’s wearing a strapless dress that bands over her breasts and then falls gracefully right above her knees. It’s a floral print and loose, brushing her legs with every movement.
“Uh, hey.” Smooth, Greg.
“Hey guys,” she says, eyes flicking between the two of us. Then they dart down to the flower, and Manny nudges me.
“This is for you.” I offer her the single flower. “It’s a plumeria. Or a frangipani. I’m not sure what they call it here.”
“Thanks.” Michelle lifts the flower to her nose and sniffs, her eyes rolling back in bliss. “It smells amazing.”
Michelle fiddles with the flower for a moment, tucking it into her hair above her right ear. She closes the door as she steps out, and Manny offers her his arm. Why didn’t I think of that?
But once Michelle’s elbow is threaded through Manny’s, she looks at me expectantly, and I offer her mine too.
“Alright,” Manny grins, knocking the sunglasses down from his forehead to his eyes. “Let’s go!”
When we arrive, the party is just starting. A DJ is set up in the corner to the right of the bar, playing yacht rock. Servers walk around with drinks and appetizers, and one of them sees us arrive and makes his way toward us.
“Manny, I’ve got your favorite!” The tray he thrusts towards us has four glasses full of a white drink garnished with pineapples and dark red cherries.
