I ended up caving and agreed to go to the bonfire. Veronica was convincing; her argument being that it's taking place after work hours. And you know me? I'm not one to turn down a good party. Plus, it gives me reason to wear this new sequined top that I bought the other day.
Some girl named Kathleen Jennings is hosting the gathering, and her dad is a trusty board member of Meadows.
Normally, attending parties hosted by rich kids that I'm nothing like doesn't bother me, but my mind's been so fixed on the fact that I almost got fired today, so I'm feeling all types of insecure right now.
Veronica was wrong. I can't afford to lose this job. My family can't afford for me to lose this job. A year ago, she might've been right, but things have changed.
Besides Bella, nobody knows that my dad lost his sales job a few months ago. He's been on the hunt for a new one, but so far, no luck.
Because of what's been going on with my family, I feel like I'm gradually losing my sense of self. I've become more serious and less fun, more in my head and less spontaneous. And while I hate it, I can't help it at the same time.
I promised myself, though, that I'd go back to acting like my old self tonight – let loose, strike up a conversation with a stranger. I don't want to hold back. I want to be in the moment and enjoy a night out with my friend. I can go back to serious tomorrow when the clock hits 8 am.
Veronica and I are thirsty girls, so we help ourselves to some rosé.
"For you," she says, handing me a cup. Then she pours herself one.
"Cheers!" I say, clinking mine with hers.
I'm taking a sip as my eyes peer around the vicinity. "What a turn out," I remark.
"I spy with my little eye...Jimmy Daniels," Veronica states and I immediately move my eyes to her field of vision.
"Holy crap, he looks delicious," I say as I take him in with my hungry eyes. His blonde wavy locks are gelled back and he's sporting a clean-cut look. He's wearing washed-out navy khaki shorts and a long-sleeve button down and I swear I'm licking my lips.
"Geez, you really are in love."
"I'm making moves tonight," I say as I chug the remaining contents of the rosé.
"That's my girl!" Veronica cheers me on before she starts chugging with me.
I throw the cup down on the table, then shake my red hair out. I decided to leave it wavy tonight. "How do I look?"
Veronica combs a curled piece behind my ear. "Hot!"
I take a few breaths in and out, then make my way for my guy.
"Hey Jimmy," I say, coming to a stop in front of him. He's drinking from a plastic cup as his friend talks to him, but he lowers it down when he hears me.
"Hey, Rem," he says, and I don't think that I'll ever get sick of him calling me 'Rem'. "How are you?"
"I'm good. Just got here with my friend Veronica," I say, gesturing to her. But I instantly regret it because she's standing several feet away, watching us with a weird smile on her face.
"She looks familiar," he says.
"That's probably because she works with me in the restaurant at Meadows," I say, and he nods his head once.
"That would be it!"
I wait for him – hope for him – to say something more, but we're kind of just standing there, so I rock back and forth on my feet, then pipe up:
"If you're ever free, I'd love to get tog-"
I'm stopped from finishing my sentence when a shadow casts around me; Brooks appearing into view.
"What's going on over here?" he asks, peering from me to Jimmy. I can't tell if he genuinely has the worst timing ever or if he intentionally intervened because he hates me that much.
"Yo, Jim," a preppy-looking guy standing a few feet away calls out with a wave, "get your ass over here. Need to ask you something."
"Will you excuse me for just a second?" Jimmy says, placing his hand on my shoulder.
I smile at him as he walks away, shoving at Brooks' chest when Jimmy is no longer nearby.
"Ever heard of social cues?" I ask.
"You know, the last time you shoved me, we both ended up falling into a pool."
"No," I blink. "You fell and dragged me along with you. Because that's what you do. You drag me into your mistakes, which include but are not limited to: mocking me, getting me in trouble, and invading my personal space."
He latches onto my shoulders. "Sounds to me like someone needs a drink."
I knock his hands off with my arms. "Already had one, but thanks for the suggestion. Now," I say, brushing his shoulder with mine, "if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to my friend since you, oh so, disrespectfully ruined my chances of asking Jimmy out."
Brooks finds a way to get in front of me so that I'm stopped from going any farther. "I'll make it up to you," he says, but before I can even question what he means, he turns his body and covers the sides of his mouth with his hands. "Yo, Jimmy," he shouts, "would you please, for the love of god, spare us all the melodramatics and just take Remi out already?"
I immediately react on my first instinct, which involves tackling Brooks to the ground. I'm hoping, no PRAYING, that Jimmy didn't just hear Brooks, otherwise I can't promise you that I won't have him in a chokehold within the next 3 seconds.
"You son of a bitch," I growl once I'm on top of him. I'm so mad that I fail to notice that I'm practically straddling Brooks; that his hands are gripping my thighs; that my body is responding in a way that I never thought it would.
"Will you stop hitting me?" he says as I repeatedly jab him with my fists. He's lucky that I'm being gentle right now.
"Yeah, when you promise to stop being a dick."
"If being a dick means getting you on top of me like this then I'm not making a promise like that."
That gets me up fast.
"Perv," I state, rolling my eyes.
Brooks stays on the ground and perches his knees, wrapping his hands around them. He looks at me with that annoyingly charmingly smile of his. "Help me up?" he asks.
"No shot," I state.
"C'mon, Red," he begs, holding his hand out. "Please."
I don't say anything, but finally do as he asks, and the second that our hands interlock, he brings me down so that I'm on top of him again.
I don't stay that way for long because he rolls me over with his body so that my back is now the one touching the sand.
He locks me in, holding my wrists together in his right hand, above my head.
"Brooks, you have 2 seconds to get your body off mine before I smack you."
He grins conceitedly. "With what hands, genius?"
"Brooks, I'm not kidding."
He dips his face down to mine, our lips merely centimeters from touching, and I feel goosebumps form on my skin. He licks his lips; I think that I do the same, and then he brings his mouth to my ear.
I get it. I get why girls fawn over Brooks Caldwell. He's too hot; too suave for his own good.
He smirks at me, knowing that I'm feeding into his charm, and then says something that confuses the shit out of me.
"Before I walk away, I need to get something off my chest," he begins, and my eyes scan his face when he pauses. "You look really beautiful tonight."
He doesn't give me a chance to even process his words because, before I know it, he's picking his body up and walking away.
YOU ARE READING
Under the Stars (Sequel to Across the Pond)
Romance*The sequel to Across the Pond* Brooks Caldwell is the bane of my existence. Has been ever since I've known him. And, of course, luck would have it that I'm forced to spend my entire summer in his presence when I'm offered a job at the posh country...
