“I get it,” Landon interjects. “I was…wrong.”
My eyebrows raise at the sheer discomfort in his voice. “That’s really hard for you to admit, isn’t it?”
“You have no idea,” he mutters, and some of the tension evaporates from the hot tub.
I shrug. “Well, as soon as Mel’s back, I’ll be out of your hair. We might not even have to see each other again. You could be rid of me forever.”
Landon opens his mouth to say something, probablyhallelujah, but he’s interrupted by Eli’s booming voice as he appears with more alcohol. “Next round at your service!”
It’s either the third or fourth Mai Tai that lures Eli and me into another game of volleyball. Landon, as usual, refuses to participate in the fun, so we play one-on-one while he sits on the edge of the pool, staring at his phone. When I see him smother a yawn, I wonder why he doesn’t just go to bed already.
“Ready?” Eli calls, and my attention shifts back to the game. He serves the ball, and I jump for it, the rubber grazing the edges of my fingertips. The ball goes sideways, bouncing on the tile and rolling away from the water.
“I got it!” I say, pulling myself up out of the pool. Only I don’tgot it. I have two wobbly legs, drunk girl balance, and I don’tgot itat all. My feet slip out from under me, and I throw out my hands as I veer face-first toward the tile, only to feel two strong arms wrap around me, pulling me up.
“Fuck!” Eli’s out of the pool, racing over to us. “Violet, are you okay? You nearly cracked your skull open.”
“I think we’ve all had enough to drink,” Landon murmurs, but he hasn’t let go of me yet.
Why hasn’t he let go of me yet?
“What the fuck is going on?” comes the female voice I’d recognize anywhere.
It’s Mel.
She’s back.
SEVENTEEN
Landon’s hands drop away from me so fast I stumble, and Eli’s arm shoots out to steady me. Mel’s face is twisted in fury as she marches toward us, shooing out the last remaining guests.
“You’re back! How was your flight?” I ask, trying to quell the awkwardness. She ignores me, zeroing in on Eli.
“I know, I justknow, this party was your doing,” she snaps at him, “so you better clean this place up.”
Maybe it’s the alcohol, but Landon’s brother is somehow unruffled by her accusatory tone. “Nice to see you again, too, Mel,” he says with a smile. “A pleasure, as always.”
She ignores him, eyeing my swaying form. “Just how drunkareyou, Violet? Jesus Christ. You can barely stand.”
“I’m fine,” I say, but either she doesn’t hear me or she chooses not to, instead turning the full force of her glare on Eli.
“Was that your plan?” she demands. “Get my sister drunk and then…what? What happens next, Eli? Please. Enlighten me.”
Eli holds up his hands. “Woah, Mel. Hold up.”
“Don’t tell me tohold up.” She whirls on Landon. “Andyoulet this happen. This is why I don’t want your brother here, Landon. He turns this place into a frat house just so he can prey on innocent girls.”
“I’m right here,” says Eli, waving his hand. “I would neverpreyon anyone. Who even says something like that?”
“I’m notthatdrunk,” I try to point out.
Mel’s gaze swings toward me. “Go to bed, Violet. Sleep it off. We’ll talk about this in the morning.”
“But-”
“Stop acting like a goddamn child.Go.”
My face flushes with embarrassment at being spoken to that way in front of Landon and Eli, so I turn abruptly and stalk in the direction of the stairs. Only, the walls are starting to spin, and next thing I know, my balance tips and my legs twist sideways and the concrete veers straight for my—
