[Truyện Tiếng Anh] On The Rocks

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 20



“What time did you think we were going?”

It was my turn to laugh. “Ok. Sounds good then.” A small part of me wondered if this was some kind of date, but he’d definitely made the wing girl thing clear.

“Enjoy work, I’ll catch you later.” He disappeared through the doorway.

Chapter Twelve

Macon

Carly seemed much more at ease her second night at the Grille. I held back and watched her for a few minutes as she chatted with a group of college aged girls and directed them over to the bar. She seemed very much in her element. I was strangely excited about it. I guess it’s because if she liked her job she’d stick around for the whole summer, and for one reason or another I really wanted that.

“Hey, roomie.”

Her eyes lit up a little when she saw me. She must have been in a really good mood. “Hey!”

“I’m a little early, so I thought I’d bother you.”

“Why not bother Maddy? She’s outside.”

“Yeah, she’s not as much fun to bother anymore. She’s so perpetually happy.”

“The nerve. She needs to be moody and pissy all the time.”

“Not all the time, just some of it. She at least has to let me rile her up.”

“That’s exactly what a girl wants a guy to say about her.” She narrowed her eyes.

“You on the other hand are very easy to rile up.”

“Am I?”

“Uh huh.” I stepped closer.

“I think it’s the other way around.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Why don’t we see whose better at it tonight?”

“Who’s better at getting the other person irked?”

“Exactly.” She glanced at her watch. “Looks like you’re done bothering me.” She took off down the hall, and I knew she was clocking out. I waited by the entrance, and we walked out.

“Want to drop off your car? You can get changed and we’ll go. Brody’s meeting us at the party.”

“Brody’s coming?” She seemed surprised.

“Yeah, I think he wants to protect you.”

“Protect me from what, you?”

What was she getting at with that line? “No, from me ***ching you or something. Which I wouldn’t do by the way.”

“I’m a big girl, Macon. I assure you I can take care of myself.”

“But you’re new here.”

“So? And by the way, I don’t need to stop home and change.” She started to pull her black t-shirt over her head. For a second I thought she was going to strip down to her bra right there in the parking lot, but she was wearing a bright pink tank top underneath. The bottom rode up, giving a glimpse of a strip of her lightly sun kissed skin. Before I could look for long she’d smoothed out the shirt and tugged down slightly on her black skirt.

I forced my eyes up to her face. “Okay, so let’s drop off your car.”

“Sure, see you at home.” She opened her door and got in.

I drove back to the condo in an insanely good mood. A female friend who’d make bets with me. I really was spot on about this girl.

***

The party was in full swing when we arrived. I recognized about half of the people there and assumed the rest were new in town for the season. I glanced around the room and noticed a red head smiling at me. I smiled back, and Carly snorted. I looked at her. “What?”

“Nothing…it’s just that I can’t believe that’s going to work on you.”

“What is?”

“That look she’s giving you. I bet she’s been practicing in front of the mirror or something.”

“Are you seriously going to critique every girl I notice?”

Carly laughed. “This is too easy.”

“What is? Ohh… got it. You were doing that on purpose.”

“Exactly. Have fun with the fake red-head.”

“Fake?”

“You think that’s natural?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Maybe?”

“Not a chance, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk to her.” She started to walk off.

“Where are you going?”

“To give you space, you can’t pick up girls with me around.”

“Sure I can. You’re my wing girl, remember? You’re the friend that helps me seal the deal.”

She groaned. “I don’t think you need my help.”

“I don’t need it, but it’s going to be fun.” I had no plans of taking the girl home, but it seemed like a great way to annoy Carly back.

Her face scrunched up. “Okay, fair enough.” There was a mischievous glint in her eyes that got me nervous, but I let it go.

We hadn’t even made it to the keg when the red head reached us. I could already nix her. A girl that made things that easy wasn’t even fun.

“Hi.” She smiled.

It didn’t mean I wouldn’t be polite though. “Hi, having a good time?”

“I was kind of bored.” She twirled a piece of her hair.

“Never a good sign for a party.”

“Then you should hang out with Macon, trust me he’s exciting.” Carly filled a cup from the keg behind me. “See you later, babe.”

I shook my head. She really didn’t get the wing girl idea. Or maybe that was just another attempt at her whole annoy me thing.

“Is that your girlfriend?” Red head asked.

“No, my roommate.”

“Oh.” I could see the wheels turning in her head. “So you’re single?”

“Uh huh.” I tried to pay attention to what she was saying as I searched around the room for Carly. How had she disappeared so quickly? She was supposed to be helping me get out of this situation and move on. “Can you excuse me?”

I needed to find her. I hadn’t seen Brody yet and otherwise she didn’t know anyone. I didn’t want her getting bored or anything. I headed outside and found her pretty quickly. She was leaning against the railing of the lower deck talking to Caleb Anders. Forget me. She was the one who needed a rescue.

“Hey, babe.” I used the same term she had.

“Hey.” She barely glanced at me.

Caleb did however pay attention to my arrival. He scowled as soon as his eyes set on me. “Hi, Macon. Didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

I smirked. “What can I say? It’s not really a party without me, is it?”

Carly laughed, and Caleb turned back to her. “Don’t mind Macon, he thinks highly of himself.”

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 21



“Yeah… I know that.”

“Wait. Do you guys know each other?” He looked between us.

“She’s my roommate.” I forced down the ‘you idiot’ part I wanted to add. Mouthing off to my boss’s son probably wasn’t the best idea. It was hard not to when he was practically breathing down Carly’s throat, and worse yet she didn’t seem to mind. Either she had really bad taste, or she was trying to annoy me more. I hoped it was the latter and decided to test it. “But I’ll leave you two to continue your conversation. I’m sure it’s been stimulating.”

“It has been.” She smiled. “But thanks for stopping by.”

I tried to get a read. Did she actually like Caleb?

I reluctantly walked away, but I still kept them in view. I knew she could take care of herself, but I didn’t want her getting hurt. Caleb didn’t date much, but he always seemed to go for the younger girls when he did. Getting mixed up with a rich boy with way too much time on his hands wasn’t good for anyone, especially not a girl as cool as Carly.

“You make me sick.” Brody rolled his eyes at me.

“I know I do, but is there a particular reason why I do at the moment?”

“You’re staring at her like a puppy or something. Either you like her or you don’t. And as much as I’d rather not have roommates who are dating, if you do like her I’d move fast. She’s not going to stay single long.”

“We’re just friends. Completely and utterly friends.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.” We had to stay friends whether I liked it or not. I couldn’t go down that road with Carly and screw things up for everyone.

