Page 45 of Privilege
My stomach clenches deliciously.
Creampies for everyone.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Dane
I don’t say muchfor the rest of the afternoon or the evening, but I don’t have to. Cara is a squealing, giggling, delightfully charming mess. Her nose is sunburned and her bun is messy and flopped over to one side. Rich can’t keep his eyes off her, and neither can I.
Rich is running on adrenaline. He has too much energy and keeps moving around, constantly getting up and down. It reminds me of how he used to be after a water polo match. Cara complains about hersore muscles and settles her head onto my lap, while Rich becomes the designated Cabana Boy, constantly getting us drinks.
I asked the staff not to come in here. I’m not sure why, since I’m sure half of them got an eye full of us on the sunbed anyway. But I want them both to myself. Don’t want to worry about anyone questioning the lingering stares and wandering hands.
Maybe I can convince them to live here forever.
I frown, thinking about Cara working a job on top of her studies, taking classes in the summer because she can’t afford cost of living on top of her tuition all at once.
Fucking Rich. God love him but he’s so stupid. He probably asked her if he could cover it. And shedefinitelywould have said no.
I make a mental note to find out who we know that works in the registrar’s office.
Tuition isn’t your problem anymore, babygirl.
She’ll be pissed, but I’llmake sureshe gets over it.
I ignore the sinking sensation in my belly as I mull over what happens at the end of this summer and try to refocus on the slurred conversation; Rich andCara are arguing over which of their friends would be most likely to fall overboard.
“This is a stupid argument,” I say.
She pouts. “You’re no fun.”
I roll my eyes. “He played water polo. There’s got to be max twenty brain cells shared between that entire team.”
She turns over so she’s on her stomach and rests her cheek on my thigh. “Did you know those guys too?”
I gesture between me and Rich. “We grew up around the same people. You know we’re kind of related, right?”
She snorts. “I am aware of that, yes.”
Rich cocks an eyebrow. “Are you, though?”
“It’s notblood.Calm down,” she says.
She throws a pillow at Rich and he laughs, my heart inflating to roughly the size of a hot air balloon. He looks—no heis—so happy. The kind ofrealhappy I’ve always wanted for him. The kind I was always afraid Jamie and Evelyn would hoover out of him.
Rich catches my eye. “Why have you always hated those guys so much?”
“Because they’re idiots,” I say without hesitation.
“Well yeah,” Rich says, scratching his head, “but I mean, do you likeanyof my friends?”
I shrug. “Cara’s alright.”
He punches me in the arm and she chuckles, wisps of her hair tickling my legs. I didn’t know her before, and she doesn’t exactly scream ‘damaged’ or ‘trauma’, so maybe she’s always been this happy. But I’d like to think I’m part of it. That the now-permanent pink tinge to her cheeks has something to do with me.
Has something to do withus.
We fit, the three of us. I can fucking feel it. It’s a little messy—okay very messy—but it works. I’m not sure how to have this conversation, especially so hot on the heels ofno conversation at allfor so long with my brother, but it’s hovering in the room like a fourth to our throuple.
