Lacey

I FLEW INTO EAST Hampton and was greeted at the gate by my best friend. I leapt into Jessa’s arms and clung on to her, “You look so hot!” I yelled as I pulled her close.

She laughed, “Shut up, Lacey,” she said with a smirk. “People are staring.”

“People always stare at you ‘cos you’re hot and on TV.” I grabbed her butt, and she giggled.

“You are crazy,” she laughed. My best friend had always been gorgeous, but she only realized how super gorgeous she was when she went to college and guys started to notice her. Now she was married to her childhood sweetheart who we both went to high school with and who I still made work hard for my affections. He’d been a bad guy in the past but redeemed himself as a sexy husband from heaven, but he needed to know I had my eye on him. She worked reading the news for ‘Good Morning Chicago’ so everyone knew who she was.

“My hair is shitty, my nails need doing and my skin has gone dry. Please, can we get booked into the nearest spa place for the day ASAP?” I whined, linking her arm and pulling my suitcase behind me.

“I didn’t want to say,” she clicked her tongue, “but your hair isn’t its usual self.”

“No, it is not,” I sighed, “now let’s get moving.”

Jessa drove us to the houses that the family were renting for the week. I was only staying a few nights but luckily had my own bedroom. Jessa and Will were sharing a house with their kids; Jessa’s dad; Will’s brother Henry and his partner, Jace; Will’s grandpa; and me. Next door was Will’s professional football player brother, Tom and his girlfriend, Marla. I’d met her a couple of times. Also there was Marla’s family, and that place was cramped as hell. She had three of her four siblings staying as well as her mom.

When we arrived, the place was already crazy. On the way over I had found a nearby salon that would give us massages, mani-pedi’s and resolve my hair situation. Jessa made excuses about Will not being left with two kids.

“Oh my God!” I shrieked, “he gets you twenty-four-seven and I want you for one afternoon, I’ll talk to him.”

“Lacey, I need to plan the food for tomorrow and wrap Monty’s gifts.” She began as she pulled into the driveway behind a fleet of cars.

“This is happening,” I told her, “plus we’re gonna have margaritas somewhere and guess what? When we get back, there will be wine... lots of wine.”

She laughed and cut the engine, “No one takes care of me like you do, girl.” She said shaking her head.

“Don’t tell Will. I don’t want to dent his sexy ego.” I smirked.

We barreled into the beachfront property that was bigger than any beach house I’d visited before. The voices were heard as soon as I walked in and everyone seemed to be on the deck. Cries wafted in from outside and I saw a little man with dark hair and dark eyes like his daddy, hot foot it to Jessa as soon as she was visible to the crowd.

“Lacey!” Tom, Will’s football star brother, walked over with a beer in one hand at only noon and hugged me, “great to see you.” I grinned, Tom was always heaps of fun and gorgeous of course.

“Hey, Lacey,” Jim Jenson, Jessa’s dad, pulled me into a hug. These guys were like my second family and I felt at home around them. It made me wonder why Montana had been such a great idea when I could be surrounded by people who already thought I was da bomb.

Tom snuck me a beer, sat me next to Marla and her sister, and Henry blew me a kiss across the deck. The family were rowdy, and it was crazy but it felt good. Evie, Jessa’s stepdaughter found me. “Hey, Lacey,” she said, “do you like my new dress?”

“Sure do, sweety,” I said reaching out for her to sit on my lap. She was six but not too old for a snuggle. “It’s so pretty and like mine, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.” She grinned.

After Jessa had settled Monty and spoken to a few family members, I made a beeline for Will.

“Hey, dangerous,” I said to him with a smile and he smirked at me.

“Hey, trouble,” he replied in his low rumble. I stepped forward and gave him a quick hug. We’d settled our differences about his assholeness years ago, but I liked to keep him on his toes.

“You doing okay?” he asked as I pulled back and I nodded.  Will was no stranger to heartache himself, and so I knew he was genuine when asking after me and how I was doing.

“I’m doing alright.” I shrugged, “you hear that douche Bryan knocked someone up?”

He shrugged and swatted my shoulder, “It happens, Lace.”

“I know, I’m okay about it. He wanted a family, and I wasn’t the girl to give it to him.” I added a dazzling to smile to show him how I really was just fine.“Anywaaaay,” I drew out my word.

“Oh no,” he shook his head, “what d’ya want?”

“I’ve booked Jessa and I into a salon nearby for some treatments ‘cos I really neeeeeed bestie time and you have things covered here, right?”

