Page 55 of Get Me (The Keatyn Chronicles 6)
"I know. That's why I'm surprised you turned it down. The timing worked out so that you could do both."
"Except that I have another project I'm way more passionate about."
"What's that?"
"I'm going to be starring in the movie of my life. It will be filming at Eastbrooke, and I'll have the hottest co-star. His name's Aiden Arrington. You may have heard of him."
Aiden's grin blinds me.
I lean close to him and whisper in his ear. "And I can guarantee you that rumors of our off-screen romance will be completely true."
"You're really coming back? For our whole senior year?"
"Yep. I am a prefect, after all. And I'm wearing cowboy boots to New Student Orientation."
Follow your heart.
10pm
We quickly make the rounds at the after party, and then go back to my house. All my closest friends are meeting here, so I can introduce them before heading to the club for my birthday party.
Aiden offers to greet everyone as they arrive while I go change.
But when I return in my party dress, I find my friends all congregated in groups with the people they already know.
That will not do.
I grab Dallas and Dawson.
"RiAnne, I'd like you to meet Dallas, my friend from Eastbrooke." I wink at her and whisper, "He's a really good kisser."
She gets a huge smile on her face and giggles when Dallas says, "Howdy. And Keatyn's right. I am a good kisser. You wanna find out?"
RiAnne bites her lip like she's actually contemplating it and nods. Dawson and I both raise our eyebrows at each other and laugh when they just start making out.
"Dawson, I think you need to meet Vanessa."
Vanessa turns around when she hears her name.
"Keatyn, you look gorgeous." She eyes Dawson and says, "And so do you."
"Vanessa, this is Dawson Johnson. He's headed to NYU this fall and plans to major in luxury marketing."
"We have a lot in common, then," she flirts, putting her hand around his buff bicep and purring, "because I plan to major in luxury spending. Let's go in Tommy's office and have some of his good scotch, shall we?"
Dawson doesn't reply. He's busy taking her in, studying her long dark hair, aristocratic face, long eyelashes, authoritative stance, killer body, and couture shoes. He turns to me and says, "She's the Alpha of all Alphas, right?"
Vanessa and I both laugh.
"What a sweet sentiment," Vanessa says, "but I kinda like it when a man takes charge."
Dawson smirks and replies, "Let's go find that scotch."
"Did I hear the word scotch?" Damian asks, and he and Peyton follow them into the office.
I'm introducing my surfer friends to my Malibu party friends and all of them to Katie, Annie, and Maggie, when Cush walks in.
"Damn," Katie and Maggie say at the same time. "Who is that?"
"Cush!" I yell.
He strides over, hugs me, and then puts my hand on his stomach. "Got them back."
"It's about freaking time. How's Oregon?"
"I'm over Oregon and moving back. I miss the beach and girls in bikinis. Plus, we need to party it up our senior year."
"Hell yeah, we do," RiAnne says, joining us with Dallas in tow. "I miss dancing on your bar with Keatyn. You should see us, Dallas."
"Oh, I'd like to," he flirts.
Cush gives me a casual once-over, then grins, showing off those sexy dimples, and causing Katie to practically swoon.
"I gotta say, I miss Keatyn dancing on my bar too," he says.
"Can't be as hot as the pool table," Aiden says from behind me, wrapping his arms possessively around my waist.
"It definitely isn't," I say to Aiden. Then I make introductions. "Cush, these are my friends from boarding school, Dallas, Aiden, Katie, and Maggie."
They shake hands as Kerri Sampson and Walker Rhodes walk by, heading toward the bar.
"Cush, have you ever met Kerri? She's the daughter of --"
"We all know who her dad is," RiAnne says.
"Who?" Katie and Maggie ask.
"Howard Sampson is a big-time producer. Everyone in L.A. knows his name," RiAnne replies.
"And this is Walker Rhodes."
"Walker Rhodes," Maggie says. "Why does that name sound familiar?"
"He'll be performing at my party tonight. He's music's next big thing."
Walker blushes. "Here's hoping so." He turns toward Aiden and gives him a fist bump. "Good surfing with you and Damian this morning, man. You keep it up, you'll kick my ass pretty soon."
