Brookside Academy

4 - Island Time

It's 4pm now, and Ryan and I are shoved in the downstairs bathrooms of Will's guest house. She's rummaging through her tote, muttering a string of expletives.

"Damn, Ry, what's got you so worked up?"

In lieu of an answer, she gestures to her bag. "Still not helpful, Ryan."

She rolls her eyes. "I accidentally grabbed an old silver ring when packing and now I either have to wear silver or only wear three rings."

"Seriously? Girl, put your swimsuit on and go out to the boat, you're so dramatic."

She sticks her tongue out at me in response, so I do the mature thing. I stick mine out right back. We both break down in giggles, and then move to our individual bags to get changed.

Ryan is wearing a green bikini, the same style as my black one. We're almost matching, which despite our drastically different styles, happens more than one may think. After getting dressed, we make our way out to the private docks at the front of Will's property.

"Hey!" Ryan runs to Will's voice, and he sweeps her up in a chaste, but still romantic, hug, leaving me walking the last few feet to the boat, only to awkwardly end up standing next to Ben, who suddenly seems very interested in the font Ryan is written in on the boat's back. (Yep. Will's boat is named after his girlfriend.) Regardless, with Ryan still wrapped around him, Will gestures for us to board, so Ben and I begin moving toward the boat.

I'm making the step from the dock to the boat, when Ben tries to do the same thing at the exact same time. I elbow him out of the way, and he does the same in return. However, since he has about nine inches on me, and a whole lot more muscle, he's able to push me back and get on the boat first.

"What the hell, Bennett?"

In lieu of a response, he smirks at me, green eyes daring me to say another word, and finds a seat in the main part of the boat. So, I do the natural thing and take my seat on the open air benches toward the back. Problem solved. I can get some sun and ignore Bennett. Ben having to endure the happy couple that is Will and Ry is just a plus. I love them to death, but God, does their relationship get annoying.

•••

The boat trip is in full swing by now, and Will has driven out on the water far enough that a small enclave of land is within our sight, but it's not Will's private compound. We've pulled to a side and stopped for a bit, and the first thing I hear through the screen is William and Ryan flirting, but I'm too enthralled in my newest book to pay much attention to them.

At least, until I hear the canvas screen unzip, and standing right there in my personal space bubble is none other than the heir to the Sterling fortune. I ask, "Can I help you?"

He jerks his thumb behind him. "Not unless you have two muzzles."

"Oh come on Ben, they're not that bad."

He raises his eyebrows in response to this, and for whatever reason, I break down laughing for a few moments before composing myself. This is Bennett after all.

"Alright fine. They're unbearable right now." As I say this, the clear plastic shows Ryan wrapped around Will's waist in a rather compromising position, and I'm pretty sure they've forgotten Ben and I are here. At least there's still clothes on.

"I can't say I enjoy your company, but you're better than them. So what are we doing?"

"We," I repeat, "are doing nothing. I am reading my book and getting a nice tan in. You can sit on the opposite end of the boat and...plot world domination or whatever it is your kind do. Look over lacrosse plays or something."