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“Well, hello troops,” said Amber under her breath, sitting on the lounge chair next to me. “Wait a second—that’s what’s his name, from your high school. You dated him. Oh my God that smirk on your face is so naughty.”
“He doesn’t know it’s me. I haven’t had a chance to tell him—but I’m tempted not to…I mean, he has a girlfriend, I think, and he was never good at keeping a secret. Do you think he’ll recognize me?”
Amber covered her face. “That is so mean.”
“Is it? I don’t know…”
Forest set up a simple grill on Layla’s side of the back patio. Antonio stared at him with narrowed eyes. The housediva had been calm all day, and a little quiet—for Antonio. I didn’t notice him talking with Hazel again.
Pop music blasted out of the new audio system, and we all drank. Some of the guys jumped in the pool. Dillan, Amber, and I tried out the new net with a game of racquetball.
Forest made a pile of burgers and dogs, but his small grill couldn’t fit much. Antonio took pity on him, marching over there and taking half of the uncooked food. We all ate standing up. On Antonio’s side there was a gorgeous tossed mustard greens salad, with nuts and fruit, his very yum chicken, rolls, and a pot of spicy black beans.
Giddy with repletion, and a little too much wine, I stumbled upstairs to use the little half bath, and tumbled against Clint’s chest as he was stepping out of the room.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Oh,” I said, breathlessly, then giggled a little. “I didn’t realize you were in there.”
Clint had grabbed my arms to keep us from ramming into each other. There wasn’t anyone else up there with us as far as I could tell.
His hands were still on me. “Do I know you?”
Here’s where I might say a little devil told me to do it. I leaned in so my chest touched him, about mid-torso. He sucked in a breath.
“Do I look familiar?”
He swallowed.Ha. The man was befuddled—knowing he should know, and someone would be angry with him if he got it wrong—and also distracted. He blinked, staring at my mouth as his head started dipping toward me.
“Clint,” came a shrill call from the stairs. “Are you up there?”
“Bye, Clint,” I said and stepped by him into the bathroom before shutting the door.
Yawning a bit later, I stumbled into the kitchen for a glass of water. Surprisingly it was already after eight. I foundAmber downstairs chatting with Dillan, a determined smile on her face. The party was getting a bit rowdy, with a lot of splashing in the pool. I picked up the dishes lingering on Antonio’s side of the grill and Amber followed me up to the kitchen.
“Oh, my goodness,” I said, “there’s cake in this fridge. That’s too much temptation on a plate—but it’s uncut.” I reached a hand toward it, then resisted, barely.
Amber poured herself a little more wine. “Is it okay to talk here—I mean we’re up here alone, right?”
I glanced around. “Yeah, should be. What’s up, shug?” I sat on the barstool next to her.
She leaned in closer to me. “I looked you up—well, I had to search a bit to figure out you were Sally MacCullen.”
I flinched. “Yeah, that was me.”
“That’s some seriously horrible crap, Sal.”
My finger was tapping. I made it stop. “Now you know. It’s all kind of locked away in me right now.”
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m out of touch with my emotional side—so that’s why I seem unchanged. I mean, it was horrible. I cried. I hid in my parents’ house for three weeks. Violent people with guns tried to kill me. I had to hit Josh with that damn lamp, even though I didn’t want to. He’d lost it. But I didn’t think I’d kill him…dang it, now I’m rambling.”
Amber swallowed and eyed me sideways. “No, you’re different. Not as loud or as recklessly fun loving.” She moved so our shoulders were touching. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
I blinked hard, my nose stinging. “I’m trying to be.”
“What about a little therapy? Are you doing that?”
