“It will be fine, Val. They love you and you love them,” I mumble to myself, hoping to ease my nerves.
This is just the next step into our relationship. Next year when we go off to college, we won’t be able to see each other as much as we want. Logan will be off to Princeton. Quaid to Alabama, and Carter on his tour through the U.S. I’ll be over at Berkeley. Maybe I’ll be able to sneak a few visits with Quaid since he’ll be closer, but Carter and Logan I’ll probably only get to see on the holidays. I can’t even think of how painful that will be. This will be the last summer we have together. The one that we will make our most treasured memories. And what better way to kick the summer off, with giving in to our feelings for one another? I just hope they see it that way.
After I’ve taken a shower, I blow dry my hair and leave my long wavy black locks on display over my shoulders. I walk into my room, my red spaghetti backless dress lying on top of the bed, promising that this will be a night I will never forget. The moment I saw it at the mall, I knew it was perfect for what I had in mind. I pull it over my body, the fabric cool on my skin, hugging all my curves to perfection. I walk over to my vanity and put a light amount of makeup on, focusing mostly on my eyes. It took me years to not see my mother’s reflection every time I looked in the mirror. The trick that got me through it was focusing on the one feature I inherited from my father—his eyes. Now I don’t even see the semblances I have with the woman who gave me life. I only see me.
I jump when I hear the doorbell ring from downstairs. Just like Dad said, the boys are an hour early.
Oh my god! This is it!
I sit down on the edge of my bed just to take a few seconds to control my nerves. I count to one hundred, breathing in and out, scared out of my wits at what I’m about to do. But it’s a good kind of fear, in a way that makes me feel alive.
After I make sure I’ve gathered all of my composure, enough of it that my father won’t grow suspicious of my behavior at least, I take in one more deep breath, realizing that the next time I enter my room, I won’t be the same girl anymore.
I can’t help the wide smile that thought brings to my face as I walk down my stairs, three pairs of eyes longingly watching me with every step I take.
“Wow,” Quaid utters, his eyes lingering on every exposed inch of skin my dress allows.
“You look beautiful, Valentina,” Logan adds, the sparkle in his blue eyes just as intense.
Carter doesn’t say a word, but I see him fist his hands to his side, and I know it’s because he’s trying not to touch me with my dad in the other room.
“You guys look pretty good, too,” I reply hoarsely, taking in each of my love’s attire.
They do look good.
Real good.
Mouth-wateringly good, and my excitement spikes up another notch just looking at them.
Someone clears their throat, interrupting our locked stares and held breaths. My dad is leaning against the living room doorway with a mocking smile stitched to his face.
“Now that we have covered that everyone looks good, how about you boys take my daughter celebrating? She deserves a night on the town.”
I skip over to my father and hug his midriff, his arms instantly cradling me to him.
“I’ll be home by two.”
“No way I can talk you into coming home earlier, huh?”
I shake my head with a beaming smile.
“Okay, I tried.” He shrugs. “Guess you’re an adult now. Just be sure to make good decisions, okay, kiddo?”
“Okay, Dad. Love you,” I say before placing a kiss on his cheek.
“I love you too. Always and forever.”
I pull away and smile brightly at him before Quaid tugs at my hand, ushering me out the door as I wave to my chuckling father.
“We’re taking my car,” Quaid announces.
“Of course we are,” Logan smirks beside me.
“Hey, don’t be all pissy because you don’t have wheels.”
“I have wheels,” Carter counters tauntingly.
“No, you have a motorcycle like some bad boy cliché. It doesn’t count,” Quaid jokes.
“He’s not wrong,” Carter replies with a wink directed at me as we all walk towards Quaid’s car. Logan opens the front door for me, like the gentleman he is, and I slide into the front seat.
“Buckle up, princess. We are going to give you the best eighteenth birthday in history,” Quaid belts with a chuckle.
“I expect nothing less out of you three.”
Lorenzo’s is everything I expected it to be.
The restaurant oozes romance. With its low candlelight ambiance, soulful music playing in the background increasing the intimate setting, and where each table showcases freshly cut red roses, adding to the lovers’ feel to the place.
I did, however, have to stifle an unladylike snorted laugh when the maître d’ paled when all four of us showed up to the place. It was obvious by his fidgeting state that he was only accustomed to two party dinner parties and not the group one that just passed his restaurant’s doors. He eased up somewhat when he checked that our reservations were made ahead of time with four people in mind. Quaid had given instructions for us to have a quiet corner table so we could take in the gorgeous scenery and still feel comfortable to act like ourselves. You’d be surprised how many people change their personality just to fit into a fancy place like this.
Dinner is to die for. Every morsel of food is even more delicious than the next. But it’s the company sitting at the same table as me that really amps up my hunger, with how tempting each one of my loves look tonight. Say what you will, but there is just something about a man with a pressed white-collar shirt, the sleeves rolled up on their forearms, and a sexy smirk to his lips. Logan and Quaid both look like they have stepped out of a GQ photo shoot, while Carter, in his usual black attire, is the embodiment of enticing danger.
All throughout dinner, in the back of my mind, little wicked fantasies taunt me. They play in a seductive loop, making me squirm in my seat with the idea of fulfilling them in a few hours. I’m so eager to get us out of here, but I school my features as best I can, not to narc myself out to the boys before I’m ready. Besides, I also want to savor every minute of tonight, just as much as the two-star Michelin food.
Once we finish dessert, I witness a similar tone of urgency in all my loves’ faces.
“What is it? Do I have something stuck in between my teeth?” I ask instantly, pulling the white napkin from my lap up to my mouth, to hide whatever embarrassing thing is pulling their eyes in my direction.
“Nothing like that,” Logan says while beaming, nudging his shoulder with mine.
“Then what is it?”
“Here,” Quaid adds, before passing a small velvet box to the center of the table.
“What’s this?” I question, surprised, pulling the little purple box my way.
“What does it look like? It’s your birthday present, silly,” Logan explains with a chuckle.
“Is it now?” I beam, looking at each of their faces.
“Just open it already, before Quaid here has a coronary,” Carter teases, bringing my focus to a fidgeting Quaid.
Sensing that he isn’t the only one on the edge of his seat, I open the box to see for myself what my best friends deemed the perfect gift to give me for my eighteenth birthday. Of course the minute I open the lid, I’m left utterly speechless. Inside on a velvet blue pillow lies a necklace. But not just any necklace, one that was custom-made just for me. A silver chain holds a small compass with our initials on its borders.