He blew out a breath, “This place is fuckin’ crazy.” He gruffed, “and all these people.” I knew he wasn’t the best people person.

“You get her all the time. It’s one afternoon and I am heartbroken,” I lowered my lashes and he pursed his lips.

He shook his head, “It’s not as if I have any choice but I don’t know what shit needs to be done for tomorrow and all these people need to eat.” He sighed, “Jessa is organizing stuff.”

“Chill. We’ll be a few hours and back for dinner.” I leant up to give him a quick kiss, "I’ll go round her up."

Twenty minutes later we waved goodbye to everyone and Jessa and I drove away from the mad house to get pampered. I needed them to focus on my hair as soon as I got in there, so I sat in foils, had a trim and then joined Jessa getting a mani-pedi. She had a massage whilst mine was finished and we both sipped champagne as the pampering took place. The salon was jammed because of the holiday but I had managed to get us in by making sure I gave a huge tip. Jessa had a blow out whilst my new hair was being blow dried and tousled. On leaving I felt like a million bucks and finally the Montana dust had been washed from me for a little while.

We left and on the way back I made Jessa pull over at the seafood restaurant we’d seen on the way into town to grab a drink.

“You are a bad influence,” Jessa smirked as she held her Pina Colada in the air for me to chink. I had a Margarita, and I finally felt like the old me. The one I wasn’t sure I liked.

“Honestly, Montana is like a life away from all of this,” I sighed.

“Yeah?” she grinned, “so don’t go back. You have your apartment and the place runs itself. Stop hiding and get home.”

I sighed and sipped my drink, “I know it’s weird but it’s strangely soothing, you know?”

“No,” she scrunched her face and shook her head. “How? On a farm?”

“Yeah, don’t get me wrong. I love having my hair done and my nails had gotten ridiculous but it’s freeing just kicking it back, riding the horses and working from a little cottage.” I shrugged with a smile, “just until I figure things out.”

“What’s to figure out?” Jessa asked, looking at me intently. “You can’t re-evaluate your whole life based on this break-up,” she said. “I get that you feel a little lost and you gave up your job, but you just need to find the new normal.”

“I know,” I reached out and grabbed her hand. She was the greatest friend anyone could wish for. “I’m okay for now where I am. I’m not ready for New York just yet.”

She narrowed her eyes, “Is there a guy there?”

I smirked and sipped my drink, not saying a word.

“Oh, for God’s sake Lacey, there’s always a guy. I should have known.” She laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

“You know men are drawn to me like moths to a flame, but this is different,” I smirked and took a glug of my drink.

“Different?” she raised an eyebrow in question.

“It’s so weird there, like everyone knows everyone…it's worse than Richmond.” I laughed, and Jessa shook her head as we both fondly recalled the off-the-radar town where we grew up.

“Nowhere is worse than Richmond,” she joked.

“Well this place is super small, and I’ve stumbled into a family drama where the guy that runs the place is the previous owner’s son. Looks like she lost the farm due to her addiction problems and is currently in rehab whilst he looks after the farm, his teenage sister and his little brother.” I gave her a what about that tight smiled and shrugged.

“Shit,” she shook her head with disbelief, “and how old is he?”

“Twenty-five,” I added, “he’s like a forty-year-old at heart and he rarely smiles.”

“Sounds like Will,” Jessa teased. “He’s always been an old man and his smiles are extremely rare unless the kids are around.”

“Well anyway, it’s different and beautiful and relaxed and...” I finished my drink and motioned for the waiter to bring two more.

“So, you’re sleeping with the troubled dude who’s looking after his siblings, huh?” she guessed and I bit my lower lip.

“One time,” I held up an index finger, “just once.”

“Has the guy not got enough problems?” Jessa smirked.

“He kissed me first actually,” I said, “but it won’t be happening again. He was very clear and although he obviously can’t resist me, I’m not sure he likes me too much.”

“You are super likeable,” Jessa said, holding up her glass to me, “super likeable.”

“Oh God, are you drunk?” I giggled.

“Hmmmm, I better call Will to collect us. I think champagne and cocktails have rendered me a danger on the road.” I laughed, she laughed too and when Will answered she struggled to compose herself to speak to him.

He was pissed when he collected us but mellowed on the car ride home. Back at the house most people had gone out for dinner, so Will ordered pizza and we ate on the deck with Henry, Jace, Will and the kids. Jace loved his wine so a new bottle was opened as soon as we tipped up home and a game of Trivial Pursuits was found somewhere in the rental.

