“What about the lake house?” Reed asks. “Now, that’s the best part.”
She giggles. “Well, that’s a given. But I want to wear a pretty dress and dance before that.”
My brows pinch together. “What lake house?”
Bentley lays his arm over my shoulders. “There’s a tiny little mountain town about ninety minutes away. It has a big lake and badass log cabins. We party it up until the next day. Lots of booze, weed, and general debauchery. Three of my favorite things.”
“For fuck’s sake.” I stash his comment about debauchery in the back of my mind. “Who’s we?”
Kingston pushes Bentley’s arm away and hooks his foot under my chair, pulling me closer to him. “Ains, Reed, Bent, and I always stay in my family’s cabin.”
“That’s it?” I ask. “Just you guys?”
Ainsley speaks up when her brother remains silent. “Give her the whole story, dickwad.”
He flips her off. “Your dad also owns a cabin up there; it’s right next to ours.”
“So, Peyton will be there,” I surmise.
Kingston nods. “Yes, but so will a lot of other people. And she knows not to fuck with you.”
“We’ll see how long that lasts,” I mutter.
He jerks his head toward Peyton’s table. “See? She’s not even looking over here. She’s probably pretending you don’t exist. If Peyton knows what’s good for her, she’ll keep it that way.”
She has been doing that. I’ve run into her a few times at the house this week and every time, she heads in the opposite direction the moment she sees me. It doesn’t stop her from sending scathing looks my way or muttering insults under her breath, but she is physically staying away. Something tells me she’s just biding her time though. A girl like her doesn’t give up that easily. Unless...
I tilt my head to the side. “Did you hurt her?”
“No, I didn’t hurt her.” Kingston scoffs. “Jesus, thanks for your vote of confidence. I didn’t do anything. I just reminded her that if she or any of her minions fucked with you, I’d take that as a personal attack on me. Peyton may act obtuse sometimes, but she’s not stupid. None of them are.”
I chew on that for a moment. “I don’t have money to spend on a dress and I’m sure as shit not about to ask Daddy Warbucks. I’ll go to the lake but not the dance.”
“I’ll cover the dress,” Kingston grumbles. “And whatever the fuck else you need. Consider it a birthday present.”
My mouth gapes. “How do you know about that?”
Kingston gives me a look that says, Really?
“Wait,” Ainsley interjects. “When’s your birthday?”
“The day of the dance,” Kingston answers.
“September twenty-fifth,” I reply at the same time.
Ainsley’s eyes widen. “We’ll celebrate your birthday at the lake! I’ll get you a cake and everything.”
Kingston speaks quietly against my ear. “We have a standing date with your sister—every Sunday unless you say otherwise. We can come back from the lake early, pick her up, and spend the day in Santa Monica if you want.”
Tears prick at my eyes. I was expecting to spend my birthday weekend alone, being consumed by grief. Now, I had two people offering to make my mom’s absence a little less painful. How can I say no to that?
I sigh. “Okay, I’m in.”
Ainsley claps her hands excitedly. “We should all go to the dance together!”
“I’m good with that.” Reed takes a bite of his pizza.
“Me too. But only if Jazzy Jazz saves lots of room for me on her dance card.” Bentley glances at Kingston and smirks. “We all know how much she loves dancing with me.”