“Molly Miller without her jailor, nowthatI thought I’dneversee,” Cash Ryan’s deep voice said, appearing beside us in all his mouth-watering glory. We both smiled.
“Back up, dickhead,” Hudson said as he appeared behind Cash like an apparition with our drinks. He placed them on the table in front of us.
The guys acknowledged each other. “Looking good, dawg,” Cash said as he and Hudson bumped fists in greeting. He then turned to look down at me and whistled, causing my cheeks to heat.
“And, little Harper Radcliffe, all grown up.”
“Cash Ryan, ex pussy hound of Harbor Heights, all grown up too,” I snarked with a grin.
“Ah, don’t be like that. I missed you at the party last week.”
I lifted my glass from the table and took a sip, watching him coyly over the rim. “Yeah, sorry. I was cramming for a test.”
“What on?” he questioned as Hudson moved around to the other side of Molly.
“Physics.”
Cash placed his beer beside my glass and clasped a hand against his broad chest. He was around the same height as Hudson with his athletic, bronzed body.
As I said, Cash Ryan had been Mr. Golden Boy and used to date the most popular girl, Tate Parker: a bigger, meaner girl than Storm. I wondered how life in France was treating her. Horribly, I hoped. Cash didn’t look like he was pining for her. But then they’d been on and off for years, so I’d been told.
I had always thought he was cute. He had a six-pack that would make any girl drool, but it wasn’t as defined as Phoenix’s.
“The test went OK. I now have to write a paper on electricity and magnetism,” I added.
“You’re shitting me?” Cash said as he patted his chest. “I’m an expert when it comes to magnetism.” He then folded his arms, making his biceps bulge.
“Of course you are,” Hudson grunted, shaking his head.
With awould I lie to you,look, Cash grinned. “If you ever need a tutor, baby, look no further.”
I rolled my eyes as he winked. The boy leaked charm from every pore.
Hudson and Cash then started talking about the NFL and the Rhode Island Patriots' recent win, and thoughts of Phoenix arriving with Reed popped back into my head. It could have been worse; he could have come with a girl on his arm.
Get Phoenix out of your head; it’s time to have some fun, minus the complications.
After around ten minutes of fun banter, we had finished our drinks. It had gotten busy being stood so close to the bar, and I asked Molly if she wanted to paddle. She still wasn’t the best of swimmers.
I was side-eying Cash as he said. “Can I get you girls another drink?”
“We were thinking of a dip in the pool, weren’t we, Harper?” Molly said, nudging my arm.
“Want me to come in with you?” he said protectively. Hudson had saved Molly from drowning that day Storm had pushed her into the pool at school. He was so overprotective of her and quite possessive, even though they had been together for ages. Most people on our side of Newport knew they were an item. I loved watching him in action. You looked or spoke to Molly the wrong way, and he had words. Youtouchedher the wrong way, and he pulled your arms off and beat you with them.
“The boys and I have some lounge chairs saved in the corner, if you guys want to join us? Then we could all go in?”
“We’d love to,” Molly beamed, looking up at Hudson, who just grunted into his beer.
“Follow me,” Cash said, waving his arm towards the top corner of the pool area. I could see Josh Sanderson and his sister, Verity. She was in my grade at school.
“Take my hand, the steps are a bit slippery,” Cash explained, threading his fingers through mine.
“You’re such a charmer,” Hudson snarked, putting his arm around Molly’s shoulders and moving past us.
I fell into step beside Cash.
There were now more people in the pool, although it was more like a Sunday gathering with water than a pool party. Even the younger guests were behaving themselves.
