Page 36 of Summer Ever After
Jenny draped her arm over Amanda. “You know that Jess is protective of her staff.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Amanda had a smile on her face but sounded pissed off. Like she hadn’t decided whether or not to be offended by Jenny’s comment.
“You know.” Jenny was clearly enjoying this. “You’d break that guy’s middle-aged heart.”
“True.” Amanda tilted her head as she swayed on her feet. “But, I bet he’d be good in the sack. You know, being all Gen X and everything.”
The brother couldn’t get to the Stone Oven fast enough. I kept glancing at the door, hoping to see the male version of Jessica appear behind the bouncer. “What does Jessica’s brother look like?” I asked.
When I looked back to the door, a pair of eyes settled on mine – a set that I knew very well.
Chloe.
Her eyes narrowed as recognition settled in. She definitely saw me.
Ramona leaned against the table, and it lurched toward her. Glasses and empty pitchers tumbled onto the floor. Every eye in the place turned to look at us. “Oh no.” Ramona was sitting on the floor, amongst the sea of plastic cups and empty champagne bottles.
Amanda doubled over, squeezing her legs together. “I’m going to piss my pants, Ramona, are you okay?” She held out her hand to help her friend up from the puddle of booze on the floor. As she heaved Ramona up from the ground I bent to pick up the cups and Jessica was right beside me.
“I can’t take these two anywhere.” Jessica shook her head as she stacked the plastic cups in each other and then set them inside one of the empty beer pitchers.
Was I helping to pick up the mess? Yes. Was I also hiding from my stepsister? Also, yes. “Do they always get like…this?” I didn’t know how to politely ask if her friends always got fall-down-sleep-with-men in the restroom drunk.
Jessica shrugged. “Not every time. Sometimes they’re worse.”
My eyes must have widened a little too dramatically.
“Just kidding,” Jessica nudged me and set the pitcher on the table. “They’re usually way worse.” She brushed her hands together and I knew that I’d have to stand up eventually. I held my breath and hoped that Chloe had left and that by some miracle – hadn’t seen me.
As soon as I stood, I knew that no such miracles had happened. “There you are,” Chloe said with a grin plastered on her face.
“Hey, Chloe.” She was about to cause a scene, I could feel it.
“I thought that you were at work tonight. You forgot your lunch. Mom made me go all the way out there to drop it off. Did you have the night off?” Chloe’s hands were on her hips and bunched into fists. Her cheeks must have hurt from her giant fake smile. Chloe was more into the local scene than I was and likely could tell that Jessica and her friends were from the upper crust of Windswan
Jessica looked at Chloe and then at me, her brow furrowed. “Is everything okay, Rosie?”
“Rosie?” Chloe raised her brows at me.
Jessica’s phone buzzed and she picked it up. “Our ride is here.”
She slung her designer handbag over her shoulder. Chloe’s eyes were drawn to the chain and her eyes took in Jessica’s multi-carat diamond tennis bracelet and designer clothes. “Are you coming?” Jessica paused and put her hand on my forearm.
I could feel Chloe’s eyes burning into the back of my skull and then she gripped onto my free arm. “She’s coming home.”
“Rosie?” Jessica didn’t let go of my arm. “Do you know this…person?”
Chloe stepped between me and Jessica. “I’m her sister, Chloe.” She thrust out her hand for a shake.
Jessica’s chin jerked back ever so slightly. “Rosie. Is this your…” her voice trailed off.
“Step. Sister.” I replied.
“Oh. Ok.” Jessica didn’t move to shake Chloe’s hand, her arm was still outstretched.
Chloe cleared her throat and dropped her hand. “Come on Rrrrrrosie.” She said my name a little louder than necessary and squeezed my arm, which she still had in her grip.
“Come on, Jessica.” Jenny was leaning against the doorframe that led to the patio. “The boat is here.”
