“No can do, cowboy.”
I let go and she disappears as quickly as she came.Dang it!
“I wish I could be mad at you for using me, but I should have known.No more though, please,” Kim says, following Gabriella’s path out of the pool.
I need more alcohol...now.I walk over to the bar and pour myself a whiskey straight.I take a sip, feeling the bite the whole way down.The burn is promising.
“Aye, captain!”Clay calls over to me, a shine in his eye.He’s in the same chair we started in.Not sure if he’s moved and made his way back, or if he’s been here the whole time.Whatever the case, I’m happy for his company.A friend without strings.I walk over to where I was seated earlier, only to notice way too late that Slater is in the opposite chair, Tate draped over his lap.I try to think of an excuse to leave, but my brain gives me nothing, so I sit.Eyes in my lap.
“You good, man?”Clay says, squinting against the sun.
“About to be better,” I say, lifting my cup.He doesn’t press, lifting his own in a gesture of cheers.
“So, Levi, who’s your friend?She’s cute...”Slater asks, wrapping his arms around Tate’s middle.Her face winces, but not enough for him to notice.What is she doing?
“Levi?”Clay draws my attention back.“Slater was asking you about Kim.”
“That’s Kim,” I grind out.
He smiles, skating his fingers over Tate’s thighs again.“Are you guys seeing each other?”
“Just friends.”
I watch as he takes a healthy sip of his drink before saying, “Friends, huh?Do you normally kiss your friends?Because it’s kind of trending that way.Tate on Thursday?Kim today?”
“Alright, that’s enough,” Clay cuts in, and thank God.“We’re all adults here, and if Tate wants to hang out with Levi one day and you the next, she can do that.”
My eyebrows slam together in a way that says, Um, no she can’t.
“Wait,” Tate says, pulling herself off Slater to stand up.“How did this become about me?Levi kissed me and I haven’t kissed anyone since.”Her eyes settle on me, like she wants to say something, but she doesn’t have to.The disappointment in me is written all over her face, in her downcast eyes, pinched mouth, and hollow cheeks.I know I should say something.Try and fix this.k
“Tate, can we talk?Somewhere private?”
“No, you cannot.”Gabriella comes floating over on her evil cloud of doom.“I’m coming too.You know, so I can keep you on track.”She cuts me a tight wink.Tate narrows an eye towards her like she couldn’t be more confused but relents and starts walking down the lawn towards the studio.About halfway down we hear the chirp of a police car.Gabriella stops and looks towards the sound.
“Gabby, we don’t have time to be nosy, come on.”I grab her hand and tug her down towards Tate who’s punching in the code to the studio.
“Tate, hurry,” Gabriella hisses.Tate looks up, her skin is completely flushed, and all at once I feel like a teenager again, running from the cops.We’re all above drinking age (I think), but I’m sure the directors on the lease are going to show up any minute, and I don’t want to be there for that.Once inside, we creep into the sound booth for its lack of windows and darkened space.After about three or four breaths, we all break into a fit of laughter.I kick my legs out from under me, happy to be out of the sun for a minute...and with Tate, even if Gabriella is also here.
“Alright, now that we have evaded capture...Levi, is there anything you would like to say to Tate?”
I prepare to start when Tate puts a hand on my thigh to stop me.I stare at it, all at once forgetting anything worthy of speech.“It’s okay, let’s just forget about it.”She says pulling her hand back and snapping me out of it.Gabriella gives me a pointed look.
“Tate.”I swipe across my eye with my left hand, inhaling a breath.“I am sorry about the kiss.”Gabriella starts shaking her head.Wrong.“I mean...I’m not sorry about the kiss, but I’m sorry it was public.”
Tate’s quiet.Gabriella swirls the air with her hand, urging me on.I drop her gaze, letting my head hit the wall behind me because it’s easier to confess to the ceiling.“I may have—”
Gabriella clears her throat.I bring my head back to level just in time to see Tate lightly smack her on the arm.
“I...overheard you talking to Gabriella this morning.”
Tate’s eyes widen in surprise.“Oh, and what is it that you heard?”
I let out a breath.“I heard that you were concerned about us wanting each other in different ways.”
I watch as she rolls her lips into one another.“Hmm,” she hums.“And your response to that was to call Kim?”
“Look, Tate.”I reach for her hand.“I’m not good at this.”