"Well, I can't sing like you," Aiden says, giving me a squeeze. "I gotta do something besides stop a soccer ball to impress this one."
"You a goalie?" Cush asks him.
"He's one of the best," I reply. "It'd be fun to see the two of you face off."
"I vote for a shirtless face off to commence immediately," Katie giggles.
We all laugh as Jake, Sander, Paige, and some of the cast members from the remake of A Day at the Lake arrive.
"Jake. Sander. Making the movie star entrance, I see."
Sander nods as Jake rolls his eyes at me. "We were waiting for Paige to finish getting ready."
"Well, it was worth it," I say, giving Paige a hug. "You look beautiful."
Riley and Ariela also arrive.
"Mr. And Mrs. Director," Sander says, slapping Riley on the back. "Don't you make the most beautiful couple? All that gorgeous dark hair."
"Happy Birthday, Keatyn," Ariela says to me.
Riley kisses my cheek. "I'm here, baby. Time to start the party."
"Not so fast, Riles," Knox says, walking in the door for his perfectly-timed, fashionably late entrance. "Not without me."
I look around for B. I really hoped he would come tonight.
But they're right. It is time to get the party started.
I grab Aiden's hand, whisper in his ear, and lead him into the kitchen with me. He helps me up onto the kitchen bar then grabs the trays of shots out of the fridge, giving me one before he passes them around.
"The buses will be here soon, so it's time to get this party started with a few shots!" I smile as they raise their glasses in the air. "For those of you who came to my party last year, thank you for still being my friends, even though I left with no explanation. For those of you I've met since then, thank you for understanding why I had to lie to you, and for still being my friends. The party we're heading to is the same as last year's in so many ways. Same club. A lot of the same people. Last year, I had hoped all my friends--from surfing, partying, and school--would come together and instantly become friends. But you didn't. And now I know why. It was because of me. I wanted to keep you separate because I didn't know where I fit in or who I wanted to be. So, raise your glasses and toast each other. This is for you. Love yourselves. Find control in your chaos. Follow your heart. And do
n't be afraid to wish on the moon."
Everyone downs their shots.
As Aiden cranks up the music, I pull Peyton, Maggie, RiAnne, Keri, Paige, and Vanessa up on the island to dance with me.
I'm dancing like a maniac with Aiden--and, well, everyone--when Brooklyn surprises me by cutting in.
He says to Aiden, "Do you mind? This dance is long overdue."
Aiden graciously bows out and Brooklyn wraps his arms around me.
"I'm glad you came tonight."
"I am too. Keats, I'm really sorry I didn't dance last year. This is my feeble attempt to make it up to you."
"It's okay, B. We were both going through some big changes."
"I got to your house just as you were giving the toast."
"What'd you think of it?"
"I think fate is a tricky bitch," he says. "What a fucking year."
I hug him tightly and laugh. "I'll toast to that. Hell, let's go get a drink!"
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19TH
AIDEN
Keatyn is shaking my shoulder. "Wake up, sleepyhead. We have somewhere to be."
I look at the clock, noting that it's nearly one. We didn't get to sleep until six this morning and I'm still tired.
But the sight of her wearing nothing but my boxers perks me up.
"Are those my boxers?" I tease.
"Maybe," she says with an adorable smile.
She runs her hand across my bicep. Then across my cowboy boots tattoo, giving me a naughty grin. "We need to get going."
"Where are we going?"
"A little surprise trip. But I was just thinking . . ."
"What?"
She winks at me, runs into her closet, and then tosses my boxers out the door behind her.
The Titan jumps to attention before I do, urging me to get my ass in there.
I round the corner and find her naked, sprawled across a white furry rug, surrounded by all her clothes and shoes.
I pounce on her.
What else would I do?
Hilly. Lush. Green.
2pm
I take Aiden to the plane that's waiting for us, praying I've timed it right.
The flight is quick and when we land he asks, "Where are we going? Are we seeing my parents?"
"No, we're not. I have something I need to show you."
I jump in the Mercedes convertible that I got for my birthday last year.
"How'd your car get here?" he asks.
