Heat washes over Jackson. If they were in a bar right now, or at a party, this woulddefinitelybe a moment where a kiss might happen. And he’s tempted. So tempted to lean in, grab the back of Ethan’s head, graze his lips with his own.
But…what if this is all in my head? All one-sided?
They stand there, staring at each other. Blood whooshes so heavily through Jackson’s ears, he’s confident Ethan can hear it, detect his attraction.
“I also wanted to see if you’d like to come out tomorrow?” Ethan’s voice, like the other night, is molasses sweet. “To my place? You know, to look at my stuff. Wife’s gonna be in town.”
Jackson swallows and tries to steady his voice. “I’d love to. Is ten a.m. good?”Why is he putting a specific time on it? What if ten is not good? God, he sounds like such a dork.
“I can make that work.”
Whew.
The door cracks open, and Charleigh’s voice peals through the room. “Jackson! I can’t stand to sit there one second longer,so I’m heading to the bar to get a drink. Or several. Want anything?”
Heat scrapes up Jackson’s neck. He’s both embarrassed that hismommyis shouting at him—at least she had the good sense not to poke her head in—and angry that she’s intruded on this moment.
Jackson rolls his eyes, which Ethan catches, then rewards him with a playful grin.
“Get me another ’rita!” He tries to sound authoritative, bossy. Then immediately backpedals. “Be right out!”
Charleigh finally releases the freaking door.
“Guess that’s our cue,” Ethan says.
Dammit, Charleigh. I wanted one more second alone with him.
Ethan inches around him, his hip lightly brushing Jackson’s as he moves.
Trembling, his breath catching, Jackson nearly jumps.
“See ya tomorrow, huh?” Ethan asks, lifting an eyebrow.
“You bet.”
You bet? Kill me now.
He trails Ethan, stepping back out onto the deck. And while logically he knows this is not the case, he feels as though there’s a spotlight above them, dousing them with light, broadcasting their flirtation for the whole crowd to see.
“Thereyou are!” Monica’s voice bounds toward them. She’s now seated with her family at a table, which, thank God, is far away from the Andersens. She waves her hands wildly at Ethan, as if she owns him, gold bangles jingling down her stick-thin arms.
If Jackson could shove her off the deck into the lake right now without getting in deep shit, he’d do it. Instead, he turns and heads toward the bar, toward Charleigh, whose head is cast back as she shoots a jigger of tequila.
25
Nellie
That fucking ho. Walking in with Blair, dressed up in her pathetic, raggedy sundress, like she’s all that. That pattern can only be found at a fabric shop. I’d almost feel sorry for her if I didn’t hate everything about her so freaking much.
I was just gonna ignore her, but she narrowed her eyes at me, gave me the dirtiest look. So I called her a skank. I’m happy everyone heard me. After Mom bolted from the table, I did, too.
It’s just understood that the teens will escape their parents at these things as soon as possible. They’re really just excuses for the adults to see and be seen and get plastered.
I stomped off and found Dustin by the side of the Boat House, smoking. I bummed one off him, then took a drag so hard, my lungs burned, and I couldn’t stop coughing.
“Everyone’s going over to Miller’s to skinny-dip. Wanna go? I have wine coolers stashed.”
I squirmed.
