I stood next to a hydrangea bush that was almost as tall as me, scanning the crowd.
“Mission accomplished?”
I spun to find Owen peering at me in the darkness.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Oh,hey! I heard you might be here.” I jumped up, throwing my arms around him uninvited thanks to my fizzy, alcohol-fueled mood.
Owen circled his arms around me slowly, like I’d forced him into touching me. He squeezed me briefly, and I let go the moment I felt him loosen his grip. But not before I was wrapped in a mist of his warm scent, which triggered memories of the last time I’d been that close to him.
Which wasn’t something I needed to be thinking about two drinks in with Kai in my crosshairs.
“Nice dress,” he said.
My stomach dipped at the approval in his voice.
I looked him up and down and realized that I was meeting yet another version of Owen as well, one that understood the unspoken Hamptons dress code. He was in a red gingham button-down, dark shorts, and spotless white sneakers, looking just as coastal preppy cool as the rest of the finance bros. His hair was even a little more slicked down than usual.
“Thanks. And you’re hat-free.” I pointed to his head. “I’m getting spoiled seeing all of your face.”
“The Big Gripper hat is my security blanket at the club,” hesaid, confirming what I already suspected. “Anyway, did I just see the man of the hour trotting away with his pack?”
I couldn’t hide my smile. “Yeah. We did a shot together.”
I caught a brief frown before he rearranged his expression to his usual Owen placidness.
“Well, okay, that’s fantastic,” he replied. “Did you make plans to play?”
I cocked my head. “Sort of?Iactually brought it up, but then he got pulled away to go Jet Skiing. Which... bad idea in the dark?”
Owen frowned hard. “I sure wouldn’t.”
“Should we wander down to supervise?”
He regarded me for a minute, and I worried that he’d say no for some reason.
“Yeah, but let’s grab drinks first. What can I bring you?”
I could already feel the effects of the shotgunned alcohol, but I wasn’t ready to quit drinking for the night.
“It’s a celebration, so how about prosecco?”
He bobbed his head. “Got it. Wait here.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, because of course my dress had pockets. No surprise, it was Meredith, asking where I was. We were pros at navigating social scenarios solo, then joining up again when the time was right. Meredith called it “doing laps.”
By the hydrangea bar. You okay?
Perfect. Do you need me?
Nope. Had a successful Kai moment and I just ran into Owen, all good.
??
He handed me an overfull glass before I could text her back.
“Are you having fun?” Owen asked as we headed for the beach.
