Willow buzzes past me, walking into his massive open arms. He kisses the top of her head, and my stomach pinches. Suddenly, I’m antsy with the need to confirm this man is, in fact, Willow’s cousin. She steps back from him, taking a place besideme as she brushes her hand over mine where they hang between our bodies, linking our fingers together again.
“Z, this is Weston. The surfer my dad is training this summer.”
I let out a sigh of relief, extending my hand toward him. “Nice to meet you.”
He tosses me a breezy grin, returning the shake. “You too, dude.”
Zander is one of Everett and Dahlia’s twins, and while his hair is a muted dishwater blond, and his eyes are a light shade of brown, the rest of his features match his dad’s with striking resemblance.
“Oh, no,” Liv drawls, emerging from the sea of people, her wife at her side. “Not the pornstache.”
“I eat pussy better with a mustache.” He waggles his eyebrows, smoothing two fingers over the hair on his upper lip, the rest of his face clean shaven.
“No.” Lou, Zander’s older sister, smacks his arm. “I told you to knock that shit off when I’m in earshot.”
“If you actually think that, you’re more hopeless than I thought,” Liv snipes back nonchalantly. “Facial hair does not make you better at cunnilingus. See my smooth, pretty face?” she asks, rubbing her cheek before she nods toward her wife. “How many times did you come this morning, baby? Three? Or more?”
Zander gapes, horrified. “You are crossing a line, Livia.”
“Stop provoking each other,” Lou growls, running a hand through her shoulder-length blond hair before turning to me. “I’m sorry, Weston. We’re not normally like this.”
“She’s lying. We’re always like this.” Liv grins.
I smile awkwardly. I have no idea how to react to this conversation, and now I’m terrified my utter lack of experience is apparent.
“I’m terribly embarrassed.” Willow sighs, pulling my gaze to her. Bright blue eyes shine up at me. “Would you believe me if I told you I’m not of relation to any of them?”
“No.” I smirk.
“Weston’s gonna have to learn to be real chill if he’s hanging around this family,” Zander says, popping a brow as his eyes flick to our joined hands.
My stomach flips, and I quickly glance around the party for any sign her dad might be watching us. I’ve been somewhat aware of the risk holding her hand in public provides, but I honestly hoped we were being discreet about it, and nobody would notice.
I don’t pull my hand away from hers, though. Neither does she.
“We’re friends, Z.”
Friends. We’re friends. Friends can hold hands. Leo even approved a friendship between us. He only told me I couldn’t be alone with her, and technically I’ve broken that rule twice already, but I’m not breaking it right now, so I have nothing to worry about, right?
“Right... anyway, I came to see if you know where Allie is?” Zander asks, changing the subject. “Her... surprise is waiting in the garage and becoming impatient with me.”
“She should be out here,” Willow says, dipping her free hand into the back pocket of her shorts and pulling out her phone. “Let me call her.”
Based on Willow’s end of the conversation, Allie was inside the house putting together a dessert she made for the party before Willow asked her to meet us outside. A few minutes later, Allie comes skipping down the porch steps, tugging on the arm of a man who trails behind her.
Allie’s wearing almost the exact same outfit Willow is—same shirt and cutoff shorts, though she’s donning a pair of sandalsand brightly colored toes. Her curly hair is thrown into a bun on her head, face framed by dark ringlets. The man beside her looks more dressed for a golf outing than a backyard barbeque, and I’d guess his gold watch costs more than I’ll make in a year working at the surf shop.
“What’s up?” Allie asks, joining us. “Oh, and Weston, this is Declan. My boyfriend.”
I shake his hand, and he tosses me a judgmental once-over before taking a step back from the rest of the group. Lou smiles at him, but it’s unconvincing. Livia and Zander openly scowl in his direction.
Willow shoots me a glance that sayswe don’t like Declanbefore her gaze finds Allie again. “We have a surprise birthday gift for you.”
“I thought your birthday was on Monday?” Declan asks, frowning.
“Well, we love Allie a whole lot, so we don’t confine celebrating to one day,” Zander sneers.
“I wasn’t suggesting—” Declan begins, but Willow cuts him off.