“Then why are you over here alone staring at her like that?”

“Shut up.”

“I’m just saying…”

“I’m taking Carly home. I promised her I wouldn’t ***ch her.”

Brody sipped his Coke. He rarely drank alcohol. “But I could easily drive her home too. I also live with her.”

I glared at him. “I’m driving her home, and I’m doing it soon.”

“She’s not going home with him, just watch the body language.”

“I’m watching.”

“She’s leaning away. He’s the one in her space, not the other way around.”

My body relaxed. “Good. If she wants to date I could hook her up with someone better than that.”

“Oh yeah? Who would that be? You?”

“Maybe it’s you, Brody. You seem to talk about her just as much.”

“Oh yeah? You’d be okay with me dating her?”

“If she weren’t our roommate.”

“Yeah… it’s all because of the roommate thing.” He turned to leave. “Keep telling yourself that, maybe eventually you’ll believe it.”

“Go to hell.”

“Nah, I’m just going to get another Coke.”

Chapter Thirteen

Carly

I had to get ready for work. After lazing around at the beach half the day I’d taken a pre-dinner nap. I’d have probably slept all night if Maddy hadn’t texted to see if I could pick her up. I got dressed quickly and searched around for my brush so I could at least attempt to make something of my wind blown hair. I realized I’d left it in the bathroom.

I heard the water in the sink running, and I assumed someone was brushing their teeth. I knocked while pushing open the door. “I just need my—”

The rest of my words were lost as Macon turned toward me. There he was holding a toothbrush and wearing nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“Oh my god. I am so sorry.” I backed out without finding my brush.

“Can I help you?” His voice was amused. How was he amused?

“Why are you naked?”

“Because I just got out of the shower.”

I kept looking down. “But you were brushing your teeth.”

“I like to dry off before I get dressed. You should try it sometime.”

“That’s what a towel is for.” I heard the ping of the towel bar. I glanced up, half hoping he’d be covered and half hoping he wouldn’t be. He had a towel tied around his waist.

“I guess we’re even then.”

“Even?” I could barely think straight. I was still picturing Macon naked.

“Yeah, I walked in on you in a towel, now you’ve seen me baring it all. We’re good to go.”

“I wasn’t naked.”

He grinned. “So what you’re saying is now I’m the one with the extra points. Nice.”

“You’re crazy.”

“I am? You’re the one who opened the door without waiting for an answer, and what did you need anyway?”

“My brush,” I answered sheepishly. He was right, I did pretty much barge right in.

“Here you go,” he held out the brush.

I took it, and my hand brushed against his in the process. Even tiny touches from him got me. “Thanks, and sorry.”

“Not a problem, roomie.”

“Okay.”

“Is there anything else?”

“Oh, no. Nothing.” I backed out the rest of the way and closed the door. Could I get more embarrassing?

With my hair halfway decent, I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my purse. I made it to Maddy’s with no time to spare. I got us there minutes before our shifts started. Luckily I was getting used to the job and was able to jump right in. A week in and I might as well have been working at the Grille for years. The mix of customers was different, but otherwise nothing really changed. I knew I wasn’t being paid much, but it gave me something to do, and any money was better than nothing. I worked about five nights a week, and if it were up to me I’d have switched to seven. I liked staying busy; it helped keep my mind off other things.

“Carly?” Max strode over. He generally only did that when there was a crowd of guys around. He was protective that way.

“Hi, Max.”

“I was hoping to talk to you about something.”

“Oh?” My stomach sunk. Was he going to fire me?

“You’re doing a great job as a hostess, but would you be interested in doing something that would get you more in tips?”

“Absolutely!” Phew, he definitely wasn’t firing me.

“I’m looking to hire another bartender. I’m going to be reopening the upstairs bar.”

“There’s a bar up there?” I’d seen the stairs leading to the upstairs, but I hadn’t actually been up there.

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 22



He nodded. “It’s an antique the original owner put in. Solid mahogany and everything. Business has really picked up this summer, so it seems like the right time. The problem is my bartenders are already over worked.”

“That sounds great, but I have no idea how to bartend.”

Max laughed. “I know. Maddy said you’d say that. She’s going to work with you. I’ll cover the front for an hour a night so you can watch her. Does that work for you? We can start it slow up there too, even just make it beer and a few drinks at first.”

“So you’re really offering to hire me as a bartender?”

“Yes, contingent on you learning the ropes. Take your time. I have Dale and Alana pulling some extra shifts the next few weeks.”

“The next few weeks? So you’d want me to start that soon?”

“If you can.” He smiled. “I knew I could count on you.”

“Thanks.” I smiled back before he turned and walked away.

I barely had time to contemplate the possible new job before Maddy showed up. “Hey, did Max talk to you yet?”

“Yeah. It looks like I’m going to get to bartend after all.”

“Do you want to shadow me tonight or wait until tomorrow night?”

“If you don’t mind, I’m kind of jumping at the chance.”

She laughed. “Okay, tonight it is.”

Max showed up again twenty minutes later, and I took a slow walk out to the tikki bar where Maddy was working. The place was hopping, and I hoped I didn’t slow her down or anything.

“Hey. You can take a seat.” Maddy gestured to a stool.

I decided to stay standing. It was easier to see that way. It wasn’t like I hadn’t watched Maddy work before, but it was different watching from behind the bar. Maddy seemed to grow more confident behind it. I felt intimidated. It was like every patron was looking at me. They probably were wondering why I wasn’t helping her.

She mixed something in a blender and turned to me. “Could you grab three Coronas from the fridge?”

“Sure.” I searched around for a second until I found the beer fridge. I pulled out the three bottles and then awkwardly waited until she finished ringing up a customer to talk to her again. “Am I supposed to open them?”

A guy around my age laughed. “I’m hoping this is your first night.”

Maddy glared at him. “And I’m hoping you’re not expecting service if you bother her again.”

He held up his hands in defense. “I was just joking. I have no problem being patient for a pretty girl.” He ran his eyes up and down me. I was glad Max had ordered some more medium shirts. At least my breasts weren’t quite as vividly on display when I worked anymore.

She turned her back on him and rolled her eyes. I stifled a laugh.

“It’s easier if you use this.” She pointed out the built in bottle opener.

“Nice. Thanks.” I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed that myself.

Maddy got swarmed, but she tried to give me a play by play of everything she was doing. “Remember to always set out a ****tail napkin for every drink.”

That seemed basic enough, but I wished I could get away with taking notes. As the crowd grew I felt bad just sitting there. “Isn’t there anything else I can do?”

