Page 38 of The New Year's Party
There was a silence. Phelps could feel the tension between them. It was... interesting. Weirdly interesting. To see Bennett all worked up—Bennett, who was never worked up. To know that their friendship might not last the night.
But it sure as hell would last until the salmon was done.
Chapter 19
Olivia
She couldn’t help the sound that escaped her mouth. The salmon was perfection. First, the salad had teased her taste buds with its sharp miso-based vinaigrette. Of course, she’d had a bit of the martini Phelps mixed her immediately—too heavy on the olive juice, but it did help her relax—and now the salmon wasslayingher. The creamy, tart dill sauce like velvet in your mouth just as you encountered the buttery flakes of fish.
Whether it was the salmon or the alcohol, she was feeling frankly giddy. She was sitting at the same table as Bennett and Phelps, and the world had not exploded. Bennett knew, he had already known, and he’d still chosen Olivia. How he knew didn’t matter—okay, maybe it did matter, but that was a problem for future Olivia—but most importantly, he had forgiven her long ago, and he and Phelps seemed to be getting along fine. There was no crisis.
Her next bite of salmon, she took with her eyes closed. So good. The weight of the secret was off her. She felt five years younger. Ten! Everything tasted better. She wanted everyone to feel as good as she felt.
“Hey, did everyone see Will’s viral video?” said Ted, breaking the silence that had followed the serving of the salmon.
“What video?” said Bennett.
Ted got out his phone and held it up toward the group. “It was on the local news... I was like, hey, I know that guy!”
His screen was too small for everyone to see, but they all stopped eating and leaned toward it anyway as Ted pressed Play. The sound was tinny and the image was blurry. Olivia could make out patches of what seemed like Will’s voice.
“...you could... register right here... buy you the bike... exit the store...”
It seemed to be a situation at the store Will managed? Olivia couldn’t quite make out the details, but good for Will.
“Fifty-thousand views,” said Hellie, admiring.
“Yeah...” Will seemed uncomfortable. “I did notice some people were filming.”
“Man, you let him get away?” protested Doug. He bunched his fists on either side of his plate. “Someone tries to take my shit right in front of my face, I would’ve—”
“He deescalated the situation,” said Bennett. “That was awesome, Will. Way to go.”
“Will is a peacemaker,” said Bunny in a tight, sarcastic voice. “Right, Will? Always making sure everyone gets along.” She laughed bitterly.
What had gotten into Bunny?
“Um...” Will laughed nervously. Thankfully, Phelps intervened.
“And doesn’t the world need more peacemakers? A toast.” They all raised their glasses—wine for most of them, just water for Doug. “To the peacemakers.”
Bunny only took a tiny sip, without clinking anyone’s glass. But Olivia reached her glass around, and across to Will.
There was another silence as they all picked up their utensils again. The mood had turned quite tense. Olivia rolled her shoulders and readjusted her hair, trying to recover the nice feelings she’d just been reveling in.
“The food is incredible, Phelps,” said Hellie after a minute.
“Yes,” said Olivia fervently.
“So good,” crooned Bunny.
“Damn. You really should open your own restaurant, man,” said Ted with a brash laugh. He looked straight at Jenn with what seemed to Olivia like a leer.
“Oooh! That’s a great idea!” said Allie, clapping her hands together, oblivious.
Olivia winced.
When Ted Kristos arrived fifteen minutes before dinner was served, his dark curly hair looking boyish, dressed in jeans, a Pink Floyd T-shirt and Air Jordans, Olivia wasn’t thrilled to see him. He’d been at the first party, a few more after that, and definitely the last one, but on the periphery. Even though he’d gone to Marquette with Bennett and the rest of the OG Four, he wasn’t part of their core friend group. Bennett assured Olivia that in high school Ted was whip-smart and funny as hell, but the side of Ted she’d seen was kind of nasty. He tended to get way too drunk and make cutting remarks loosely dressed up as humor.
