Page 47 of Hypothetical Heart
We all make our way through the cramped house toward the backyard, Winnie holding onto the back of my shirt to keep up.
“Gen, where is your boyfriend?” I ask, looking around in search of him.
“Jameson Beaumont?” she asks, whirling around to face me.
I laugh. “Do you have another boyfriend I should know about?”
Her back straightens at the horrendous thought, and she rapidly shakes her head before turning her attention back toward the party scene. “BRIAR!”
I see a flash of brown hair spin around from behind the outdoor bar, and lo-and-behold, Briar Hart is bartending. “Valley! Get over here!” She calls Genevieve Valley because of her position as a valedictorian.
Eloise, Winnie, and Genevieve all take seats on barstools in front of Briar while I take in the scene of the backyard. The pool has dozens of rainbow floaties in it, and the water is dyed lime green. People are jumping in the likely freezing water. I thought the inside of this party was a mess, but it doesn’t come close to the sight of the backyard.
“Hey Briar, if you want my contact for a great cleaning service, let me know.” I found out the hard way how difficult it is to clean a mansion after a high school house party and how worthwhile it is to pay someone else to do it for you.
She sighs, looking around at the mess. “That would be great, thanks.”
Genevieve asks for another drink, and Briar takes her cup. I have no idea where she learned to bartend how she does, but it seems like she knows what she’s doing.
Briar’s in the middle of using one of the silver drink mixers to shake up Gen’s drink when everyone hears her name being called from across the yard.
“Briar! Briar!” Noah Sommers is calling for her as he approaches. Her entire body goes stiff, which puts me on high alert.
Noah Sommers is a douchebag and not the type of douchebag I would classify myself as. Before he was rumored to be dating Briar, he had sex with anything with a pulse–he still might be. I’m not sure.
“What’s going on?” I look toward her, trying to gauge thesituation the best I can. An angry guy approaching a scared-looking girl can never be good.
“Nothing,” she says, almost in a daze. “Nothing.”
As soon as Noah lays his hands on the bar top, I know something isn’t right. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Briar looks up at him but doesn’t say anything.
“Why are you serving other guys’ drinks?”
My brows furrow, watching the situation unfold. I’m not sure what’s going on between the two of them, but no matter what it is, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with Briar talking to other guys.
“I’m serving drinks at my party,” she replies easily, continuing to pour drinks.
Noah slams his hand on the counter in front of her, and I can tell by the look in her eye it takes everything in her not to jump. “I don’t like my girl serving drinks to other guys.”
Briar rolls her eyes. “I’m not your girl, and you’re at my house at my party, so if I were you, I suggest you watch your tone.”
“You weren’t saying you weren’t my girl last night when I?—“
“Woah, Woah.” I hold a hand up, cutting him off from finishing that sentence. I can only imagine what he was about to say, and I don’t like it. “Tone it down, man.”
“I’m not your bro!” Noah fumes, making no sense.
“I never said you were, but what I am saying is you better calm down and be respectful.”
“Briar, get the fuck over here,” he seethes through his teeth. I step in between him and the bar, trying to keep Briar out of his view. At the same time, I watch Eloise get up from her stool and make her way around the bar, pulling Briar backward and away from Noah.
“You better watch the way you talk to her,” I warn him. Idon’t take disrespecting women lightly, and I’m this close to punching him in the face.
“Hey, you!” Noah yells, pointing toward Eloise. “You better stay the fuck away from my girl!” Both Eloise and Briar look like deer in headlights, their faces dropping like they’re not sure what to do.
And I’m not sure if he’s saying that because Eloise is the one bridging the gap between him and Briar or if it’s because Eloise is gay and he thinks something else is going on. Either way, I’m pissed.
