Page 18 of All Signs Point to Malibu

Yes. “Um, how about at the party? When I’m dressed properly.” And I’ve had a team of stylists to help me stand a chance of competing with her breathtaking looks.

She laughs, embarrassed, and puts the phone away. “Of course. And I promise I’ll rein in my fangirling by then.”

Liam leads her away and I wave as they climb back into the van. Then my smile fades as they drive away.

That night, with a glass of wine in hand, I Google “Sonia Banks” because, naturally, this has become my new obsession. Internet pages load about the young heir to the Banks Resorts fortune, and photos of Sonia and Liam at a resort opening in the Caribbean only dampen my mood further.

But do I stop there? Hell no.

And the further I go down the rabbit hole of stalking, the more disheartened I am. Turns out Sonia is not some spoiled, rich bitch that I can reasonably dislike, but a wonderfully compassionate person who donates her time and money to charities. I scroll through the articles about her charity work, building schools in developing nations, hosting Christmas dinner at the local food bank and stop on one that reads: “Heir to the Banks chain of luxury resorts, Sonia Banks, donates kidney to stranger.”

I drain the wine in my glass.

It’s not likeIwouldn’t donate an organ to a stranger. I just haven’t had the opportunity!

This shit is hard. Maybe I have had too many concussions to understand these complicated psychological theories.

Sitting on a barstool at Deek’s, a quiet local pub, textbook on the bar in front of me, I read the same page over and over, trying to make sense of it. It’s as though my brain can’t absorb information that’s not coming at me in a perfect spiral going sixty miles per hour.

Cliff was the smart one. Born with a heart defect, which was ironic because Cliff had the biggest heart of anyone I knew, sports were off the table for him, therefore he threw himself into academics for our impossible to please father. The lines were drawn very early in our childhood. Cliff was the genius expected to succeed in business. I was the athlete, expected to bring home championship trophies. We fell into our respective roles to give my father something to brag about and constantly struggled for his approval...

Until we didn’t.

Liam enters the pub and I grin—my high school best friend live and in the flesh. The last time I saw him was at Cliff’s funeral and I’d been far too messed up to appreciate the reunion. Liam had always been like a second brother to me and we’d drifted apart since he moved to New York. My weekly golf game with his father—the one I wish I’d had growing up—helps to keep me in the loop about what’s happening in his life.

“Thought I’d find you here,” he says.

“Hey, man, heard a rumor you were back in town.” I quickly shove the book into my duffel bag—I’m probably going to fail this course, therefore keeping it to myself seems like the least embarrassing option.

We fist bump then share a manly one-armed hug.

Liam climbs onto the stool next to me and flags the bartender for a beer. “How’s the team this year?”

“Going all the way to finals.” If I can keep Marcus from staying out late before practice. He’s been dragging his ass lately and I can tell the kid’s not getting enough rest...enough of anything a professional athlete needs to function at his best. I know he’s drinking despite my rules and I hope he hasn’t crossed the line into other harmful substances.

“Wouldn’t expect nothing less,” Liam says. “And it appears you are in hot demand at high school career days.”

I shake my head and take a swig from my beer bottle. “Those fucking kids with their viral videos.” If Liam, Mr. Anti–Social Media, has seen the video of Hailey and me going at it—and not in a fun, clothes off way—then the rest of the world must have. Not that I’m trying to protect my reputation these days, but looking like a jackass on the internet is something I try to avoid. Doesn’t exactly send a good message to the impressionable teens on my team.

“I can’t believe the two of you are still trying to slit one another’s throats,” Liam says with an amused chuckle.

“She destroyed my career and subjected me to an airport security search.”

“In all fairness, she was banned from air travel for six months too.”

“She started it.” I refuse to feel bad that she missed an important event. Her career seems to be doing just fine. That billboard on the highway says it all.

“That’s mature,” Liam says, nodding his thanks to the bartender as a beer is placed in front of him on a coaster. He raises his bottle to mine and we cheers before he takes a swig. “Look, I’m heading to her party Saturday night. You should come.”

“I’d rather have another cavity search.”

“There’s someone special I want you to meet.”

I turn to look at him in surprise. Now it’s getting interesting. “You’re actually bringing a date to Hailey’s?”

Liam shrugs. “She’s cool with it. In fact, she and Sonia have already met.”

I think about it then grin. “You know, I think I will tag along. Can’t resist a good train wreck.”

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