Liv
Miami is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen. Despite the heat, it is a pool of generated excitement, bright colors, cheerful laughter, and all-around amusement. I let the realization sink in as I lay on the sand of South Beach. The day is too perfectly warm to stay inside the house, so we all decided to pack a bag of sunscreen and beach towels and hit the road. We ended up here and are now relaxing as the sun does its work.
The girls are playing volleyball with a few guys they met, Mateo’s getting Mason and me flavored slushies, and Noah is somewhere in the water trying—and failing—to surf. Mason is next to me under the huge umbrella, while I am a bit out in the sun, trying to get a little tan. Nothing too serious, though. I don’t want to go to David’s party looking like an orange popsicle. I made sure to apply a bit of sunscreen on my body and make sure to turn on each side so one side doesn’t get too much or too little.
“Perk up. It’s a Baywatch moment,” Mason says excitedly, shoving my shoulder with his toes.
“Great, record it for me,” I mumble into the towel beneath my body.
“I don’t think my boyfriend would appreciate that, and neither would yours,” he jests.
I pick up my head and glare at his annoying grin. “Gross.” I finally turn around, leaning on my elbows. But when I spot what he’s talking about, my jaw drops into the sand.
Noah is running out of the water, his fit body, muscled and lean, soaking wet. His V-line is very prominent and disappears into his light blue shorts. He’s flashing a deep-dimpled smile at me as he shakes out his golden-blond hair. I never realized how blatantly attractive he is. Well, I am very aware of it now.
“You know, this beach allows girls to be topless,” Noah says as he sits on the end of my towel.
I flush red and gently push him with my foot. “Why would I take off my top, perv?”
“I am not a perv. I’m just letting you know,” he defends, raising his hands with a cheeky smile. “You’d get better coverage…”
“Fuck off.” I laugh with a squeal when he grabs my foot and drags me onto his lap. I feel incredibly feverish with this skin-on-skin contact. But he doesn’t even seem to notice. Part of me is stung; maybe he’s been with so many girls he doesn’t even realize…
He whistles and fans his face. “Is it me, or did it just get hot in here?” His eyes flicker down to my bottom pressed on his knee, and I flush red with a little bit of relief he hasn’t man-whored himself out too much.
“Oh, shut up!” I sit on the ground beside him, but he brings my legs in his lap and lets them stay there. I hide my smile as he begins to rub them. I lay down and poke Mason’s outstretched foot. “Where’s your boyfriend with the slushies?”
“There was a magician,” he replies.
Noah stops rubbing, and he and I stare at Mason.
“A magician was performing by the stores, and he likes them,” he explains, and Noah and I share a look. “What? That’s not weird. He likes magicians. Geez.” He flushes bright, bright red as he lays back down, defending his boyfriend.
“I find it cute,” I say honestly, and Mason smiles at me.
“I can do magic,” Noah claims.
“Yeah, right,” I scoff.
“I’m being serious,” he deadpans.
I squint my eyes at him in disbelief. “What kind of trick can you do?”
His serious expression is muddled by his boyish smile. “I can make your panties disappear.”
“Noah!” I whine, but I can’t even hide my laugh.
“Nice one,” Mason cackles, and I grow even hotter.
“Shut up.” I stick my tongue out at him, and he does it right back.
“Slushy incoming!” Mateo announces as he jogs up to us. He falls beside Mason, gives him a chaste kiss, and hands us our slushies.
“Thanks, babe,” Mason gushes.
Noah leans over and takes a large sip, then beams at me. “Thanks, babe,” he mocks.
“Don’t steal my slushy,” I groan, pushing his head away, but he bounces right back and does it again with a proud smirk. I roll my eyes and let him take a few sips before I lean against his shoulder and drink the rest. The cold drink does wonders as it slides down my chest, but Noah’s hand twirling my bikini bottom’s string and his previous joke sparks the heat again, tenfold.
“You guys should join us.” Jaimie sinks to the ground, breathless.
“And be all sweaty and out of breath like you? I don’t think so.” I scrunch up my nose, and Noah squeezes it lightly. I swat him away and sling an arm around his neck. I somehow feel closer to him than ever, and he doesn’t seem to mind one bit.
Julia eyes me as she collapses next to her panting girlfriend. “I didn’t know you guys were so buddy-buddy,” she accuses.
I gulp and anxiously twirl the end of his hair. “Didn’t know we had to broadcast it to the world.”
She still isn’t on board with Noah and me being a thing, but I don’t even know if that’s what we are. We’ve only been on one date, and he hasn’t brought up what we are officially. Just friends trying something new? Or much, much more…? I want us to be one of the two that would crush him, but I have to remind myself that I must move on or I won’t get better and I’ll have to bulk up winter clothing for Nebraska. I hate myself for thinking like this, like Noah’s a means to an end I don’t want to come to, like I’m selfish. And I am…but it doesn’t mean I can’t develop feelings for him, right?
“So, I think we should leave now before it’s time for you to go,” Jaimie pipes up, cutting the unknown, thick tension between Julia and me. She looks between us and smacks my leg with an assuring smile. “I think she’d like the vases I found while browsing the shops the other day. Or we can search for a gift that’ll knock the others out of the water.”
