Feels way too much like being in high school again.
I’m trying to shake it off, reminding myself weddings are stupidly stressful and life will go back to normal next week as I head down the coconut-tree-lined path to my bungalow.
“So that was a nice, refreshing dip,” Delaney Kingston says when I’m nearly there.
Ah.
So that’s who’s huffing along behind me.
Her bungalow must be this way too.
And I probably owe her an apology for her unexpected pool dip, courtesy of me.
Don’t want to give it to her though.
“Hey, Princess Plainy-Laney.” I grin at her over my shoulder like she’s not the only other person from back home besides Chandler who can make me twitch today. “Like your shoes. They squeak real nice.”
“Bonus feature. They’re supportiveandmusical.”
Huh.
That’s an unexpected response.
Would’ve thought I’d get an eye roll and a lecture on not taking paper umbrellas near electrified bug zappers. You want a rule followed, a problem solved, or a lecture about how the world is supposed to work, you go to Laney.
You don’t go to Laney for jokes. She’s the type who wouldn’t know fun if it landed on her desk in a brown manila envelope clearly labeledfun. Once saw her refuse to go sledding because there weren’t nets at the bottom of the hill. Was voted in high school as the most likely to live to a hundred and six because she flosses every day.
No heart disease taking her out early due to inflamed gums.
I have not missed seeing Delaney Kingston since she quit showing up to parties on my side of town and I quit dropping into bars and restaurants on her side of town.
She’s one of Emma’s best friends though, so I’ll be nice if it kills me. I grin back at her again. Add a wink. “You need help carrying your bag to your room?”
“That’s so kind, but I can see you already have your hands full, and it’s just a purse.”
“Just a purse? That’s a purse the size of a suitcase. Wouldn’t take anything at all to drop this costume and carry that for you.”
“While I’m sure that wouldn’t be a hardship for you, Emma really doesn’t need you to get thrown out of the resort for public indecency, so I’ll carry my own bag. Thank you though. That’s a kind offer.”
Emma would be so disappointed if you fuck up again.
Fucking guilt.
I hate the guilt. Worked really hard the last decade or so to get over it and live my life in the sunshine, but here she is, tossing it around like confetti for Emma’s wedding week.
I keep smiling as I approach my bungalow, ignoring the twitch under my skin that I tell myself is an allergic reaction to being near a wet blanket.
I stop and face her at my doorway. “Good to see you, Princess Plainy. Maybe next time you shove me in a pool, you can be in a bikini.” I wink again.
She winks right back.
Delaney Kingston.
Winking right back.
This is High School Theo wet dream material, and yeah, I’ve worked really hard to forgetthattoo.
What the fuck is going on?