“He just wants a gin and tonic. Want to make one?” She gestured to a man waiting with his arms crossed.

“Uh, how do you know how much gin and how much tonic to put in?”

She smiled. “I’ll show you.”

“First grab a glass. Oh, also remember at the beginning of each shift to check to see that you have enough clear barware.”

“Gotcha.”

“Fill this with ice.” She pointed to the glass.

“The ice is…” I could feel my cheeks heating. It was my first time back there, but shouldn’t I have been able to figure that out on my own?

She pointed out the ice, and I waited for the next instruction. “It’s just a single shot of gin, and then tonic. I’ll do it now to save time.” I stepped back to let her work. “Then it’s just adding the lime and stirring.”

I nodded. “Got it.” All right, I had a lot studying to do. I was going to have tons of drinks to memorize.

The night wore on, and I could tell I was more in Maddy’s way than I was helping. I slipped back out to the front.

“How’d it go?” Max asked. The only new customers coming in were heading to the bars, so he didn’t have to do much.

“Horribly. I have no idea what I’m doing.” I don’t know why I was so honest with Max. He was just the kind of person you wanted to be open with.

“You’ll learn. Here, come with me for a second.” He headed back toward his office, and I followed. He went over to his bookshelf and grabbed a weathered book that looked like it had been through a lot. “This is the book I learned from. Most of it’s still the same, and you’ll figure out the rest.”

“I can bring it home?”

“Of course. You’re living with Macon and Brody now, aren’t you?”

I nodded.

“I’m sure Macon wouldn’t mind helping you.” There was a twinkle in Max’s eye I decided not to read into. Whatever he was implying about Macon, I didn’t really care. I at least I had something to work off of.

“Thanks so much.” I held the book against my chest as I made my way back outside. Things had quieted down a little.

Maddy chewed her bottom lip nervously. “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.”

“It’s fine! You were so busy. I’m going to practice at home,” I held up the book.

“Practice at home?” She took the book from me. “Where did you get this?”

“Max said I could borrow it.”

She smiled. “He’s sure a softie.”

“Yeah, well I appreciate it. Maybe I can learn some on my own before I try it here.”

“That’s a really good idea. I took a class during college so I didn’t have to learn on the spot. Feel free to come by anytime if you want help.”

“Thanks, I’ll probably take you up on that.” I made my way back up to the front. I was going to learn. I’d made it through four years of college, hadn’t I? How much harder could bartending be?

***

“I need your help.” Those four words were hard to say to anyone, let alone Macon, but Brody didn’t really drink and was out of town, so I didn’t have any one else to ask. Besides, Max had suggested I ask Macon for help.

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 23



I’d spent a full thirty seconds debating the advisability of my next course of action before I knocked on his partially open door. He was laying on his bed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Even a casual outfit like that made him look good.

He glanced up from a book. “My help?”

“I need to learn to bartend.”

“Is there any particular reason for this desire to learn?” He set aside his book.

I walked fully into the room. “Max offered me a bartending job if I can learn. It’s better pay and tips, and Maddy always makes it look like fun.”

He sat up. “Why wouldn’t you ask Maddy for help?”

“She’s going to be helping me at work, but that’s hard because she’s so busy. I’d ask for her help outside of work, but she has too much going on. I don’t want to bother her.”

“Let’s ignore the fact that you think I have so little going on that you weren’t worried about asking me,” he teased. “The important question is what does she have going on?” He didn’t hide the suspicion in his voice. If I didn’t have his attention already, I had it now.

“It’s nothing.”

“Nuh uh. Out with it.”

“I can’t. I promised I wouldn’t tell.”

“You promised Maddy you’d keep a secret from me?” He was off his bed and halfway across the room.

“Well, I actually promised to keep it from Colin—well and then I told her to wait on telling him, so it actually isn’t such a promise anymore.”

“Just tell me. I won’t tell her, but I need to know what’s going on.”

“I don’t know. I don’t want her to feel like she can’t trust me.”

“If you don’t tell me I’ll ask her myself. Which is worse? I’m serious, I have to know.”

I sighed. It would be tons worse if he asked her himself. Plus he was her best friend, maybe he could help.”

“Maddy’s pregnant.” I kept eye contact, wanting to watch his reaction.

Shock crossed his face. “As in she’s having a baby?”

“What other kind of pregnant is there?”

“Wow.” He went back over to his bed. “This is insane. How could it happen?”

“You don’t really need me to go over those details, do you?”

He laughed, and his eyes racked over me. Once again with the mixed signals. “What does Colin think?”

“He doesn’t know yet.”

“Why not?”

“Well, first she was scared, and then I convinced her to wait. He needs to propose to her first.”

“What? Ok, you need to sit down and explain all of this.” He patted the spot next to him on his bed.

I walked in. Considering he’d spent time in my room it shouldn’t have felt so weird to be in his, but it did. I took a tentative seat on his king sized bed. He definitely had the master bedroom.

“Colin already has a ring, but he isn’t planning to propose until the perfect moment or something. Maddy is afraid if she tells him she’s pregnant, he’ll only propose because he has to.”

“So you want Colin to propose first to save them both the trouble.”

“Exactly.”

“So why not just tell Colin? Then he can propose right away and act surprised.”

“Because it’s not my news to share, and he’s a horrible actor.”

“How horrible?” His eyes twinkled.

“Horrible.”

“Okay… but if she waits too long he’ll be mad.”

“So we need to get him moving.”

“Do you have any idea on how to?” Sometimes it’s easier for a guy to figure out how another guy ticks.

“We can work on that, but what about that bartending stuff? Does Maddy want to quit or something?”

“No. Max is opening up an upstairs bar, but I’m guessing she’s going to have to quit eventually, or at least take time off.”

“I can help with Colin, but I have no idea how to bartend.”

“Maybe I should ask Brody when he gets back. He’d probably help. I know he doesn’t really drink, but—”

He sat up with a start. “Let’s learn together.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

“Ok, so Max gave me a book. We can start there. Do you want to start tonight?”

“Sure. We’ll do the bartending thing tonight and we’ll talk to Colin tomorrow.”

“Deal?” He held out his hand. It felt so nice and warm in mine.

“Deal.”

Chapter Fourteen

Macon

I have no idea why I agreed to help Carly learn to bartend. Maybe it was how desperate she sounded, or because I was incapable of saying no to that pretty face of hers, but I found myself rummaging through the cabinets with her at nearly one a.m. I had a pretty decent supply of liquor, but evidently my bartending supplies were lacking. Brody was away visiting his parents, so for once I wasn’t worried about pissing him off by making a mess in the kitchen.

