Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Apparently, “Happy Birthday” wasn’t fancy enough.
After we drank to the birthday girl’s health once more, Matt sat down and said conspiratorially, “The worst second of my entire year, annually, is when I start singing that song and have to wait for everyone to sing along before I can drop out and mouth the words.”
“Yeah, but this year you got attacked by a bear,” I reminded him.
“The singing is still the worst.” He drained his champagne.
Dessert came in the form of a giant three-tiered cake that was presented and quickly sliced for serving, but I noticed many people filtering out of the room.
“After the toasts, dinner is basically over,” Scott explained in a low voice. “Some people stick around for cake, some head straight to the ballroom.”
The dancing. I blanched. “I have no idea how to dance.”
“Neither do I,” Matt supplied. “But people still ask me to. Do your best. Everyone will be drunk soon, anyway, so it won’t matter.”
“And avoid his Uncle Charles,” Scott said, unknowingly reiterating Matt’s warning from before.
Though I’d dreaded Scott’s presence before our come-to-Jesus meeting, I was grateful for him, now. He had experience being the odd man out at these events and could offer advice Matt might have overlooked.
“Well, I’m staying right here for now,” I said, gesturing to the cake.
“I have a better idea,” Matt said, patting the breast of his jacket. “Maybe the three of us should get a little fresh air, then come back for cake.”
“I think that’s a fine idea,” Scott agreed. “I’ll go first, so we don’t look suspicious.”
“Back terrace, behind the rectangular hedges,” Matt directed him.
When he’d gone, I turned to Matt. “So, am I going to see you dancing with a bunch of desirable high-society women tonight?”
“Yes. But you’re the one I’m taking back to my room with me.”
“Okay. That’s the right answer.” I nudged him with my elbow.
“I do have an ex here,” he warned me in a low voice. “It’s only fair to let you know. But there’s nothing to be worried about.”
My stomach twisted. That was the kind of thing someone said about a person I definitely should be worried about.
“She was my girlfriend for four weeks in the seventh grade,” he added with a wink.
I gave him a little push and an outraged scoff. “Don’t prey on my insecurities in a vulnerable situation like this.”
He put an arm around my shoulders and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “You’re right, that was cruel of me. Let’s go outside and get high at my mother’s fancy party.”
As we left the dining room and walked through the foyer, I noted Matt scanning the crowd. “Looking for your childhood sweetheart?” I chided him.
“No… I’m wondering which one of these guys is fucking my sister,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching. “I don’t care what she does, but it’s fascinating to think that anyone wants to spend that much time alone in a room with her.”
“I should have tried to get a peek,” I said, quickly adding, “Before anything started, I mean!”
He laughed.
“Does it help if the guy’s voice sounded a little bit familiar?” The feeling that I should have recognized it still nagged at me. Of course, we’d chit-chatted with so many people at the garden party, everyone probably sounded the same to me.
“Not unless you can put a name to the similarity.” He held the door open for me and we stepped out into the balmy night air. There were other guests on the terrace, smoking cigarettes or strolling around the garden, but Matt seemed wholly unconcerned about that as he retrieved the joint and lighter from his pocket and paused to spark it up right at the bottom of the stone stairs. The discreet smoking spot Matt had chosen was a useless little cluster of hedges right out in the open, and Scott stood waiting for us there.
“Um, aren’t people going to be offended that we’re out here blazing up?” I asked. Matt shrugged as we made our way over to the hedges. “Fuck ’em. Half of them are going to use coke in the guest bathrooms tonight.”
“We’re on a mission tonight,” Matt told Scott, holding the lit joint out to him and exhaling a cloud of blue into the night sky. Scott took a puff. “Oh, yeah?”
“We’re trying to figure out who’s fucking my sister.”
Scott choked and coughed.
Wow, freshman,” I quipped, taking the joint from his hand.
“Why?” he wheezed, mostly to Matt.
“Morbid curiosity.” Matt said.
“Look, I know who’s fucking my sister, and I kind of wish I didn’t.” Scott curled his lip in disgust. “Maybe some things are better left a mystery.”
“If things are better left a mystery, maybe she shouldn’t be fucking some guy during her mom’s birthday party.” I passed off to Matt.
“Wait, what?” Scott looked between the two of us.