Page 56 of F*ck You

19

Lee

The silky red fabric flowed through my fingers as I fiddled with the hem of the dress. It had been a long time since I’d dressed up, and after spending so much time in a bathing suit, I almost forgot what actual clothing felt like, let alone a dress. This was a simple sundress with thin straps that crisscrossed in the back, red material to match my fiery personality, and a narrow black cloth belt that was attached to the dress, making it look fancier than it was. It made me feel pretty, but also self-conscious.

My reflection looked back at me in the mirror, studying every line and judging every curve. Chewing my bottom lip, I made a mental note to stick the new tube of Chapstick in my pocket, the closest thing to makeup I could ever do. That was the best part of this dress, it had fucking pockets.

My dark hair fell over my shoulders in light curls, which was how it dried naturally after the shower, and my dark blue eyes stared back at me in the mirror as I contemplated the worst that could possibly happen.

After all, whatever could go wrong, would go wrong. That was the motto for my life.

It was no secret that Giana and I weren’t exactly the best of friends, and it was going to take a lot of restraint to keep from punching that little button nose of hers right over the edge of the boat. I would do my best to prevent that though, since I was sure that wouldn’t be very good for establishing friendships with anyone else who might be there.

However, if I found out she was the one who downloaded the tracking app on my phone, nothing could keep me from giving her a one of a kind Lee facial.

“Does she even know I’m going to be there?” I looked around for my guys and saw Larsen combing back his hair nearby.

He paused to decide on his words before answering, “She said I could bring a plus one.”

I frowned. That didn’t make any sense. If she wanted him for herself, then why would she tell him to bring a date? “Did she actually say the words plus one?”

“Technically.”

“Larsen?”

He sighed and set the comb down as he faced me. “She said I could bring a friend.”

My eyes widened. “A friend? Larsen, there’s a difference between a friend and a plus one. And I’m pretty certain we are way past ‘friend’ territory.”

The corner of his mouth tilted up in a smile. “We sure are. Way past that.”

“Chase?”

“Hmm?” Chase appeared in the doorway as he pulled a deep blue shirt over his head. Someone with his build should never cover up with a shirt, it should be a crime. I swallowed hard as he looked at me, and I nearly forgot what I called him in here for.

He straightened the shirt as he pulled it down. The deep blue of the fabric made his eyes pop even more against his dark hair.

“This Giana chick thinks you guys are bringing a friend. Not a date.”

“Yeah, that’s going to be interesting. Maybe she’ll finally get the hint to go away.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. “Have you ever straight up told her to go away?”

“Yup.” Chase ran his fingers through his hair, and I had a moment of jealousy that he never needed to actually do anything to it. It never knotted or tangled and always somehow seemed to be magically in place every damn day. “She’s stubborn, but nothing like you are.” Dropping his hands from messing with the hem of the shirt, he turned toward me and smiled. “Don’t worry. You’re going to meet some other people who live nearby, maybe make some new friends. It’ll be alright.” He kissed me before running off to grab his shoes. “Speaking of friends, have you talked with any from back home?”

“This is my home now,” I stated matter-of-factly. “But actually, no, not really. I keep forgetting. It’s been hard to sort through all the bullshit to get to the gold. I’ll probably get on social media, make a post to let people know I’m alive, and maybe respond to any messages I’ve gotten on there.” I smoothed my hands down the dress, feeling the soft fabric against my palms. “I really don’t care to though, none of them were really my friends, they were all mutual acquaintances. Now that I’m gone, they’re Todd’s friends, and I really don’t care to tell his friends about my life.”

“Fair enough,” Larsen said, as he headed for the hallway and checked his watch. “About ready to go?”

“Yup.” With one more glance in the mirror, wondering if I should change something else, maybe even my hairstyle, I shook my head and ran for the door before I could prolong this any further.

Chase and I met up with Larsen at the front door, and I picked up my tan sandals to carry with me once we’d made it past all the sand.

Music blared as we approached the dock. The boat we’d be on turned out to be the one I’d been cleaning almost every day. I’d never seen it in the dusky nighttime, and it was now decked out with lights strung everywhere. I saw a handful of people on the deck, but it wasn’t too overcrowded. Platters sat on some of the tables, and I could smell the cooked seafood from where we were walking on the dock. The whole atmosphere had the cozy party feel, and I only hoped I wouldn’t make a disaster of things in true Lee fashion.

I noticed a few people walking around in black and white button-down uniforms, and I suddenly felt underdressed in my simple little sundress. “I didn’t realize this would be such a fancy party,” I whispered. “Maybe I should’ve worn my fancier dress.”

Chase glanced at me. “You have a fancier dress?”

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