What? Viv needed a ride. What? Was that all this was?
Libby shifted her gaze from the mean girls to Brock. “A ride?”
“Yeah, we live down the street.”
Viv saw Brock get smaller, physically and in all other ways. She was an outsider in his little clique, and the minute it was pointed out to him, he’d buckled.
Viv took Libby’s lead. She stood up straighter, and she pretended she was too cool for all of this. Libby had given her the roadmap to be gutsy too. “Libby, did you drive?”
“I did come myself, actually.”
“This country club thing is lame. Let’s bounce.”
“Agree.”
Viv turned on her heel, and Libby followed her lead. Libby was naturally tall and regal. Viv did her best to mimic that vibe.
They walked through the country club.
Viv realized that she didn’t need this place. She had thought it was sophisticated and cool. But in reality, it was the opposite. She absolutely knew the puffy sleeves and dropped waist, southern belle dresses were so out of fashion. She knew the style those girls sported was almost over. Viv was wearing what everyone here would be wearing in a year. But probably more like two years. She knew it.
She also realized Libby was the exception here, not the rule. Nothing but total dweebs at this place.
“I hope they didn’t get to you too much?” Libby said as they made their way to her car.
“No…I mean, a little. I’m proud of my outfit, but it still hurts when someone is making fun.”
“Of course, it does. Those mean little trolls have no idea.”
“Thanks, Libby, for coming to my rescue.”
“You didn’t need me to. You were doing the exact right thing. You are above them.”
“Still, it’s not bad having you sweep in like the Legend of Billie Jean and tell them what’s what!”
“My pleasure. But that Brock, what a tool!”
“Right, he looks like John Taylor but acts like James Spader.”
“Right? Hey, let’s head over to Nora House. We’ll pick up J.J., and Hope can get Goldie. We’ll have our own dance.”
“I love it.”
ChapterTwenty-One
Viv Present Day
She remembered the dress, she remembered the boy’s smile, she couldn’t remember the faces of those nasty girls, but what stood out, more than any other image, was Libby.
And then later, the fun they’d had at her house.
Years later, she and Goldie were talking on the phone, and Goldie pointed out that Nancy Kerrigan, the skater, was wearing costumes that looked a lot like that dress Viv had designed for her ill-fated night at the club.
Ha, she’d been the Vera Wang of Irish Hills!
Her friends loved her style and trusted it before anyone else had.
Viv was warmed by the happy memory as she walked out to the deck to find her old friends, those same Sandbar Sisters, ready to enjoy a day on the raft.
