I scrunched my nose. “Are you kidding me? My mom will tie me up before she lets me go to another party.”
Her button nose wrinkled. “You’re not grounded anymore. Right?”
“My dad lifted my punishment last week. Still, I’m afraid to ask.”
She pushed off her car. “Let’s ask your mom together. You’ll thank me later when we’re jumping in Tessa’s pool. This heat is unbearable.”
A refreshing swim might do the trick. I chewed a nail as I followed my bestie into the house. “Mom?”
“In the kitchen.” Mom’s voice competed with the sound of the TV in the family room.
Celia walked in before me. “Hi, Mrs. Thompson.”
Mom stirred a pot of spaghetti sauce. “Celia, honey. How are you?” She set the wooden spoon down on the counter.
“I’m good. Mrs. Thompson, do you mind if Quinn accompanies me to Tessa’s pool party?”
Mom rounded her gaze to me so fast I thought her head would spin off.
“I won’t drink,” I quickly added. “I promise.”
She lifted her chin, studying me like she was trying to get inside my brain.
I pressed my palms together in prayer. “Please, Momma. It will take my mind off Maiken. If I come home drunk, you can ground me until I graduate.”
She mashed her lips into a thin line. “Your father will have a stroke if he finds out.”
“He won’t,” I said.
Momma wagged her finger at me. “Quinn, I want you home by midnight. No later. Do you hear me?” Her tone permitted no argument. In fact, she sounded like she would lock me in my bedroom if I so much as had a drop of liquor on me or was one minute late.
I jumped up and down, and for the first time since my party, that suffocating feeling disappeared. “Thank you, Momma.”
She gave me a stern look that could melt ice. “Don’t make me regret my decision, Quinn Thompson.”
An hour later, Celia and I were walking into Tessa’s mansion, dressed in our bathing suits beneath sundresses with our bags in hand.
“Born to Be Yours” by Kygo and Imagine Dragons belted out of the speakers. One room after the next was filled with kids.
“This party is rockin’,” Celia shouted over her shoulder.
Tessa greeted us at the outdoor kitchen area and shoved two red cups at us. “Drink.”
I arched a brow at my former enemy. “Does that have any liquor in it?”
She rolled her dark eyes. “Are you for real? Of course it does.”
I shook my head. “Not drinking.”
She stuck her hand on her bare hip. Tessa was sporting the tiniest bikini, and she looked fab in the red fabric, which barely covered her boobs. “It’s a rite of passage. Just sip it. Don’t pour it down your throat like you did at your party.” She talked to me as though Celia and I were in Liquor 101 class.
Dustin Lane waltzed up, his swim trunks resting low on his hips. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, showing off his six-pack abs. He ran his long fingers through his thick, wet black hair. “Quinn, how’s Maiken?”
I growled low under my breath. I didn’t want to talk about Maiken. “Good.” I swiped the cup from Tessa and drank a mouthful, then choked. “This is straight alcohol.”
Tessa laughed so hard, she cried.
Dustin kissed her neck. “Babe, that wasn’t nice.”
I snarled at Tessa. “Do you want a repeat of your Christmas party?”
Dustin cocked his head at his girl. “What happened?”
“The water isn’t cold,” Tessa said, still sporting an evil smile. “So do your worst.”
Celia snagged a red cup from Tessa and dumped it in the small sink. Then she took mine and did the same. “We’re not drinking. Come on, Quinn. Let’s mingle.” After Celia’s two-day hospital stay with a severe concussion, I didn’t think she would ever drink again. I couldn’t blame her either.
Dustin wrapped his arms around Tessa from behind and began nibbling on her ear. “You don’t have to be such a witch.”
“Oh, come on. It’s fun to see Quinn get all feisty.”
I stuck my middle finger at her. “Do you really want to revert back to enemies? Because if you do, bring it on.”
Tessa rolled her eyes before she twirled in Dustin’s arms, and then the two began sucking face.
I joined Celia, who was lingering around the packed pool of kids drinking and talking. Outside the pool, more kids lounged on chairs or blankets while a group of boys putted on the makeshift green on the other side of the pool.
Celia tapped me on the arm as we dodged a group of girls huddled together as though they had a huge secret. “Who’s that?”
I oriented my vision. “Who?”
Celia leaned in. “He’s sitting on the edge of the pool. Black hair, sun-kissed skin, flowered swim trunks. And he’s staring in our direction.”
My gaze bounced around until I found the guy she was talking about. “He looks like Dustin.” I couldn’t see his eyes all that well, though, with the late-afternoon sun beaming directly at him.
“Yum,” Celia cooed.
Dustin was a hottie. “I wonder if he’s related to him?”
A hefty boy threw a girl into the pool, and the impact caused a tidal wave. Water went everywhere, including on Celia and me.
Normally, I would get mad, but the water felt nice on my sticky, heated skin.
Celia tore off her sundress, exposing the tiny bikini covering her curves and big boobs. “Let’s go in.”
I was usually the shy one who didn’t like to show off too much skin, but I was becoming braver with age. Maiken had had a lot to do with increasing my self-esteem. Besides, we were there to have fun.
When I removed my dress, Dustin’s lookalike was suddenly in our faces.
Celia straightened her spine. “Hi.” Her tone rose in pitch.
I internally rolled my eyes at my BFF as she went into flirtation mode.
The group of girls who had been whispering shuffled closer to us.
“Hi, ladies. I’m Noah.” He pinned his gray eyes on me.
Celia extended her hand. “I’m Celia, and this is my best friend, Quinn.”
While still looking at me, he shook Celia’s hand and said, “You must be Quinn Thompson.”
Celia angled her head. “How do you know Quinn?”
I sucked in a breath. “Have we met before?” It was a stupid question, but maybe we had.
Noah flicked beads of water, or maybe sweat, from his broad, tanned chest. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline. “From who?”
“Yeah. From who?” Celia parroted.
Noah stabbed a thumb at Dustin and Tessa. “Dustin. He and I are cousins.”
I would’ve bet on brothers. Still, what could Dustin possibly tell Noah?
OMG! My party!
Heat pinched my cheeks as embarrassment set in. He must think I’m easy since I drank too much. Or maybe he just likes me. Or maybe Dustin has a crush on me. A laugh broke out in my head. No way Dustin had a crush on me.
“Well, she has a boyfriend,” Celia said firmly.
Noah stared at me, totally ignoring Celia. “Really?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Yes. I have a boyfriend.”