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He spang over the top of the balcony, to the outer ledge, then moved sideways a few feet to an open spot of patio in front of me. In a fluid movement, he crouched down and dropped his legs off while he held on with his bulging arms, until he hung from the balcony with his loafers less than ten feet from the ground. He dropped in front of me.
“Javier,” I said, not able to keep the grin off my face. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
He picked me up in a massive hug, my feet lifting from the ground, and swung me around in a circle. Perhaps luckily, I was too tipsy to really care about being the spectacle of the entire party. I ended up with my legs around his waist, while he kissed me.
The giggling around us brought me back to my senses and I slid off him. Holding his hand, I pulled him toward anopen lounge chair by the side of the pool. He collapsed into it and pulled me onto his lap.
“You don’t know what a time I’ve had,” he said. “My phone was broken. It was horrible. I thought maybe I would not see you again—I had a thousand things to do because I lost so much. I had to go to LA, which I hated. But your address was in my laptop and today I decided, no, I must see her again.”
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Did you wait for me?” He took my face between his hands and stared hard at me.
“I doubt you waited.”
He kissed me. “You’re the one I wanted. I am here now and will make you forget everything else.” We kissed some more.
“Get a room,” someone shouted. The crowd laughed.
I rolled on top of him. He made a growly purr below me, his mouth on my neck. “I bet,” I said, breathlessly, “you’d like a drink.”
“Yes, my Bella. And perhaps a sandwich?”
We walked over to the food table, where there was still bread and cheese and a little chicken. We made a plate for him while I pointed out my housemates. Antonio nodded at him with narrowed eyes, Kate waved, and Dillan returned a flat stare. Layla came by and said hello.
Clint was off on the side of the party, but I turned my back toward him. Whatever had been happening there had been a damn bad idea.
Javier seemed to have noticed Clint staring at us because he glared over my shoulder in that direction and put an arm around my waist. “Bella,” he said in my ear. “Can I take you to your room now?”
Everything fluttered inside me. I took his hand and led him toward the outdoor stairs. We stopped in the kitchen. Ipoured wine while he finished his plate standing over the sink.
“Sally?” Clint said, emerging from the inside stairwell. His blonde girlfriend wasn’t with him. He stared at me, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. “It’s you—Sally Jones.”
I put my wine glass on the counter. Maybe I should have talked to him…Javier dropped his plate in the sink with a clang.
“I didn’t recognize you at first—you look so different.” He waved his hand at me, staring not at my hair, but at my chest.
I rolled my eyes. “Hey, Clint. Sorry, I couldn’t seem to find the right time to tell you.” I glanced around. No one else was close by. “Listen, please don’t mention me to anyone, especially at home. There’s a stalker that wants to get me and I’m actually in hiding.”
“What?” Clint asked.
“A stalker?” Javier said.
I threw my hands up. “Yes. A fucking batshit incel domestic terrorist gang of stalkers. They’ve already blown up my parents’ house. It’s bad and I hate it.”
“Babe,” said Clint, reaching for me. “I won’t let anybody touch you.”
Javier stomped around the counter and put an arm around my waist, glaring at Clint. “She is not with you,” he said.
“Clint, honey, you have a girlfriend.”
“Why do you call him honey?”
“Not anymore,” said Clint, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“But listen, Clint, it’s really important not to mention me at all on social media. I know I can count on you.”
“Sally…” Clint sighed. “Damn it, babe. You should have told me you were here sooner.”