“You seriously don’t have a stirring rod thingie?” she whined. Usually I hate when a girl whines, but there was something cute about hers.

“Last time I checked I wasn’t a bartender. A spoon or knife works just fine.”

She groaned. “Well, I guess that will have to do for tonight, but we’ll have to get one for our next session.”

“Our next session? You really think we’re going to be doing this a lot?”

“I have to get this stuff down. Maddy took a whole class to learn. I have you.” She turned her head to the side slightly.

I sighed. “Okay, what else do we need to find?”

“I think we have everything we need for the next few drinks I want to try.”

We’d already spent an hour taking shots of different liquors. The idea was to make sure we knew the taste of each one. It had sounded like a good idea at the time. We drank seconds of a few just to make sure we had the taste down. By the time we were ready to start mixing drinks, I was definitely feeling the last round.

She stood leaning over a dog eared page in a book. “Your favorite drink is a Long Island iced tea, right?”

“Yeah, but that’s a more complicated one. Are you sure you want to start with that?” I was trying to be nice.

“I know, but if I can master the harder ones, the easier ones will come, well easier I’d think.” Of course I needed to memorize the ingredients first. I downloaded two apps to help with that part while Macon pulled out the liquor.

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 24



“If you say so.” I sat back and let her take charge. I was only supposed to be helping.

She took out a glass and filled it with ice. I watched as she poured triple sec, rum, vodka, tequila, sour mix, and Coke in. She didn’t pour them into a shot glass first, she just eyed it. Maybe she was a natural at it.

“There.” She pushed the glass over to me.

I took a sip of the Long Island. There was a heck of a lot more alcohol than I was used to in it, but I couldn’t bear to disappoint her.

“Do you like it?” She hopped up on the counter. “I don’t drink those, so I don’t know what they’re supposed to taste like.”

“It’s uh, great.” I took another sip and swallowed hard.

“It’s awful, huh? I suck at this.”

“You don’t suck.” I set down the glass. “You just have to make sure you’re really precise with the measurements.”

She sighed. “This is starting to feel like science class.”

“Maybe, but how many science classes have you been to where you’ve been able to get blitzed?”

She crossed her legs at the ankles. “None that involved hanging out with a guy as hot as you.” She covered her mouth and laughed. “Ok, I probably shouldn’t have said that out loud.”

“I don’t mind. So, I’m hot, am I?” Wow, Carly was in an honest mood.

“Very.” She uncrossed her legs and sat forward. “And I can’t believe I’m telling you that.”

“If it makes you feel better I think you’re gorgeous.”

“You really think so?”

“Absolutely.” I reached behind her and pulled out the hair tie holding up her hair. It tumbled down in waves down her back. I ran my fingers through it. “So unbelievably gorgeous.”

She shifted and intentionally or not let me slip in between her legs. I leaned toward her. “We shouldn’t be talking like this.”

“Why not? Are you afraid of dirty talk, Macon?” She bit her lip and smiled. She was playing with me.

“Dirty talk? This isn’t dirty yet.”

“Then show me dirty.” She leaned forward and brushed her lips against mine.

“I don’t want to show you dirty.”

“Why not?” She said in a breathy tone.

“Because I’d rather show you other things.”

“What other things?”

“The kind of things I’d have to show you.”

“Show me.” She ran her teeth over her lip.

“Are you sure you want me to?”

“Completely. I’ll go first.” She used both hands to pull her black t-shirt up and over her head. She tossed the shirt.

I stared at her sitting there in a black bra and pajama shorts. There was something so incredibly ***y about the combination—at least on her. My resistance broke. I needed her, and she was offering herself to me.

“Aren’t you going to take your shirt off?” She smiled.

“You’ve seen me without a shirt on.”

“Yes, but not while I wasn’t wearing my own.”

I pulled off my t-shirt and tossed it on the ground next to hers.

“Thank you.”

“Did you just thank me for taking my shirt off?”

“Yeah, I think I did.” She blushed slightly.

“I guess that means I should be thanking you for taking yours off—but then again you aren’t exactly shirtless yet.”

“Technically I am.”

“Yeah, but you have on a bra. I don’t.”

“I wasn’t aware you usually wore bras, Macon.”

I chuckled. “You’re something else, Carly.”

“I already know that.” She grinned. “But back to what you were saying. Although I am technically shirtless, you may have a point that for a girl to be shirtless usually means she’s not wearing a bra.”

“So I don’t need to thank you.” I gave up forcing my eyes to stay on her face. They were much happier studying the pale skin exposed by her bra. This one must have cut lower than her usual bikini tops, because there was a definite tan line. I was ready to see the rest of that tan line.

She reached behind her and unhooked her bra. She dropped it on the floor.

“Thank you.” I barely got the words out. I forced my eyes away from the absolutely perfect set of breasts in front of me. I knew we were treading into no turning back territory, and I needed to make sure she knew that. “I’m guessing you realize that I really want to touch you right now.”

“Macon. Hun. Generally when a girl starts stripping down in front of you and asking you to take your clothes off, it means she wants you to touch her.”

I laughed. “Is that so? I’m so glad you clarified that.” I couldn’t wait any longer. I lowered my mouth to one breast while my hand fondled the other. I ran my tongue over her nipple. She moaned, and I took it as an invitation to continue.

“Macon,” she moaned as she fumbled with my belt. While she worked on it I slid my free hand up her leg and into the opening of her shorts. I brushed my hand over her silky underwear. I wondered what color they were and decided I was going to find out. I momentarily released her breasts as I boosted her up slightly so I could slide her shorts down her legs. The blue material fell to the floor, and I took in the sight of the purple silk.

“Purple, nice.”

She’d finished with my belt and moved on to my button and zipper. I stepped out of my shorts, ready to have less between us.

“Red plaid, nice.” She giggled and nearly lost her balance on the counter. I steadied her.

That’s when reality set in. We’d both had a lot to drink. I wasn’t about to take advantage of her. I stepped back.

She gaped at me. “What’s wrong?”

“We can’t do this.”

“Why not?” She covered her chest with her arms.

I swallowed hard. Every part of me wanted her, but not like this. Not when I had any question of whether she’d regret it in the morning. “Because we’ve both had too much to drink.”

“I’m not drunk.”

“Carly…”

“I get it. Enough said.” Tears welled in her eyes,

“Carly, come on. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”

“Gotcha.” She slipped off the counter, picked up her skirt and bra and practically ran to her room, slamming the door behind her.

