Page 15 of Faking Summer
I shook my head at the absurdity. Only Bailey. I paid the bill and tipped with appreciation, but when the bartender cracked open a bottle and set it next to him on the bar, I grabbed it up in one swift motion, bringing the whiskey bottle to my lips.
“This is coming with me."
"Considering your generosity, take it as a parting gift," the bartender replied.
I held the bottle tightly in my grasp as I left the bar, the entourage trailing behind me.
seven
Caroline
The green light flickered when I swiped my keycard, and I nudged the door open with my shoulder. Sam and Crew stumbled past me, Crew's arm slung possessively around her waist. It was night and day compared to the obvious distance between Reese and me.
"Damn, how did you guys get a suite?" Crew asked, his eyes going wide as he checked out the room, like it was the first time he’d seen one.
"I mean, I'm committee president," I said with a slight shrug. "Of course I was going to get myself a suite."
"You even got a balcony." With a flick of his wrist, he pointed toward the sliding glass door.
Meanwhile, Reese looked unimpressed by the room and its amenities. Typical. He was probably the richest person in Bayside, of course no amount of luxury could faze him. His fingers, decorated with a few large rings, curled possessively around the neck of his whiskey bottle. Then he brought it to his lips, taking a pull.
Crew looked down through the floor-to-ceiling windows. "This view is insane," he said in awe before he moved around checking outthe rest of the suite. He wandered into the large bathroom, and yelled, "Is that a jacuzzi? We gotta do that!"
Sam chuckled from beside me. "Luckily, Caroline and I have our swimsuits," she said playfully, before she glanced at Reese and Crew. "But what are you two going to wear?"
"You know," Crew drawled, his voice carrying a hint of mischief, "skinny dipping is usually a second date kind of thing for me." He winked at Sam. "But I'm willing to compromise for you."
Reese threw an arm around Crew's shoulders. "I don't think either of them want to see that, buddy." His gaze flicked our way briefly, like he was helping us out. "So we'll keep on the boxers."
"Yes, let's do that," Sam said, pulling out a can of sparkling seltzer from the mini fridge. She handed me one before she grabbed one for herself. The seltzers hissed as we popped them open, a momentary distraction.
Crew and Reese slid open the glass door and walked out onto the balcony, leaving Sam and I alone in the room to change.
"Can you believe Crew? He's acting like he’s into me tonight." Sam smoothed down the sides of her swimsuit, settling on her hips. "But I don't want to go all the way with him. Not when he's hooked up with everyone and might go party with those twins later."
I paused, shimmying into the straps of my bikini, the stretchy fabric clinging to every curve. "Then don’t," I whispered, my eyes meeting hers in the mirror. "Just do what you’re comfortable with."
"I always do," she replied with a faint smile.
"Just enjoy the moment, Sammy," I added. "Flirt, get to know him better, kiss if it feels right in the moment. But remember, he's lucky to even have your attention, not the other way around."
She caught my gaze in the mirror, a flicker of resolve igniting in her eyes. "I know," she said, and then her voice dropped, wearily. "And hey, I'm sorry about Reese being here. I just... I couldn't find the words to tell Crew no."
I turned away from our reflection, my gaze dropping to the knot on my swimsuit bottoms secured with a quicktwist. "It's fine," I assured her, the lie slipping from my lips. "I'm a big girl. I can handle one evening playing nice."
For Sam, I could handle one night of not murdering him for what he did to me in sixth grade. I could do my best to keep the anger to myself, to not let him get to me.
She handed me one of the hotel robes with a small smile. "Seriously, you're the best for doing this."
"Anything for you," I said, honestly. I really would do anything for her, and I knew she’d do the same for me.
"I owe you," Sam replied, as she bent down to turn on the jacuzzi.
Together, we stepped through the sliding glass doors onto the balcony where Reese and Crew were mid-laugh, both carefree—completely opposite of the turmoil churning beneath my calm facade. But the moment their eyes landed on us, the laughter died.
“Jaccuzi is ready to go,” Sam said, sliding in next to Crew.
"Red bikini… nice choice," Crew murmured, his grin almost on the verge of creepy.
