“What’s going on?” Juniper turns to her, offering her a side smile.
“We’re all going to go down to the beach and play Twister. You want to come?”
“Yeah, that sounds fun,” I say. “Come on, Juni.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she says, shaking her head. “We were just chatting about?—”
“I’m done talking about it. Let’s have some fun.”
“Fine. Let’s see if we can get Wendy to join.”
“I don’t know if Wendy’s going to join,” Josie says. “I think she’s chatting with Carter. Oh, look, there she is. Let’s see if she wants to join. Come on, girls.” We follow Josie to the side of the bar, pushing through laughing girls and the guys who are trying to get their numbers.
“Hey, Wendy, Carter, you want to join us? We’re going to play Twister down at the beach.”
“That sounds like fun,” Carter says, staring at Wendy with twinkling eyes. “You down?”
“No way,” she says, shaking her head quickly. “I do not play Twister.”
“Come on, Wendy. It’ll be fun.” His voice is deep, and the look he’s giving her makes me feel like I’m witnessing some private moment. “Josie, convince Wendy to play.”
“Come on, sis,” Josie says, laughing.
“Nah, I’ll watch, but I’m not playing.”
“Has anyone seen my man?” I ask as we head out of the bar to the beach. “Luke?” I call out as I down the last of my drink.
“Did someone call?” Luke’s voice sounds from behind me, and I spin around. He’s standing there with his phone in his hand. “Sorry, I was just?—”
“I know you had a work call,” I say sharply, and he flinches slightly.
“Sorry, it was important. The deal I’m in, there’s another company that?—”
“I get it. I get it. It was important.”
“Yeah, I was just trying to explain.”
“It’s nighttime, and we’re trying to have fun, Luke. You know what that is? F-U-N?”
“I think so.”
“We’re going to play Twister. Do you want to join us?” Juniper says, trying to break the awkwardness between us.
“If Mia wants me to play …”
“If you don’t have to take another work call.”
“I don’t have to take another work call.”
“Then let’s play.”
We all head down to the beach and join a group of four others. Luke and I stand to the side as the game gets set up. I watch as Josie spins the dial and then puts her hand on red.
“Are you really mad at me?” Luke whispers.
“I just think it’s weird that you’re taking work calls when we’re at the bar, and we’re trying to show everyone that we are in love and having a good time, and you’re not even around.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think a quick twenty-minute call would?—”