I bent down and picked up the t-shirt she’d forgotten. For a brief second I considered running after her, but I knew that would be a mistake.

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 25



I slunk down on the couch without bothering to get dressed. What the hell had just happened? I’d just ****ed up everything. I should have put the brakes on way earlier, and I knew exactly why I hadn’t. I wanted her. I wanted to see, feel, and touch every damn thing she had to offer. Yet somehow that had ended in my making her cry. ****ing fantastic. I downed the rest of my Long Island without tasting it.

I was still sitting in the same spot when the front door opened at some point later. I was too out of it to even notice the time change.

“What the hell did you do?” Brody dropped his backpack as soon as he closed the door.

“What makes you think I did anything?”

“Let’s see. You’re sitting on the couch in your underwear holding a Surfside Grille t-shirt. Either you’ve got some t-shirt fetish I don’t want to hear about, or you slept with Carly. At the moment I’m hoping it’s the fetish.”

I looked down at the t-shirt still in my hands. “It’s neither.”

He sat down on the love seat. “Meaning…”

“What are you doing home anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be in Augusta still?”

“It was all crazy stressed out planning for my brother’s wedding. I left early, but don’t change the subject.”

“I didn’t sleep with her. I got close, and damn it I wanted to, but we’d been drinking. It seemed like a bad idea.”

Brody grinned. “Well I’ll be damned.”

“What?” I prepared myself for whatever smart aleck comment he had coming.

“You actually made a smart decision, and you did it for the sake of someone else. I’d have thought I’d see pigs fly first.”

“Shut up. I just hope she’ll talk to me tomorrow. She started crying and ran into her room.”

“Did you try to talk to her?”

I shook my head.

“Good. Give her some time and let her save face.”

“Save face?”

“I’m sure the whole situation was embarrassing for her.”

I groaned. “You’re not allowed to go away again.”

“What, you don’t trust yourself alone with her?”

“No. Obviously I shouldn’t.” I pulled myself off the couch. “I need a shower.”

“A cold one?”

“What other kind would I take?”

“You did the right thing, Macon.”

I turned back. “Then why do I feel so awful right now?”

“I said you did the right thing, not the easy or fun thing.”

“Maybe she’ll forget this ever happened.”

“Now that’s just called being delusional.”

I didn’t bother to answer. I headed down the hall to the bathroom. Even before I stepped into the shower, I knew the cold water was going to do nothing to cool my feelings for Carly. I had it bad.

Chapter Fifteen

Carly

Mortification. Mortification like I’d never imagined possible hit me like a freight train when I lay in bed the morning after my failed attempt at bartending. I guess I could add seducing Macon to my list of things I failed at too. I mean who couldn’t get Macon to sleep with her? I was an idiot to even try, but after a few shots I couldn’t help it. I was tired of pretending I didn’t have feelings for him. He’d seemed so into it, so ready to take things there, and then he’d stopped. His excuse was we’d had a lot to drink? Maybe I was a little buzzed, but I was sober enough to know what I was doing. Besides, I got this gnawing feeling that there was more. Something else was holding him back, and I was sure it had something to do with me.

As soon as the clock hit six o’clock I was up and out of bed. It was early enough that I could avoid seeing Macon, but late enough that I knew Colin would be awake. I didn’t bother with a shower, I’d just do that at Colin’s house. Thankfully, I’d kept his spare key. I’d also left some clothes there. Theoretically I could move back in with him, but what would that look like? Carly the screw up. I couldn’t even live with guys without making a fool of myself. I was going to slip out before Macon woke up to give myself one reprieve from facing him, but that was it. By that evening I needed to get over it and act like I didn’t even care.

I didn’t hear anything out in the main area, so I carefully opened my door. I took a few steps toward the kitchen. “Good morning, Carly.”

My heart sped up before returning to normal when I realized it was Brody. Wasn’t he supposed to be away?

“Hey. I thought you went back to your parents’ house.”

“I’m back early.” He walked over to the coffee maker. “Want a cup?”

“Oh, that’s okay. I’m going to head out.”

“Let’s go for a walk.” He didn’t say anything. He refilled his mug before filling another.

“I actually need to go by my brother’s house.”

“Just take a short walk with me.” He handed me the tall mug full of black coffee. A few months earlier I’d been all about the milk and sweetner, but I’d grown to prefer it black. It was so much simpler and potent that way. Maybe it was symbolic of my life. It had gone from sweet to bitter almost overnight.

“Why? Why do you want to go for a walk?” I asked suspiciously.

“Because I do.” He walked over to the door and slipped on his flip flops. “We can drink our coffee as we go.”

I weighed my options. Things were already insanely awkward with Macon, why make them weird with Brody? I assumed he’d talked to Macon. He wouldn’t have any other reason to try to get me talk to him. I grabbed my purse so I wouldn’t have to go back up.

“You want to drop that off in the trunk of your car?” Brody gestured to my small clutch as we took the stairs. My flip flops made their usual clatter on the way down.

“Oh, yeah. Probably.”

I stopped by my car and dropped off my bag. I went to pocket my keys, belatedly realizing I didn’t have a pocket in the skirt I was wearing.

“I can hold these for you.” Brody took them and slipped them into his pocket.

I stifled a groan. He was making sure I didn’t just storm off.

We walked down the empty beach in silence at first. I let out a few deep breaths and enjoyed the quiet I knew would disappear in just a few hours when everyone else woke up. I watched the waves move in and out. There was something so comforting about the rhythmic nature of it. Some waves crashed further up on the beach than others, but they still kept coming. Nothing stopped the cycle.

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 26



“I like you Carly.”

I felt a moment of panic. What? Was Brody about to admit he had feelings for me or something? I tried to compose myself.

“Wait. Not like that.”

“Okay, good.” That would have seriously complicated things.

He laughed. “That scary of a thought, huh?” he teased.

“Of course not.”

“You just want one normal roommate relationship, I get it.”

“I’m guessing you talked to Macon.”

“Yeah… I did.”

“Wonderful.”

“Carly?”

I looked up at him. “Yeah?”

“He likes you.” Brody’s expression was suddenly serious. “Let’s just get that part out of the way.”

“Kind of how you like me?” I gave him a long look.

“No. Not that way at all. I like you and want you around. You’re a good roommate. You’re really neat, and you have a pretty decent sense of humor. Macon really doesn’t care about that, he cares about you though.” Brody exhaled loudly. “I knew this was going to happen.”

“What was going to happen?”

“That he’d somehow screw things up.”

