Charley pursed her lips. “Okay, you’ve been quiet for an abnormal amount of time. That’s a warning sign. You trying to get out of our deal? New Year, new us. You’re getting laid, Lexi.”
I sighed. She was pushy and persistent, and while I loved her, a prickle of annoyance crept in.
“It’s beenyearssince you’ve put yourself out there since your incident with the Asshole.”
Asshole was our endearing term for Ashton, the reason I preferred being behind a screen when talking to the opposite sex. My shoulders tightened at the mere thought of him and the way he made me feel about myself. The constant hurtful comments, the degrading backhanded compliments. Ugh. I shook my head. “You conned me into this vacation with the ruse that it would be a girl’s trip. Booze, bikinis, and beach.”
“Booze, check. Bikinis,” she said, waving her hand between our swimsuits. “Check, and beach, check. I wasn’t wrong.”
“Will is not a girl.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sure, but he likes the same things. Don’t let his toughboy baseball act fool you.”
The Slates were the kindest, softest people in the world, and when Will shot into stardom, it took their parents by surprise. They were unathletic music teachers, so the running joke was that Will was switched at birth. He was a carbon copy version of both their parents, making the adoption jokes completely untrue.
“It’s not the same as if Haley were here.”
“I thought you and Will got along?” Frown lines appeared around her blue eyes. “Did he say something to piss you off?”
“No, no.” I exhaled slowly, hating how my body flushed at any emotion. Giving her my back so she couldn’t read my expression, I busied myself by throwing the snacks into the small duffel. “He didn’t do anything. We get along.”
“Good. I’d deck him if he did.” She grabbed the folded towels from the table, put on her flip flops, and tossed the bottle of sunscreen into the air. “It’s beach time, Lex. Let’s go!”
We locked the door and made our way through the sand, easily finding the spot Will claimed for the day. His bright orange Turbo Baseball towel might’ve been a giveaway that he played for the team, but Charley chose this place based on privacy. It was busy but closed-off from the public. Only those who rented or lived in the four complexes around us could go to this beach.
“God, I can feel the sadness leaving my body when the sun hits my skin,” she said, sighing and tilting her face up at the sky. “Fuck Derick.”
“He’s an asshole,” I said, forcing my voice stronger. Her ex dumped her because he wasn’t feeling it after a year together. A whole year, gone. The thought of all that wasted time made my throat close up. Ashton and I were together for two years, and through the whole relationship I lost a piece of myself, the part that made me love who I was physically. Afterwards, it was a slow climb back up to appreciate that my body wasn’t stick thin or that my boobs often spilled over my bra.
Just thinking about his final comments made me almost regret not bringing a better suit.You’re pretty for being overweight. I’ll be the best you get.
Charley skipped toward the towel her brother set down and applied sunscreen over every part of her skin. She handed me the bottle to spray her back, and while I did, she clicked her tongue, eyeing me with too much knowing in her eyes.
“Remove the cover up, Lex.”
I shook my head, and she reached the hem, yanking the fabric so I tilted over onto my side.
“You monster, are you stripping me down?” I said, half-laughing.
“If I have to,” Charley said. “You’re beautiful and have boobs I want to bury my face into. They’re like pillows, and I hate you for them.” She arched a brow, her stern expression much like her brother’s when he was on the field. I caved.
My heart pounded in my chest when I tore the black dress over my head. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I lay there, my boobs spilling out and my love handles showcased by the tight dark green material. My shoulders hurt from tightening them, but Charley paid no attention. She got the bottle and sprayed me head to toe before I could stop her.
“God, is that a new suit?” she asked, studying me up and down. “You look incredible, woman. Fuck.”
Goddamn blush. My skin prickled at her perusal, but shame and embarrassment didn’t cloud the moment. Charley never made me feel bad about being overweight, despite how tiny she was. Her compliments were sincere from the day we became friends in third grade. “Thanks, and yes, it is.”
“Your cleavage is the same size as my arm. It’s not fair.”
“Don’t get me started on fair,” I mumbled, almost regretting the comment. It wasn’t her fault Ashton made me feel fat, gross, and undesirable. Needing to make amends for the retort, I pointed toward her brother. “It’s not fair that Will eats three times as much as I do, and he looks like that.”
“I hate him.” She lay back on her yellow towel and cracked open margarita from a can, which she always added more alcohol to. “Ah, yes. Hello, tequila.”
I snorted and wrapped my arms around my knees, pulling them to my chest. Holding my legs close to my body provided some protection from Will’s eyes as he approached us with a large smile. My heart fluttered at the sight of that damn grin. Water dripped down his chest, disappearing into his trunks and showcasing the fist-biting v-line.
Hoping to cover up the fact I checked him out head to toe, I said, “How’s the water?”
“Perfect,” he said, shaking his head so little water droplets landed on me. He plopped down on the towel to my left, placing me right in the center of the Slate siblings. “What’s on the itinerary today, sis?”
