Malibu Love Story: A Novella

Chapter 16: Party Time

Reed was nervous.

She stood in front of her colorful closet, wrapped in a towel, freshly showered, a tabula rasa, so to speak. She saw the yellow shirt Duncan had suggested and took it off the hanger so she could lay it on her bed. It was a little more form fitting than she preferred, but Duncan liked it, and for some reason that still mattered to her. She chose a white skirt to go with it, and the open weave flats. She didn't want to wear heels tonight—she didn't want to risk falling, and she didn't need any reason to feel bigger or taller than she was.

It never failed; no matter her age, or how many she attended, parties made her anxious. She didn't even like to go to church functions with Sam, and she'd known most of those people all her life.

"Come on, don't be such a baby," she muttered to herself as she got dressed. After that, she only had to put a clip in her hair and put on some makeup.

Great. It was only 4:30. The guests were told to arrive after 5:30. The bartender probably hadn't even arrived yet.

"Knock knock," Duncan called through the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she answered, looking around. She sat on the edge of the bed, trying to look relaxed and casual.

"Look at you," Duncan said with a laugh. "You look so tense and expectant, like a girl at a ball waiting to be asked to dance." He plopped down beside her and nudged her shoulder with his own. "Relax, no one's here to judge you, they're here to judge me."

Reed looked at him. He was wearing a blue linen shirt, unbuttoned casually low to show quite a bit of his toned chest, along with jeans that fit him just right.

"Yeah? You look great, so no problem there," she countered, fiddling with her blouse.

"You think so? Thanks," Duncan responded, pleased. "You look absolutely delightful as well, don't take on so." And to him, she did indeed look completely beautiful and alluring. Her hair hung in soft waves down her back, the yellow shirt clung to her body, accentuating her curves, molding sweetly to her breasts and waist.

He quickly brought his eyes back to her face, which looked radiant as well.

Reed smiled at his words, making her look even more stunning to him.

"Thank you," she said, her voice soft. She let out a hitching breath. "Let's get this over with, then." And she rose from her place on the bed.

"You're just going to a party, not marching off to face a firing squad," he encouraged. "I know, let's get you a drink, I'm sure the bar's been set up by now."

"Sounds great, let's go." Reed felt Duncan's hand on her back, and realized how much she'd missed being touched by him. She sighed to herself.

Ten minutes later, with a drink in her hand, Reed felt marginally better. She wondered how Duncan would introduce her to people. She certainly wasn't his girlfriend, not recently, anyway.

The guests began arriving shortly after, and Reed was introduced to a bewildering number of people as "a very good friend of mine."

Nancy arrived in a very short mini dress that showed off her miles of legs and superb tan.

"Hello, Reed," she said, leaning in to air kiss her cheek. "You're looking well."

"You too," she responded, which was no less than the truth. Reed sighed again, knowing she could never look like Nancy, slim and elegant, expensively casual.

"There you are," Duncan called walking over. "Come, I want you to meet someone." And he bore Reed away, leaving Nancy standing alone. She looked after them, her gaze inscrutable, and it occurred to Reed that Nancy didn't know of her estranged status.