“It’s not his fault. I kind of started it.” I looked back out at the water. The tide was slowly coming in.

“I’m actually surprised it took you guys this long. The ***ual tension between you two is pretty sickening.”

I laughed. “It’s that obvious?”

“Completely, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” He looked torn for a second like he wasn’t sure if he should say something. “Listen, I already told you I like you, I also like Macon. He’s been a good roommate and friend these past few years. I’m not exactly an expert on relationships, but you two might actually work. The fact that Macon did put on the brakes last night says a lot.”

“Yeah, it says he doesn’t want me.”

“Is that really what you think?” He gave me a skeptical look.

I shrugged.

“The guy didn’t take advantage of you when you were drunk, and you think that’s a bad thing?”

I sighed. “I wasn’t drunk.”

“But you’d had a lot to drink. Both of you. I know something about drinking too much and making stupid decisions. Macon did the right thing.”

What was Brody talking about? He almost never drank. Maybe there was a reason for it. “Was that really it? Was he really just worried about taking advantage of me?”

“Do I have to spell this out for you?” He sipped his coffee.

“Yes, I guess so.” I practically gulped down my coffee. It had cooled down to a comfortable temperature.

“He was scared.”

I nearly spit out my coffee. “Macon? Scared of having ***?”

“No. He was scared of how you’d feel in the morning, and maybe how he’d feel. I don’t think he’s used to caring about a girl. It’s been awhile since he’s been in an actual relationship.”

“I wasn’t asking for a relationship.” I took another sip of coffee.

“You’re going to stand here and tell me you were only interested in a quick hook-up? You have no feelings for him that go beyond wanting to sleep with him?”

“Of course not. I have other feelings.”

“Then stop lying to yourself. He did you both a favor last night. You want to date? Fine. Date. But don’t rush things. He’s scared, you’re scared. We’re all scared.”

“So what do I do? How do I fix things?”

“What needs to be fixed? The two of you fooled around last night.” He finished off his coffee. “I’m guessing it was an enjoyable experience.”

I could feel the blood rushing to my face. “Yes.”

“I can promise you it was for him too. Just tell him how you feel.”

“How? I’m just supposed to open up to him like that? What if you’re wrong and he doesn’t feel the same way.”

“Let me get this straight. You were completely comfortable having *** with Macon, but you’re too afraid to tell him you like him?”

“That’s different.”

“Really? It didn’t take guts to take off your top in front of him? I’m not trying to be an ass here, but you don’t strike me as the kind of girl who gets naked in front of men all the time.”

“Of course not!”

“Exactly. So why was it so easy to do it with Macon?”

“Because I’d had a lot to drink…” The reality dawned on me, smacking me over the head. “Which is why he stopped.”

“Before you get into bed with someone, you need to be able to do it without alcohol. And you need to be able to be honest without it too. Both of you do.”

He stopped walking and turned to me. “You’re a beautiful and smart girl. Why does it seem like you have no confidence?”

“Because I don’t.” I walked off down the beach. For the second time in two days I felt tears welling. Maybe living with guys was more complicated than I thought.

I felt his hand on my shoulder and he spun me to look at him. “I’m sure there’s a story behind that, but you don’t have to tell me. I’m sure it’s the same story that brought you here in the first place. But the bottom line is, you need to have confidence in yourself before you jump into a relationship—or bed,” he looked at me long and hard, “with someone like Macon.”

“Like Macon?”

“He seems really tough, but he’s got his own issues. We all do.”

“You have issues?” I arched an eyebrow. Brody seemed so in control and put together.

“Of course I do. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. At least I’m willing to admit it. One piece of advice, stay away from people who say they don’t have issues. They are the ones with the most.”

“I’ve never thought about that before.”

“Glad I could share something of value. You about ready to head back?”

I looked into my nearly empty coffee cup. “Sure.”

“Good. Remember, there’s nothing to fix.”

I took the last few sips of coffee. “Thanks, Brody.”

“No problem. All I ask in return is that you deal with this head on. Dealing with ***ually frustrated roomates is bad enough. I don’t need to deal with ones avoiding each other too.”

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 27



I laughed. “All right. I owe you that at least.”

We made our way back to the condo, and along the way I realized I had two choices. I could hide out all day at Colin’s house and hope things blew over, or I could face things head on. The first option sounded a whole lot easier, but I had promised Brody I’d try. Talking to Macon couldn’t make things more awkward, could it?

Brody made himself scarce as soon as we walked inside. I gave myself a few minutes. I wasted time washing out the coffee mugs and emptying the dishwasher, but eventually I knew it was time to face the music.

I knocked on his closed door, remembering where the whole mess started—with me knocking on that very same door.

“Come in,” Macon called without the hint of sleep. Was he just sitting in there waiting for me to leave or something?

I cautiously pushed open the door. He was still in bed, the blankets resting at his waist. I tried to stop looking at his bare chest and wondering if he was wearing those red plaid boxers underneath the sheets.

“Hey.” He said the word like the night before hadn’t happened.

“Hey…” I winced at the moment of awkward silence. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, but what exactly are you thanking me for this time? My stellar bartending skills?”

I ignored his joke. I was too nervous to even go there. “Respecting me enough to stop things last night.” Brody was right. The reason I’d been so brave with Macon had been the alcohol, and that in itself meant I was drunk.

A slow smile spread across his lips. “In that case, you’re very welcome. I’m glad you’re not mad.”

I took a seat on the end of his bed, the awkwardness slowly fading. “Yeah… I was mad.”

He leaned up on one elbow. “Is that so?”

“Well, embarrassed. I mean who can’t get you into bed?”

He coughed. “Excuse me? Are you implying I’m easy?”

I laughed. “Clearly not easy enough.”

“Carly?”

“Yeah?” I braced myself for whatever snide remark was coming.

“Come here.” He patted the space next to him.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Getting that close to Macon when he was nearly naked both scared and excited me. My feelings were so extreme when it came to him.

“Yes. Absolutely.”

I got up, and he held open the blankets. My heart sped up and my head spun with confusion. What was happening?

“Don’t overthink this, babe.”

I didn’t say anything, I just slid in next to him. As soon as my head hit the pillow he pulled me into his arms. “I have no clue what’s going on with us, but I like how I feel right now. Let’s just start here. No overthinking things, no worrying about what did or didn’t happen last night.” He ran his hand up and down my arm “Can you just do that for me?”

I snuggled into his warm arms. “What are you asking of me exactly?”

“I don’t know. This.”

For some odd and inexplicable reason, I knew exactly what he meant. “Okay.”

