Page 102 of Olivia's Only Pretending
“Hi, everyone.” Georgie gave a tiny wave. “I’m Victor’s favorite fellow lifeguard from back when we worked together at the pool over the summers.”
He snuck his arm back around me. “Ah, yes, the good ole life guarding days. Saved a lot of lives.”
“Honestly, you risked a lot of lives. Victor, shirtless and watching over the pool, was the biggest distraction. Girls were flinging themselves into the water in hopes of getting mouth-to-mouth from him.” Georgie gave him a playful shove. “Me, included.”
“You were a lifeguard, too. That’s just dangerous.” Victor laughed.
“We were all willing to risk it all. What can I say?” She quite literally batted her eyes. And it looked good.
“I don’t even remember you ever being a lifeguard?” Katie interjected.
It felt warm in this crowded space.
“I think it’s that summer he turned so dark he actually looked bronze,” Gabriel said.
Georgie chuckled. “You were bronze.”
Why were random beautiful baristas and lifeguards always popping up and flirting with Victor?
Victor brushed his thumb back and forth against my arm. “Well, we’re here celebrating my brother’s bachelor party, Gabe.” He nodded to Gabe. “Andhis bride’s bachelorette, Emma.”
Emma smiled.
Georgie clapped and told them congratulations. I chewed on my lip, and small talk dwindled until she left.
As soon as Georgie was out of earshot, Katie shoved Victor so hard he lost his grip on me. “How do these girls find you everywhere we go?”
“Hey, hey, drama. Noteverywhere.” Victor readjusted his jacket.
“We were willing to risk it all,” Luis said, his voice pitched high like Georgie’s.
My cheeks flamed. Probably my neck and arms, too.
“We were like nineteen that last time we saw each other, guys,” Victor said, sounding annoyed. His hand found mine, his pinky brushing mine.
I glanced around the bar for Lucy, like she was an exit door.
“She obviously still remembers you.” Emma was giggling.
Everyone was teasing him. I tried to drone it out. Bumping into these girls when we went out used to be one of my flashing warning signs.
My heart was beating frantically, like I’d just found leaks in a boat I’d buckled myself into.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” I said, barely above a whisper, then made a beeline for the bathroom at the other end of the room. People were tipsy and loud as I made my way through.
“Liv.” Victor’s voice rose over the noise around us as he followed after me. “Liv!”
I stopped walking, his rough fingertips finding the crook of my elbow. I turned toward him.
His eyes narrowed in concern. “Are you okay?”
I shrugged. I didn’t know how to tell him I felt like we’d taken something delicate, our new relationship, out and shared it carelessly with others. They’d shaken it up, not realizing what they were doing, not realizing they were messing with something fragile.
“Come on.” His voice was soft as he stepped closer to me. Bad karaoke pulsed through the speakers. “Talk to me.”
“It bothered me, you know?” Tears burned behind my eyes. I sniffed.
I cared so much. I was always the girl who cared way too much, who gave all the hoots.
