Page 110 of Holiday on the Rocks
Lexi and Rachel climbed into the hot tub. Rachel gave Evan a peck on the cheek and looked at me. Oh, shit ran through my bloodstream, and my eyes ran back to see Allie had not remembered the tattoo. “Damn it. Evan, do you have a t-shirt I can use?”
“What?”
I stood and grabbed a towel from the chair next to the hot tub and threw it over my shoulders to conceal my new tattoo just as Clint and Will entered the pool area.
I sat with my feet in the water as fire shot through me when Clint suddenly picked up Allie and jumped into the pool with her in his arms. I slammed my beer realizing there just wasn’t enough liquor to deal with any of this crap.
Everyone around me was jabbering on about something, but I couldn’t pull my focus from the pool and the fact that Allie and Clint were talking while only their heads were out of the water. She started to swim away when Clint pulled her to him and appeared to be hugging her under the water.
Quick summary: the most hated man in Colorado had his arms wrapped tightly around the woman I was in love with. Her perfect chest was pressed against his, and I was having trouble breathing as my diaphragm seemed to be shutting down altogether.
I looked away trying to figure out how to deal.
Will sat next to Evan as Allie let out a squeal when dickhead had her in his arms and threw her a few feet away from him. He glanced over with a smug smile that was a kick in the balls.
Everything sucked. Should I leave? Go to my room in order to assure I didn’t throw Clint through the window and into the magical Christmas snow outside?
As I contemplated his future, Allie climbed out of the pool with buttmuch on her tail heading toward us.
Lexi slapped the water with her hand. “Allison, get your hiney in here.”
She hopped in when Rachel gasped. “Allie, you got a tattoo?”
Her eyes went wide and shot to me and relief washed over her when she saw my perfectly placed towel. “I, well, I did.”
Lexi leaned in and examined it. “You know we do these kinds of things as a group. Friendship is doing dumb shit together. What were you thinking?”
“I guess I didn’t think.” Her face grew rosy as the rest of the crew leaned forward to take a look. “Being a grown up is tough, and I deserve to have a cool sticker.”
“When?” Rachel scooted closer to her. “When did you get it? It’s very pretty.”
“When I got here. Yeah, I went to town and decided what the hell.” She let out an airy laugh.
Lexi cocked her head. “It’s unlike you to just get a tattoo. That’s something you totally wouldn’t do.”
Emily strolled over and plopped in the hot tub while Lexi eyed my visible tattoos, and I quickly looked away.
FIFTY-TWO
ALLIE
OH MOTHER TRUCKER
Shit, shit, and shit!
“I can totally fly by the seat of my pants sometimes.” I dramatically threw my fist in the air. “Yup, that’s why I got it.” My nodding was rapid. “I saw that tattoo parlor and said, Allie, get your ass in there. It’s time to live a hell yeah life. Am I right, or am I right?”
Lexi shot me a that’s bullshit stare, and I wanted to disappear down the hot tub drain. “Enough about me. Emily, how are you doing? Big day is almost here.” I reached into the water and grabbed her hand. “Tell us every single emotion you’re feeling right now.”
“Turns out there’s nothing like planning a wedding to make you want to punch every person you’ve ever met in the throat.” She gave a nod. “Not you guys, of course.”
Travis hopped out and grabbed a towel. “I wanted to sneak off to the Virgin Islands if you remember correctly.” He winked. “But your choice was a splashy affair, but I’m sure it’ll be great.”
She blew him a kiss. “Oh, don’t question my choices; you were one of them, buddy.”
Kristina laughed. “The wedding will be beautiful.”
Emily leaned her head back. “I keep telling myself to put those big girl panties on and shut up. But I’ve really been debating on hopping into my ass kicker boots and messing some folks up. My mother is driving me nuts, and I’m a little pissed.”