The night was warm, and the sea air relaxed me even more. After a full stomach of pizza, my fill of wine and spending time with the oldest friends I had, I went to bed with a smile.

“Lacey, this time next year I promise your life will be back on track,” Jessa said as she hugged me before I retired to my room.

“I hope so, sweety,” I said. “I really hope so.”

The next day was Monty’s birthday party. Jessa had a barbeque on the deck with everyone there. Monty loved blowing out his candles and playing with his big sister whilst everyone chatted and ate their fill of food. A chartered yacht had been hired for the night, and so we were all taking it easy plus my head was a little foggy from the day before. My hair and nails looked amazing though.

We all walked along the sand to the boat together and we were a huge crowd. Tom was totally smitten with his new little blonde and she was sweeter than sugar. He’d managed to get a real-life sweetheart despite his whoring ways. How did that always work out for men? I guessed I’d just stick to my own whoring ways as who needed a man anyway? They only held you back from doing what you really wanted to do.

The boat set sail. We had entertainment, a bar, waitresses passing out drinks and canapés, and soon there would be fireworks. It was perfect, except I was alone. Jessa tried her best to be attentive in my time of need, but she had her kids and Will to tend to. Her dad and Will’s grandpa were old friends, and so they were always drinking and laughing together. Everyone else seemed to have a person... except me.

To top it all off, Tom got the guitarist to sing some mushy country song, so he could propose to his perfect girlfriend. I knocked the wine back as everyone congratulated them.

“Hey, Lacey, I hate happy too.” Jace said, sliding up next to me and giving me an elbow to the ribs.

“You do not,” I pursed my lips and hid a smile. “You love happy.”

“No I don’t. I love drama and angst and heartache and all this mushy stuff bores me.” He grinned.

“That’s because you are happy with Henry and will be forever and ever and you haven’t wandered this earth lonely for almost a decade.” I shrugged, “I’m a spinster.”

He threw his arm around me, pulled me to him and kissed my head, “You’re a knockout, kiddo, and when the right guy makes his move, you’ll let him in.”

“I’m happy alone,” I squeaked, “I ended the marriage you know?”

“Oh I know,” Jace smiled, “You know I make it my business to know everyone else’s business, so I got the lowdown off Jessa. And by the way your ex was such a dullard. You need someone with a little life.”

“Judgy,” I nudged him and he laughed, “he was a good guy but...”

“Hey, it took guts to end it and I praise you for it, so let’s just focus on the happiness for Tom after years of being a total idiot with a wandering dick.” He raised his glass, “to Tom and Marla. We never thought you’d marry a girl who hadn’t let you snort blow out of her ass cheeks.” Luckily the noise on the boat was so loud in that moment with the engagement: champagne popping, nearby fireworks cracking, and the general hysteria, that no one but me heard his crude joke. It made me laugh so hard that my stomach ached and tears started to fall from my eyes. Jace watched me with a satisfied smile but that changed when he hugged me as real emotion took hold of me again.

“You don’t always have to be tough,” he said into my ear.

I wiped tears and threw back more wine, “I’m not trying to be tough. I’m tougher than anyone you know.” I poked him in the chest.

“You are tougher than me, girl,” he said and kissed my cheek.

Henry sat by my other side and also put his arm around me, “Where’s that crazy girl who used to spike asshole’s drinks and watch them pee themselves at parties?” he asked.

I laughed, “That happened once.” I lowered my eyes to him.

“Well quite frankly I’m ready for round two. Pass me your glass, Jace.” I laughed again at Henry’s joke, making my stomach ache.

“You need to get out to California to us for a vacay,” Henry said later as the three of us laid back watching the last of the fireworks light up the sky.

“We barely work. We spend our days working out, trying not to eat and sitting by the pool.” Jace said, “it’s a hard life.”

“Sure is,” Henry agreed.

“Maybe one day,” I said, letting out a long breath.

“It beats the shit out of the dry heat of Montana,” Jace followed up, “your hair must be frazzled out there.”

I shook my head with a smile, “I guess they are lacking some beauty essentials, but you know what? It actually isn’t so bad when you get used to it.”

“Oh fuck, what’s his name?” Jace guessed a guy was involved and Henry turned to me with an expectant look.

“I’ll grab another bottle of Pinot,” Henry said, “don’t say a word until I get back.”