Noah arches an eyebrow. “Vases? Gifts? What’s happening?”
I look at him and frown. I forgot to ask him to come with me to the party. “I’m going to a friend’s party, and I have to bring a gift.”
“You don’t have to.” Julia shakes her head.
“It’s the right thing to do, plus I really do want to.” I pause and flush for some reason. “They’re getting married. They could use a few things…if not, one nice item for their house.” I turn to Noah and add, “And I’d love if you could come with me.” Mason was supposed to come with me but has plans with Mateo that day.
“Of course I will,” he says, then grins from ear to ear. “You are too sweet,” Noah sighs and tenderly kisses my cheek.
I laugh while Jaimie awws, and my smile digs even deeper in my cheeks. That is until I open my eyes and look over his shoulder. Grey is walking by with two guys flanking his sides. My heart skips as his eyes lock with mine…then shifts to Noah, all around, then back to me. I hold my breath in anticipation, but he looks away and keeps walking. That stings for some reason, but I pull back and quickly stand.
“We should go,” I tell Jaimie, glance at Grey, who is already staring at me…then turn away and begin walking.
***
“You look very pretty, Livvy,” Noah compliments me as we pull up in front of the house. The house is large, blue with white trim and colorful beds of flowers. There is a chalkboard announcing the party with his and Holly’s names in fancy handwriting in the driveway.
“Thank you,” I mumble around my thumb as I gently suck the skin nervously. That little exchange of eyes with Grey before I abruptly left the beach pushed me off the sky-high cloud I resided in with Noah. Now, I’ve landed on my butt in the cold, hard reality of black eyes and rude remarks I will no doubt encounter the minute I step out of this car.
He squeezes my thigh. “You okay?”
I nod with a forced smile. “It’s just…Grey’s gonna be here and—”
His lips cut me off.
The kiss is short, and he rests his forehead on mine and says, “He doesn’t matter. You’re here for your friends, right?”
He doesn’t know David is like Grey’s brother, and I’m more so here because I promised I’d be here after blurting it out without thinking about the G problem.
“Yes.”
He pulls back, hand on the door handle. “Then let’s go and support them.”
I nod, sucking on my bottom lip.
His brows furrow. “Or shall we skip the party, buy a tub of ice cream, and watch some chick flicks?”
“There is no need.” I crack a smile just because he’d actually do that for me. See? We can work in a relationship; he’s…nice. “I think I’m fine now. I just needed a little time to prepare.”
He reaches over the center console and takes my hand in his. “I’ll be by your side the entire time.” His words are more than reassuring, so I get out and take his hand. He pulls me into his side, and I laugh. I grab the wrapped box in the trunk and pull him along the driveway and into the backyard, where music is playing and general chatter can be heard clear as day.
Blue and silver balloons are hung in a gorgeous willow tree in the far-right corner of the massive backyard. There are white-clothed tables, a built-in dance floor just next to the medium-sized pool, and a bar and grill. A DJ is on the back porch, blasting summer songs; I think this one is by the group DNCE.
I find David and Holly by the grill, talking within a small group of people dressed in pastel colors.
“You made it!” Holly launches her arms around my neck.
I laugh. “Of course I did. And I got you something.” I hand her the box, and she squeals.
“I’ll put this with the others.” She rubs my shoulder with a grin. “Thank you so much.” She hugs me one more time before skipping away like an energetic bunny that’s been given a carrot.
David faces me, cold beer in hand. “Glad to see you’ve made it,” he says, cooler than his soon-to-be wife.
“I’m glad too.” I glance around. “The place looks amazing.”
“Thanks.” He nods, mirroring my polite smile.
“Yeah…” I trail, unsure of what to say. I still feel iffy around him since, you know, the G thing.
Silence fills the warm air, and I nervously rub my hands on my bare thighs. “So, who’s this?” he asks, staring at Noah with an unreadable expression.
“Oh.” My cheeks warm. “This is Noah, my…” I shift my eyes to him, and he shrugs.
“Her very good friend,” Noah finishes for me, pulling out his charming smile as he leans forward to shake David’s hand.
Oh, thank God. That would have been embarrassing if I introduced him as my boyfriend, since we have yet to talk about it.
Holly comes back over, and I introduce Noah to her as well, smoother this time. I make small talk with them, nervous there’d be an uncomfortable gap, given the situation. Thankfully, Holly fills every inch with details of the wedding, like reservation card designs, the venue, the cake, and much, much more. I was very grateful for her chatty side.
Noah and I join the dance floor when a couple began talking to them. His hands are on my hips, and we’re bopping around to some pop song that has a very catchy tune. So far, I haven’t seen Grey, so a genuine smile has found a home on my face as I dance with him, my hands snaked around his neck.
“Having fun so far?”
I am about to reply when my luck runs dry and my eyes lock with a pair of cool black ones.
I ignore the flutter in my stomach and look into Noah’s brilliant green eyes. “Yes, the best!” I get closer to his chest and turn us around, so he is all I see, and not…him.