Page 16 of The Pretender

“Alright but be careful out there.” He eyes my swimsuit one more time. “I’d hate for you to get dirty helping me bury a body tonight.”

This crazy fool.

I stand on my tiptoes, and he leans down, so I can kiss him on the cheek. “Will do. Happy birthday, Big Dog.”

Outside, Aspen is setting up the waterslide lanes with Fenn. Bennett, however, isn’t helping. “Happy Birthday,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around him and giving him a squeeze.

I know he’s pissed off at Aspen, but honestly, when is he not? Rarely does Aspen do as she’s told. She’s not one to take orders. She’d rather suffer the consequences than take the advice of others. If she wants to wear the cute bikini, then by God, she’s going to wear the cute bikini. The only way she’s changing it is if Bennett rips it off her body. And he would never do that. He’s a gentleman. An angry gentleman, but still a gentleman, nonetheless.

“Thanks, Vee,” he finally returns, squeezing me back, but still glaring at Aspen.

“You know,” I say, pointing at the Von Bremen siblings who are in a standoff with each other. “Yelling at her only feeds her desire to break that promise of yours.”

Bennett’s head whips around and down at me. I shrug. “We’re best friends. She tells me almost everything.”

At Bennett’s death stare, I hurry out. “Your father will forgive you,” I assure him. “It’s okay to let him down sometimes.”

Heaven only knows I’ve experimented with that aspect of my life.

“It’s non-negotiable,” he grits out. “And something that will never be discussed again, got it?”

I hold my palms up in a defensive gesture. “Whatever you want, big guy.”

I did my best friend duty. I tried to talk some sense into Bennett, and it went exactly how I thought it would. Terrible.

“Okay,” I say, forcing a smile and taking a step away from Bennett and toward the safety of Fenn and Aspen. “I’m going to break those two up before she makes him cry.”

I’ve never seen Fenn cry. Most days, I have a hard time believing he even has a heart, but I need an excuse to get away from Bennett and his pissed-off state. It’s no way to spend his birthday, but apparently, he doesn’t care.

Approaching Aspen and Fenn, I grin and put my hands on my hips. “Are we playing kickball or mud wrestling because you moving those slides eight million times is only getting them dirty.”

Aspen snatches the vinyl slide from Fenn’s hands and grins. “Boys are as efficient as waxing with masking tape.”

I grin, just as Fenn snatches the slide back and slings it down on the ground and kicks it away from us. “And girls are petty as fuck.” He gives the slide one more farewell kick and takes a deep breath. “Stop fucking torturing him and go change, Aspen. Staying out here and ‘helping’ me is just making this party tense as fuck.”

I shrug when Aspen looks at me and rolls her eyes. Fenn is right; Aspen and Bennett arguing or not speaking makes everything and everyone around them stressed. But I get her side too. She should be able to wear what she wants to wear.

“Let’s just drop it,” I tell them. “It’s his birthday. Let’s get this all set up before people start arriving.”

The birthday comment seems to sober the siblings, and they both nod, Aspen’s gaze flicking back to Bennett, just once, before she leans down and picks up the slide and begins straightening it out.

I grab an end when Drew comes to the back door and shouts, “Vee! Your phone is buzzing.”

“Who’s Demon Douche?”

I feel my cheeks go hot.

Fuck.

I dart over and snatch the phone from Drew’s hand and smile. “Lab partner,” I lie. “A real jerk.”

Drew shrugs and goes back inside, without asking anymore questions, which is good.

Exhaling, I swipe the screen and read the text.

Demon Douche: Will they just fuck already? Even I have blue balls from watching them.

I liftmy gaze just in time to see Mr. Ugly Shorts lounging on his back patio with a drink in his hand.

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