Page 51 of Sneaking Around with the Player
Me: Maybe I should just come up tonight? I doubt anyone will miss me.
Beau: You know that isn’t true. What’s Holly doing?
I glance around the room. Holly and Teddy are on the makeshift dance floor in the living room. Teddy has one big,possessive paw on her hip, and Holly has been smiling for so long, I think her face is permanently stuck like that now.
I don’t know where Felix went. Probably outside. There’s a group out there playing washers.
Me: Dancing with Teddy.
Beau: Go dance! You love to dance. But tell Castle to back off my girl.
I laugh and then a pang of sadness hits me in the gut. I already miss him so much.
Me: I miss you.
He replies with a selfie of him making an actual frowny face and then another text.
Beau: Go have fun, baby. I’ll call you at 11:59.
For the next two hours, I do just that. My twin is smiling so big as she and Teddy shout the lyrics to a Taylor Swift song to each other. Adorable.
But another pang of sadness hits me that Beau isn’t here. I try to brush it off. So, we won’t be together, at least I’ll get to ring in the new year with him. The reality is, if we’re going to be together, it’s going to be like this—talking on the phone, texting, FaceTiming through important events. I wonder how much a plane ticket is to Colorado?
I sashay off the dance floor and pull my phone from the bust of my dress. I’m checking the driving distance to get to Beau, in case I want to take a spontaneous road trip to visit him at college next semester, when I spot Felix near the front door. He’s surprisingly sober for it being his birthday, but he is holding a fifth of Jack in one hand, so I’d say he’s aiming to take care of that.
He beckons me with a tip of his head.
“Hey,” I say, letting out a long breath and looking around. More people than I expected showed up tonight and his small house is packed. “Some party. It’s almost a new year. Any resolutions?”
“Yeah.” He runs a hand through his hair, leaving the dark strands sticking up. “A few. You?”
Before I can answer, someone yells, “Five minutes!”
My phone buzzes in my hand at the same time Felix says, “Can you get the door?”
“The door?” I glance down at the screen of my phone, not surprised at all that it’s Beau calling.
“I think the doorbell just rang.”
“I didn’t even know you had a doorbell,” I yell, but the noise level has escalated as everyone prepares to ring in the new year. I walk toward it and as I’m opening it, I say, “Wait. Why am I opening your door? You live here.”
He shrugs, and with an eye roll, I look to the other side of the open door.
My breath catches and then my stomach does several somersaults. My boyfriend stands on the other side. His face lights up, which makes my stomach do another flip.
“Beau?”
His smile dims slightly as he looks past me to where Felix stands. I glance between them and my excitement quickly dissolves.Oh no.I can see the drama about to unfold, just like at the resort. Why is Beau here, and how do I get us out of here before shit goes down?
Beau doesn’t make a move to come inside, and Felix holds his ground. I take a step toward my boyfriend.
I’m not sure what I expect him to do, but he wraps an arm around my waist casually like him showing up is no big deal, and says, “Hey, baby.”
Beau
Stella stands stiffly next to me, her gaze bouncing between me and her brother. Everyone else at the party is too busy to notice me, which I’m thankful for in this situation.
Stella sends a pleading glance to her brother. Something that looks like,please don’t kick my boyfriend’s ass tonight. From her lips to God’s ears.
