Tough Shit (Rejects Paradise 1)

Chapter 30

My shoulders slam into other guests as I try to navigate my way through the crowd. I still can’t believe how many people showed up here tonight, but that’s the least of my worries.

I somehow make it to the back door and I push out into the fresh air, taking a deep breath. I hadn’t realized how desperately I needed that.

I start making my way down to the gardens but after the rainfall we had during the week, the ground is soft and my heels quickly begin sinking into the grass. I turn and hightail it back to the mansion. I’m all about taking a stroll through the gardens on a fresh evening like tonight dressed like some kind of princess, but not at the risk of looking like an awkward baby duck trying to make its way through thick mud. I’ve already made a fool of myself too many times, I won’t be doing it again.

I get up to one of the many outdoor entertaining areas and as I look back inside the floor to ceiling glass wall, I find Colton standing with Charlie in deep conversation, both their eyes trained on me.

I look away, unable to handle the jealousy in Charlie’s and the intensity from Colton. I need to think this through. I need a plan, or at least an idea of how I should handle this. I need to call Nic and tell him that he was right. I need things to be okay between us again and I need my world to stop feeling so alien.

Knowing that if I walk around to the pool house, there’s a big risk of me hiding out and pretending my problems don’t exist. Not wanting my night to be over, I walk out by the main pool and stand at the side, listening to the sound of the waterfall raining over the deep end of the pool.

It’s simply stunning. It’s the best pool in Bellevue Springs and that’s saying a lot, though I’ve come to learn that when dealing with anything on the Carrington property, it’s usually the very best money can buy. That’s just the way that Charles likes it.

With my feet hurting from the heels, I lift the bottom of my gown and slip out of my shoes, groaning with the pleasure of having bare feet. I lift my gown a little higher and drop down beside the pool before dangling my legs into the water and being extra careful not to let any of the golden silk fall into the pool.

This dress costs more than I could make in a year and the thought of having even an inch of it destroyed by pool water makes me want to hurl. Hell, I feel awful about the price tag on this thing. If I can, I’ll be heading right back to the store and checking out their returns policy. Besides, it’s not like I can wear it to another event. I’d be the laughing stock. Rewearing a dress around here is as good as committing a crime.

It’s so damn beautiful out here. I don’t understand why I spend so much time locked up in the pool house. I should come out here more often and enjoy the mansion before this fairy tale comes to an ugly end.

“What are you doing out here?” a familiar voice asks.

I look back over my shoulder and find Spencer slowly making his way toward me. Things between us have been better since that night sitting around the fire and when he had helped to save me from a mob of horny teenagers. I think at some point, I might have even earned his respect.

I shrug my shoulders and look back toward the water. “I’m just taking it all in,” I tell him. “It’s not every day a girl from Breakers Flats gets to attend a party like this wearing a ten thousand dollar gown and stilettos high enough to reach the fucking sun.”

He laughs and drops down onto the edge of a sunbed, keeping a respectable distance as let’s face it, our friendship hasn’t quite developed enough for him to get any closer. “I didn’t think of it that way. Parties like this are just kinda the norm for us.”

“Not for me,” I say. “It’s like being in some kind of fairy tale.”

“And is nailing prince charming part of that fairy tale?” he questions, making me look back to find his brow cocked in curiosity.

“I’m sorry?” I question, ready to jump on the defense.

“I’m sorry,” he says, holding up his hands to show innocence. “I didn’t mean that as some kind of attack. I was just referencing how close you were with Colt on the dance floor.”

“Oh, I … umm …” I panic, turning back to the water, trying to prepare myself for the ‘you’re not good enough for my boy’ speech that’s about to come. “It’s nothing. Just a little kiss is all.”