“Be careful what you ask for, Nadia.” He waggles his finger at me, laughing as he leaves to grab our items. Savannah leans in and whispers in my ear.
“I like that guy.”
I nod in agreement. “Me, too. He’s great.”
Savannah gasps as two hands reach around to cover her eyes from behind. “Boo,” Gage says as he gives her a quick peck on the cheek, and she turns around, laughing, to face him.
“You’re here!” she exclaims excitedly, moving over to allow Gage some space to scoot in. He waves at everyone,and she begins to make the introductions. Hadley grabs a Corona from the bucket of beer on the table and offers one to Gage, which he gladly takes.
“Thanks.” Condensation runs down the bottle. He places a napkin around it and removes the lime, which is acting as a temporary stopper for the beverage.
“I love a good Corona fixed up with salt and lime,” I comment, and Gage grunts his agreement as he licks the salt off the side of the beer bottle, then takes a couple of hard swallows. Savannah watches his throat bob as he guzzles the cold liquid. I have to turn away because of how hot it looks to see them so into each other, and Jasmine gives me a quick look as if to say, “Same.” Hadley is oblivious as he looks for his brother in the crowd of people.
Hadley lifts his chin upward, and Parker stands before us with a margarita for Savannah. Savannah grabs it eagerly, releasing a little squeal of delight as she brings it to her lips, smacking them in blissful happiness. I look at Parker as he places a frozen swirled beverage before me.
“Ta-da,” he says animatedly. I lift a brow quizzically, and he just shrugs.
“I know you like piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris, so I decided to get you a mixture of each. It’s called a Miami Vice.” I sit there, stunned that he knows I like them, but we had some amazing ones the other night at the lake house when I tested out our brand-new slushie machine. So, I lift it to my lips and take a sip. I take a bite out of the strawberry, and my taste buds explode at the flavor. I pull the strawberry away, looking at it.
“It seems to have been soaked in some liquor, too.”
Parker nods. “Regan’s bitters.” He explains as I lean my head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of my head. The way he kisses my head doesn’t scream romantic gesture, but I begin to second-guess myself as I quickly lift it off his shoulders, looking up at him. He smiles brightly at me, bumping me on the arm with his, as he takes his seat. He takes another drink of his beer, playing off his thoughtfulness, and my smile widens.
“You’re the best, Parker.” Then I wonder how lucky I got to find someone like him. Savannah sees us and smiles back, clearly watching the interaction.
Our conversation is lighthearted, and we make plans to get together again when the school year starts, since we don’t go to school far from one another. It looks like he has something on his mind that he wants to tell me.
“Nadia, I want to talk to you about something,” he begins, and he seems pained. It makes me pause. I hold a finger up.
“This looks like it might take a while,” I say, looking around. “I really have to pee first.” I stand up and notice Hadley shaking his head at his brother, but I can’t analyze it now. My bladder is going to burst, so I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, and Savannah says she has to go, too, but when she makes a move to leave, Gage stops her to ask a question.
“I’ll meet you in there,” I tell her, unable to stop as I haul ass to get to the bathroom. I had to go like an hour ago, but I was distracted by a good time. Now, like a little kid who was having too much fun to stop and go, I find a stall to relieve my poor overdistended bladder from exploding. When I come out and walk over to the sink to wash my hands, I hear a familiar voice that grates on my last nerve like the sound of nails on a chalkboard.
“Great, I just can’t seem to find a place you’re not at, can I?” I turn to see Sylvie, the woman who is after Manny. I haven’t had the pleasure of engaging in conversation with her since the run-in at the diner, and I was hoping to avoid her for a while longer, like maybe forever, but I knew it would happen sooner or later, especially if I hung around Manny and Catalina more often.
So I turn to her, fed up with our few interactions. “Can we just not?” I say, grabbing a paper towel and throwing it into the trash. I turn to walk away, but she stops me. I place my hand on my waist. “If you have something to say, just say it already. I have friends waiting for me.” I’m impatient and don’t like this woman. I certainly don’t need this in my already fucked up life.
She stands there coolly, acting like her banged-up cuticles are more interesting than my words. “Well, I was just thinking to myself about how clueless someone can be.” I make a noise that resonates from the depths of my throat in a very unladylike fashion.
“That’s rich, coming from you,” I counter, and her eyes snap up to me.
“Oh, really, so you like sloppy seconds?” she asks, leaning forward.
“Oh, please.” I roll my eyes. “Manny was never yours.”
With that, she steps back in shock. “You’re dating Manny? I thought you were just the nanny?” She looks into my eyes, searching for the truth, and whatever she sees angers her. “Well, then you also get my sloppy seconds.” She walks closer to me with the intention to hurt me with whatever she is going to spew with her venomous words. “Has he ever had you pushed up against the wall as his tongue thrusts into your mouth, all while his hardened cock thrusts against you? It’s so stiff, ready to erupt, trying to push out of his pants as he fucks your mouth with his?”
I step back, trying to rid myself of the picture she paints, but I can see it vividly—them together—and I want to vomit. My emotional distress gives her the motivation to continue. “One hand on my head to steady me in place as the other palms my tit in the most delicious way.” She emphasizes her last three words as she licks her lips like she is remembering it and savoring the experience all over again. I know she isn’t making this up, but reciting it from memory. It cuts so deep I want to scream. “When he is going to push me to my knees—” I turn about to walk away, but her following words stop me. “But I wasn’t only talking about Manny, you stupid fuck,” she says. “I was also talking about the guy you are just hanging out with, all lovey-dovey out there.” She shrugs, laughing evilly. “He was just making out with some girl by her car and sending her off just before you got here.”
I step back, affronted, because I didn’t even think this was about Parker. I thought she was only talking about Manny, so why does it still hurt?
“What?” I say in confusion because it can’t be true.
“Oh,” she says, acting sorry, but definitely not sorry if the broadening smile on her face indicates anything. “You didn’t know?” She shakes her head. “Well, let me enlighten you then,” she continues. “The CliffsNotes version was that she came here, found him, cried, he hugged her, he left with her, and then he made out with her, practically dry humping her against the car before she left.” She places her hand against her chest, where the hardenedorgan resides. “He looked longingly at her trail of dust as she disappeared. And then,” she pauses for emphasis, “he stood there and took out his phone.”
A single tear rolls down my cheek as I listen to her and envision the scenario in my head. Was that when Parker texted me? As soon as she left, I came here. Did other people see? She looks pleased as if she can hear the rolling thoughts in my mind, as her words cut me up so much. The door opens, and the blaring music of “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis drifts in through the small space, threatening to invoke a meltdown from me of epic proportions.
“What’s going on?” I hear Savannah’s voice rise as she walks into the bathroom, seeing me upset.
