“You don’t have to go. I’ll text Grey and see where they are. Maybe he changed his mind.”
I considered it for a second. But I knew it wasn’t right for me to stay. I didn’t want to see him and the longer I stayed the more I risked that happening.
“Come on, girl. Stay for one song.” Connor shoved the red cup back into my hand. “If Mason gives you any trouble I’ll take care of him.”
I stifled a laugh. The most Connor could do to Mason was wrinkle his clothes. The lean cowboy was lacking the muscle and shoulders. I looked around the circle. Whether I wanted it to happen or not, it had become awkward. They were waiting to see how I would handle the situation.
“Ok. I’ll stay and finish my drink.” I looked at Connor. “And for at least one song.”
He looked happy. “All right. Now you’re talking.”
I wanted to stick next to Eden. “Did you text Grey?” I asked.
“He didn’t answer.” She scrunched up her nose. “Sorry.”
“Pickford?” A girl with dark hair shuffled through the sand. Her eyes landed on Pick, and he tossed her in the air as if she were a feather. She started giggling.
Eden leaned toward my ear. “Marin. They’ve been married less than a year, but it’s like a constant honeymoon. I apologize ahead of time if they make you want to vomit.”
I laughed. “It’s fine.”
She wasn’t kidding. Pick’s arms were wrapped around Marin, while her legs hooked against his waist. They seemed oblivious to the rest of the party.
“I’ll introduce you in a minute.”
“Yeah, I’ll just wait on that one.” I turned away from the couple. “I’m going to feel the water. I’ll be right back.”
I walked toward the surf. There was enough light from the bonfire to illuminate a path to the waves. I felt the water splash around my feet. It tickled at first, but I sunk into the wet sand when the waves pulled hard with the current.
I sipped the drink. The lime drink reminded me of the margaritas in San Antonio. The night of tequila shots at Pete’s. The lime tasted too much like Mason’s lips. I closed my eyes, wishing for a second I could let the waves pull me out too. I could float on top of the swells. My body listless and light, carried by something stronger than me.
My hair blew across my face, but I kept my eyes closed. I didn’t want to open them and face the party. I wanted to imagine for a few more minutes what it would feel like to let go of everything and wash out to sea.
15
Mason
“There is a hell of a lot of ice in this cooler,” Grey grumbled.
He held one handle, and I lugged the other over the sand. It shuffled under our feet, making a path to the fire pit ask if it had been formed by a couple of sea turtles.
“Can’t drink warm beer though.” I nodded at him.
“Oh no. Not doing that.”
We had to make two stops before we had the cooler full. We weren’t the only ones in search of ice on Friday night. It had been a long time since I went to one of these parties. They always had a good time on the beach. Music. Drinks. Pretty girls. Someone usually ended up in the ocean before the night was over.
We dropped the ice cooler near the end of the row, as the crowd parted for us. The chatter quieted the closer we got. Something was up. No one was dancing, and it looked as if they had forgotten to throw wood on the fire.
“Hey, you’re here.” Eden smiled, but I could see it. She was hiding something.
Grey examined her. He could see it too. He glanced at me. “Something happen while we were gone?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I might have screwed up. A little.”
Connor traipsed over. “Eden’s not the one who screwed up.” He was always puffing out his chest where Eden was concerned. I didn’t know how Grey put up with it.
“Technically I did. Sorry, Mason.”