Hours later, our girls only pool party was in full swing, and I was definitely smashed. The sun had set, but the temperature was still scorching, and I was currently lying on an inflatable lilo in the pool watching all my crazy new girlfriends dancing to some pop song under the dim outside lights.
I smiled at them all, Amy, Rosie, Lucy, Ashley, and a couple of their friends who I had met Friday night. We’d even managed to rope Lily in, convincing her to just try a margarita. Considering the way she was dancing, she liked them. I watched them a minute more then lay back and watched the stars swirling above me.
Wait. I don’t think stars are meant to swirl. Maybe being this drunk in a pool isn’t the best idea.
I paddled down to the shallow end and slid into the chilly water before climbing out.
“Gwen!” Rosie screamed over the music. “Come and dance!” By the look of the way Rosie was moving her body, tequila was definitely winning tonight.
“Just a second!” I yelled back, raising my empty glass. “Need a refill.”
Amy caught my statement. “Might have to make a new batch, I finished the last of it.” She thought for a second. “Wait.” Her face was serious, so I stopped and faced her.
“What?” I asked, almost concerned.
“We don’t have any margarita mix left!” she cried, and the girls’ faces all dropped.
I giggled. They all looked like Amy told them she was amputating her left arm.
“No biggie, girls, we’ll just go and get some more,” Lucy chimed in. “I’m sober so I’ll go to the liquor store.”
Amy threw her arms around Lucy before pulling back and holding her shoulders. “I love you,” she declared dramatically.
I watched Lucy laugh and grab her keys. “Won’t be long, girls.”
“I’ll come too,” I called to Lucy while pulling on my denim cutoffs. I didn’t bother with a top, the weather was still fricking hot, and why did I need one anyway?
I grabbed my purse, slipping my feet into some sandals before following her, slightly unsteadily, to her car. We chatted about all sorts on the way to the store before the inevitable came up, the subject I had managed to avoid all night.
“So what’s going on with you and Cade?” Lucy asked carefully.
I sighed, looking out the window before turning back to her. “Nothing.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“We broke up.” A drunken giggle spurted out of me. “Although we were barely together.”
Lucy didn’t look convinced. “I’ve known Cade all my life. He has had a lot of girls...”
I snorted, massive understatement.
“But the way he looked at you, the way he treated you. You were different. No way would he let you guys break up after this little time together.”
“Well, he did.” I tried not to sound bitchy. “Let’s not talk about it, okay?”
She glanced at me worriedly a second then nodded her head. “Okay, sweetie.”
We pulled into the liquor store, there were a couple of cars outside, it looked almost busy for a Sunday.
I hopped out, tottering towards the store with Lucy by my side. Once we entered, I was made aware of my state of undress by the florescent lights and two college age boys at the counter leering at me. Whoops.
I glanced over at Lucy, who was wearing a white crochet, see through sundress over her bikini. She obviously didn’t care, so neither should I, I deduced drunkenly. I gave the boys a jaunty wink over my shoulder, and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Lucy smacked me playfully.
“Tease.”
She then blew one a kiss.
“Right back at you, sister.”
She looked innocently at me. “They are kind of hot.”
I rolled my eyes, men, or more adequately boys, were the last thing I needed. “How about you go and get some more precious liquor and I will go and get some chips?” I asked, feeling a sudden hankering for nachos.
“Meet back here in ten.”
I sauntered through the aisles grabbing various foodstuffs I decided I needed until my arms were overflowing with treats. I made my way back to meet Lucy, feeling slightly lost. I turned the corner towards the counter, spotting Lucy, stopping dead when I realized who she was speaking to.
Cade stood with his back to me, wearing his usual perfect fit jeans, wife beater and his cut. His muscled, tattooed arms looked good enough to lick, I wonder what they tasted like. No, wait, I was getting side tracked, stupid alcohol. He was with Bull and Brock, both of whom spotted me just before I was about to hide behind a display of cereal.
Shit.
They looked me up and down and Brock grinned. What he was grinning about, I had no clue and I had no time to ponder it. I began walking again, with no other choice now that they had spotted me. Lucy caught my eyes over Cade’s shoulder. Cade must have noticed this and he turned around.
Crap, I couldn’t handle this, especially in my drunken state, I would probably forget why I was mad at him and try to lick his bicep. I was about to drop my loot and run from the store when one of the college boys stopped me in my tracks. I swayed and the boy grasped my shoulders, steadying me.
“Whoa, do you need help, honey?” he drawled, checking me out shamelessly.
I returned the favor, he wasn’t bad looking, if you liked that Abercrombie and Finch look. Shiny blonde hair styled carefully, a pink Ralph Lauren polo shirt which showed off his lean but muscly arms. His eyes were blue, contrasting with his suspiciously too tan skin. I felt like he spent longer on his hair than I did. Not my type at all.
“Um,” I tried to think of a polite way to turn him down.
“We’re off to a party, if you want to come?” he interrupted me. “A sexy woman like you would be more than welcome. We could have some fun you and me.”
I screwed my nose up, not worrying about being polite anymore, this guy was obviously a douche. I opened my mouth to tell him to get lost when a strong hand pulled on college boy’s shoulder, yanking him away from me. The motion made me drop all my food. I stared down at the floor, upset at the prospect of picking it all up.
“Get your fucking hands off her,” Cade growled.
My head snapped back up to see Cade holding the boy by the collar of his polo shirt, a face like thunder.
College boy looked like he was about to pee his pants. A broken laugh erupted from me, I couldn’t help it.
Cade’s gaze cut to me a second before turning back to the boy, who was currently struggling to get out of his grip, glancing at Bull and Brock who were at Cade’s back, arms crossed.
“Sss-sorry, mman,” he stuttered. “I didn’t realize she was your girl, my mistake.”
Cade let him go and he literally ran out the door.
I glared at Cade, not knowing where to start with this ridiculous performance. He dumped me, what did he care that some college kid was hitting on me? Hell, I could fuck a whole heap of frat boys if I wanted. Not that I ever would. But I had the right as a single, independent, sexually free woman. That would take far too long to explain to a Neanderthal like him, and I wanted to get back to the party and forget this ever happened.
“Well, thanks, Cade, you made me drop all my precious snacks,” I whined, glancing out the doors to see a Range Rover speeding off. I raised my hand in that direction. “And ruined my chances with my Abercrombie,” I finished.