“We heard your speech at the reception and we agree one hundred percent,” Owen said.
“Yeah?”
“Fuck yeah,” Asher said. “We’re entering into an era of sexual exploration. Save the rings, wedding planners, and kids until our thirties.”
“Glad to hear not everyone thinks I’m the crazy new girl.”
“No one thinks that,” said Owen. “You said a lot of the same crap we argued about in the academy when our older brothers and sisters were going through the same thing.”
“Besides,” Asher threw in, “with a kid and all, you know how serious all of this is.”
I made a noise in my throat. “Tell me about it. One kid and possibly another on the way.” I rubbed my stomach. “One night of wild fun with Preston Desai has me three days late on my period. It’ll be even harder finding a teenage husband willing to raise another man’s baby with me.”
The guys gaped at me. Out of nowhere, Zion appeared and grasped my arm.
“Belle, can I talk to you for a second?” He didn’t wait for a response. Zion drew me off to the side, out of reach of the tiki torches. “Belle, what’s up? Do you know what people are saying about you?”
I patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Mitchell. You know how these rumors flare up.”
“They do when you’re running around telling everyone you have five kids and actually live in the trailer behind the Lewis-Adler mansion.” He peeled me bare with a wry look. “You’re trying to turn every guy off at the starting gate so they don’t think of running to you.”
“Got me in one.”
“I like it. I really do.” He dropped his voice. “But you should ease up on the Preston, Carter, and Nathan talk. They’re not guys you want to mess with. Just say you almost got busted for running a meth lab with a random ex. That’ll widen your stay-away barrier.”
“Good tip, Mitchell. You’re thinking outside the box.” I threw an arm around him, the two of us strolling farther from the party. “Give me some more. What do you think about spreading around that I’m only in it for a sugar daddy?”
“That could backfire. To be blunt, you’re fine as hell. One or two guys would be willing to keep those credit cards loaded up to have you on their arm for life.”
“Damn. You’re right. Okay, instead...”
Zion and I circled the perimeter of the party, tossing ideas back and forth on the total annihilation of my reputation. Eventually, we drifted far enough to hit beach. Most of the guys were down there joining in on the football game Preston, Nathan, and Carter started.
That dripping, iced-tea mason jar wasn’t far off.
The shirts were off and those boys were glistening in the moonlight. Watching them stripped of designer labels, covered in dirt and sand, hooting and hollering uncaring of lordly manners, they didn’t come off as mythical creatures then, and still... they never looked more handsome.
“Which one?”
I jerked. “What?”
Zion pointed his chin at the boys. “I know that look. Which one of them got to you? Was it Nathan? Did he really get you pregnant?”
“No,” I said, face warming. “And there is no look. What about you, Mitchell?” I flapped a hand at the dancing partygoers. “Who are you here for?”
“No one in particular.” Zion stretched his legs out, forming two grooves in the sand. “I didn’t date much in high school. Only hung out with a couple of friends. Believe it or not, my parents sent me here to socialize. Pry me out of my shell. My mom will cry real tears if I walk off this island close to someone other than my odd friends.”
“You’re lucky.” I threw out my arms. “Snagged me on the first day. Now the pressure is off for the rest of the summer.”
Zion chuckled. “Belle, you’ve been running around telling everyone you’ve got babies and STDs. You’re odd, girl. Accept it.”
“True.”
“Hey, Zion!” One of the footballers broke off and jogged up to us. “We’re uneven, man. Come play.”
“Do you mind?” he asked me.
“Nah. Go ahead. I’m about to sneak some tea out of the kitchen and curl up on my balcony with a book. The party’s over for me.”
“See you in the morning.” He winked. “The adventure begins.”
“Oh, sweetie, you used the wrong word. You meant nightmare.”
Zion ran away laughing his head off.
Picking myself up, I trudged into the house and made good on my threat to invade the kitchen.