“Good. Now let’s get down to business.”

“Business?”

“Yeah, with Colin and Maddy. Where do we start?”

“I have some ideas.” I turned in his arms so I was looking at him. It should have been awkward, but it wasn’t.

“I knew you’d say that.”

Chapter Sixteen

Macon

It was good to have the old Carly back. Holding her in my arms reminded me of why I had to be careful not to do anything so stupid again. I had no clue how I was going to control my feelings for her, so I turned to the only tactic I knew, avoidance. I’d focus on what I could handle, interfering in someone else’s life.

Carly thought that a united front was important. We needed to talk to Colin together, but we also had to be careful to make sure we didn’t make him suspicious. I knew we’d be fine. She was his sister and I was Maddy’s best friend. Who better to meddle in his proposal?

We drove over to Colin’s place that night when we knew Maddy was already at work. Carly kept playing with her hair the whole way over. I’d learned that was a nervous habit of hers.

As expected, Colin was working when we got there. Carly had used her key to get in, and she shouted upstairs to get his attention. We waited in the foyer for Colin to join us. He seemed open, yet wary to our suggestions.

“Are you sure I shouldn’t take her on a trip? I thought you guys were going to laugh at my first idea, honestly.”

“She’s going to love it.” I decided to lay it on thick. “Maddy’s a sucker for nostalgia. You need to play up your past to show her how it connects to your future.”

Carly grinned. I’d promised her I’d make sure our plan worked, and I wasn’t going to let her—or Maddy—down. Colin wasn’t a perfect guy, but he was head over heels in love with Maddy. He also made her happy again. He was the right one for her, and I wasn’t going to let her own insecurities, or his perfectionist tendencies mess anything up.

“So you really think I should do it this weekend? That isn’t rushing things?”

“How long have you been planning on proposing?” It was Carly’s turn.

“Since we were still in Paris.”

“Exactly.” Carly touched his arm. “Why wait?”

“Ok, what’s going on here?” He turned to Carly first, but I was next.

“What are you taking about?” Carly asked.

“Why do you care when I propose? I know you like Maddy—but this is excessive even for you. And Macon, you don’t even like me.”

“That’s not true… I like you for Maddy.” He really did make her happy.

“Fine. Something is still going on.” He crossed his arms. “I’m not doing anything until one of you tells me what that is.”

This was it. My moment, my chance to cinch the deal.

Carly beat me to the punch. “I want you to do it while I’m still here.”

“What do you mean? Where are you going?” His tone went from suspicious to concerned.

“I’m thinking about leaving next week.” She bit her lip nervously.

She was a horrible liar, and Colin knew it. “Leaving? Why?”

“I don’t want to feel like I’m messing things up between you and Maddy. I don’t want to be in the way.”

“You made this clear when you moved out. You’re not in the way, Carly.” Colin eyed her warily.

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 28



It was time for me to jump in. “Bottom line, Colin. Your sister thinks she’s cramping your style. Once you and Maddy are engaged she’ll realize she’s being ridiculous.”

“And why do you care?”

“Because I care about both of them.”

“Both of them?”

“Yeah. Maddy’s my best friend, and Carly’s a pretty cool roommate. I don’t want her moving away because of you.” Calling her a cool roommate was quite the understatement, but considering who I was talking to it seemed like the right choice of words.

He shook his head and sighed. “It’s not like I want to wait until next month. If you want me to do it this weekend, are you guys going to help?”

“Of course.” Carly popped up on her toes. “Anything you need.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“Do that.” She hugged him. “All right, I have to get to work. Call me later and let me know what I can do.”

“See ya, man.” I started to follow Carly out.

“Macon?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure… but I have to drop Carly off at work.”

“She can take my car.” He leaned out the front door. “Carly, catch.” He tossed his keys to her.

She caught them. “What ever happened to me not being allowed to drive your lease?”

“It’s a one-time exception.”

She grinned. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

“Don’t total it.” Colin smiled before walking back inside.

“What is it you want to talk about?” I already knew it wasn’t about Maddy. If it was he would have said it in front of his sister.

“What are you doing with Carly?”

“Excuse me?” I tried to play dumb.

“I see the way she looks at you, the way you hold yourself around her. What’s going on?”

I went with honest. “I don’t know.”

“Figure it out, and make sure you don’t hurt her in the process.”

“That’s the thing. I’m trying to figure out how not to hurt her.”

“Do you like her?”

This conversation was bordering on impossibly awkward. Talking to a guy about his sister was just about as bad as it could get. “Yeah. I like her.”

“Then it shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Are you giving me permission to date her?”

“Were you waiting for that? Do you really care what I think?”

“Surprisingly yes. She’s too good for me, and we both know that.” I glanced at the door that beckoned me.

“No. She’s too good for the way you usually deal with girls, but I’m assuming you’re not stupid enough to treat her that way.”

“I’m not that bad.” It was one of those moments when I wished I’d worked harder to combat the player reputation. Normally it was convenient.

“Either way, respect her.”

“Of course I’m going to respect her, but I don’t know what she wants.” Maybe Colin had some insight into Carly. I certainly didn’t know what to make of her.

“Then find out. We both know I had no idea what I was doing with Maddy in the beginning.”

“All right, I’ll do that.”

“Good.”

“Is that all you wanted to talk about?”

“Mostly.”

“What else is there?”

“She loves surprises. Don’t forget about it.”

I smiled. That was very important information. “Thanks. I’ll have to remember that.”

***

I wondered if this was how stalkers felt. I’d been standing off to the side of the outdoor tiki bar for a full five minutes and neither Maddy nor Carly had noticed me yet. I probably could have said something, but honestly I liked watching Carly. She was studying everything Maddy did like a hawk, and she was even taking notes on her phone. There was something ridiculously cute about that.

“Can we help you, creeper?”

I’d been so busy watching Carly that I didn’t notice Maddy’s attention move to me.

“Oh, hey.”

Carly glanced at me and she smiled. “What are you doing here?”

I could tell she was dying to know what Colin had said to me.

“Carly left before I could tell her something.”

“And what’s that?” Carly settled a hand on her hip. She was wearing a couple of bangle bracelets in bright primary colors. I hadn’t noticed earlier. She had a quirky sense of style I was starting to get used to.

“I signed us up for an online bartending class. We’re starting tonight.”

“What?” Maddy eyed the crowd forming around the bar. “Is that a joke?”

“Didn’t Carly tell you about our first attempt at teaching ourselves?”

