Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Tonight, to appease them and, okay . . . to step a little out of my comfort zone, I wore one of their old dresses to the bonfire. It’s this tight lavender minidress with a thin tie that knots behind my neck. I felt a little silly when I first put it on—what with so much skin showing—so before I left my dorm, I threw on a denim jacket over it.
“Off,” Lara says as soon as she sees me wearing the jacket over the dress. The order is accompanied by an impatient snap.
I laugh. “What? Why? I’ll get chilly!”
Her eyebrows drop like she’s not buying it. Her patience with me dwindles by the day. “We’re in the tropics. It’s never cold here, especially not in August.”
Camila chimes in, taking up the cause on her sister’s behalf. “You have a great rack, Paige, and it pains me, truly. It hurts my heart that you insist on hiding it away from everyone.”
“But—”
“No.”
“I—”
“Nuh-uh,” Lara says, slicing her hand through the air like she’s done negotiating.
They succeed in convincing me to slide off my jacket, and, as I expected, there’s a moment of awkwardness where it seems like every person sitting around the bonfire is looking at me, blinking slowly, thinking the same thought. Damn, hold up. Paige was a girl this whole time?! Théo and Oscar aren’t shy about whistling and teasing me, but I forgive them for it because I know they’re just trying to make me laugh. Everyone else thankfully keeps their comments to themselves.
I know that I’m not homely. I look just like my mom, and I think my mom is drop-dead gorgeous. So why isn’t Blaze proposing to me this very minute?
He’s here now. I watched him walk up with his friends a second ago, just as I finished sliding off my jacket, but he hasn’t looked this way.
Lara understands my predicament, and she wants to help. “Arch your back more. Yeah, like that.”
Lara takes my shoulders in her hands and forcibly thrusts my chest forward. It looks like I have an extreme case of scoliosis, but it gets the job done. Blaze glances over, and his eyes widen in obvious appreciation at the sight of me (thank you, genetics), and then he gives me a little wave and a smile.
“Good, now look away. Look away!” Camila hisses frantically.
I look down at the sand, up at the night sky, to Camila, to Lara, then back to Blaze because I just can’t help it. I’m flailing.
Lara laughs and shakes her head. “Girl, you’re hopeless.”
I sigh and shift so I’m facing away from him. Totally unbothered by his presence.
“Is he still looking over here?” I hiss out of the corner of my mouth, as if he could possibly hear me from way over here.
“No. He’s talking to Cole now.”
What?!
My heart lurches in my chest. I spasm, sputter, stall like I’m a manual car with a novice driver behind the wheel. Then I look up, desperately searching for Cole among the small crowd. My shoulders slump when I don’t see him, and I feel silly. Of course he’s not here. I didn’t end up inviting him. Blaze is still talking to his friend, another bartender from the grotto poolside lounge. Not Cole. Never Cole.
I shoot Camila an angry glare, but it only makes her and Lara laugh more.
“Sorry, I just can’t help it. God, it’s so easy with you.”
Lara agrees, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder. “I know. You don’t even have to say his full name to freak her out. Just Co—See? She already has goose bumps.”
“I do not!” I swipe my hands over my arms to make all the little hairs lie flat again. “It’s not just me. Everyone has this reaction to him.” And because I’m worried they’ll misconstrue what reaction I’m talking about exactly, I add, “Everyone hates him.”
Lara shrugs. “Eh, not everyone. I heard Tamara talking in the break room the other day. Going on and on about how hot he is.”
“Yeah, I was there too.” Camila rolls her eyes. “She sounded obsessed. I didn’t think I was going to be able to finish my lunch, listening to her droning on like that.”
Tamara likes Cole? This is news to me. Why am I only finding out about this now? Surely, this is breaking news for everyone, not just me.
I lean toward them, suddenly needing answers. “Tamara? Is she that waitress from the Bistro? The one with the high-pitched voice?”
They nod in confirmation.
“Blonde? But more platinum than me?” I ask, just to triple-check I’m thinking of the right person.
“Yup.” Lara nods.
Damn. From the few interactions I’ve had with Tamara, I know she’s pretty and sweet. She’s the kind of perky that guys usually lap up. Giggly and fun loving. I didn’t think there was much going on behind the wide-eyed gaze, but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe Cole sees something I don’t.