“Attempt? Are you actually admitting you’re not good at something, Macon?” Maddy unsuccessfully tried to bite back a smile.

“Completely. I suck at it, we both do. We’re going to change that though.”

“Are we really starting tonight?” Carly’s question was loaded. She was asking me whether I thought it was a good idea or not. It was. I was going to be prepared this time.

“Yes. We’re all set.”

Maddy opened a couple of beers. “I so need to watch this.”

“Nope. You’re not invited.” I loved Maddy, but this was just for Carly and me.

She handed out the beers and pulled out two martini glasses. “You can’t keep me out.”

“Sure we can. You don’t live there anymore.”

Maddy groaned. “Whatever you say.”

“Exactly.” I winked at Carly. “See you at home.”

She shook her head. “Bye, Macon.”

Chapter Seventeen

Carly

“How does this work exactly?” I pulled up a stool to the island where Macon had lined up liquor bottles, glasses, shot glasses, and every other bar accessory we could ever need.

“We just sign in and listen to the lessons. Then we practice. At least that’s how I think it’s going to work.”

“And you’re really just going to sit here and do this with me?” Helping me for one night seemed normal, but agreeing to take a whole online class with me?

“Yeah. I could use the education myself. What if I meet a girl who wants me to mix her drinks?” His face fell as he said the words, like he regretted saying them.

On the Rocks
On the Rocks Page 29



I refused to let my face fall. I wasn’t delusional enough to think that anything was actually going to happen with us. And even if it did, it’s not like he wouldn’t date other girls later on. “Yeah, well, you never know when the skill will come in handy.”

“I’m going to refrain from making the dirty response your comment is begging for.”

I laughed. Macon was so good at breaking awkward tension. “And I promise to keep my clothes on this time.”

“Who said you had to do that?” His tone was light but his eyes sent a different message.

“All right. Let’s start this thing.”

He opened his laptop and logged into the course.

A simple graphic welcomed us to the program. I shifted in my stool to get comfortable.

“So you want to bartend?” A guy with a pink polo with the collar popped stared at us from the screen.

I nudged Macon. “Is this for real?”

He laughed. “Just pay attention.”

“There are lots of reasons why you might be taking this class. Maybe you want to be able to mix yourself drinks, or maybe you’re trying to impress a special someone.” The guy winked in an exaggerated way that had me nudging Macon again. “Or maybe you want to transfer to a new profession. No matter what the reason, this class will help you reach your goal.”

He walked over to a bar and hopped up. “Are you ready to get started? What’s that? I couldn’t hear you. Are you ready?”

“Hell yeah!” Macon smiled. “We’re so ready.”

“All right, that’s better. Let’s get started.”

“This is like a bad work-out video. Where’d you find this class and how much did it cost?”

“Shh. We’re going to miss the first lesson.”

I rolled my eyes. “The horror.”

“Today we’re going to talk about the supplies you’ll use and the terms you need to understand before bartending. Let’s start with the different types of glasses.”

I groaned. “Seriously, Macon? Glasses?”

“It has to get better.”

“Sure.” I nudged him again, and he put an arm around me. I happily rested my head against his shoulder.

Macon was wrong. It didn’t get better. After learning about every type of glass known to man Mr. Popped Collar moved on to shakers and measuring tools. Just when I thought we might learn something interesting the lesson ended.

“Seriously?” I looked at Macon. “When do we get to start something fun?”

He shrugged. “Maybe class number two.”

I laughed. For some reason the whole situation seemed incredibly funny.

A low battery alert flashed on the screen.

“And on that note.” Macon closed his laptop. He spun on his stool toward me. “What are you up to now?”

“Now? You do realize it’s almost two a.m., right?”

“Yes… I’ll ask again, what are you up to now?”

A door squeaked and Brody walked out. “What are you up to, Macon?”

“Did we wake you up?” I felt bad. Maybe my jeers about the class had woken him.

“Not really… and at least you’re dressed.” He pulled a grey t-shirt on over his head.

“Because you thought we wouldn’t be…”

“You two have a bad track record when it comes to bartending…”

“Unfortunately I didn’t get her liquored up tonight.” Macon winked at me.

I groaned. “Please don’t go there.”

Macon stretched his arms above his head. He was probably stiff from sitting so long. “Want to go for a walk?”

“Now?” I caught Macon’s eye.

“Yeah. Let’s grab some flashlights and head down to the beach.” Macon glanced at Brody to get his approval. Brody nodded.

“Won’t we get arrested or something? It’s the middle of the night.”

Macon shook his head. “You sound so much like Maddy it’s scary.”

“What? Because I think about things like my arrest record?”

“Wait…” Macon’s lips twisted into a smile. “Why do you I get the feeling you have a record?”

“I don’t have anything on my record… thankfully.” I walked down the hall to my room and found my favorite black flip flops. Nervous about getting in trouble or not, I wasn’t giving up the chance for a night walk. There’s just something special about being outside at night like that, especially by the water.

“You’re going to spill, Carly, whether you know it or not.” Macon stood by the front door, holding the door open.

Brody placed a small flashlight into my hand.

“That’s what you think.” I slipped out and headed down the stairs.

The night was cool, and I immediately regretted not throwing a sweatshirt over my tank top. I wrapped my arms around myself as I gazed up at the starlit sky.

“Cold?” Macon asked as the three of us walked along the sand.

“Not as cold as when you threw me in the ocean.”

“So what you’re saying is that you’re dying to take another swim?”

“No. That’s not what I’m saying at all.” Getting in the ocean again while fully dressed was not high on my list of activities.

“Okay. If you’re sure.” Macon got that twinkle in his eye, and I knew I was in trouble.

“Do not throw me in, Macon.”

“Or what?”

“Or else.”

Brody laughed. “That’s it? No creative threats?”

“My threats are so creative I can’t share them with mere mortals like you.”

Macon wrapped an arm around my waist. “Mortals?”

“Ok, wrong word, but you get the picture.”

“Nuh uh, you just admitted that you think you’re more than human.”

“No I didn’t.” Had I really just said that? Maybe I was reading too many paranormal books.

“Yes, you did.” Brody just had to join in.

“It’s the middle of the night, and I just finished watching the world’s most boring video, cut me some slack.”

“Sure, no problem.” Macon smiled right before he yanked the flashlight from my hand and swooped me up in his arms.

Moments later I made contact with the dark, cool water.

“Macon!”

“Chill out, I’m coming,” Macon called.

“As much as fun as a late night swim sounds, I’m heading home. Don’t get in too much trouble you two.” Brody laughed before turning back toward the condo.