Page 1 of Grip Me Tight
1
Sterling
“Sterling, please tell me you’re going to put the phone down and have some fun while we’re on vacation.”
I sigh, looking over at my best friend, Claire. “I’m working.” I hold up my phone, filled with little squares showcasing Gordon, my brother’s bearded dragon. “Gordon got a bunch of new followers today.”
“Yes, and while I’m sure Gordon cares, I think his most recent boost might have something to do with the video you posted of your brother singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to his lizard.” Claire blinks. “Wait, that didn’t sound right.”
Smirking, I respond to a couple more comments and put the phone down. “There, happy?”
“No, because I know you’ll be checking it again in a few minutes. I know social media is your job, but you’ve been working non-stop since we got here. Are you sure you’re not upset over this whole thing with Jake?”
Jake is my ex-boyfriend. Recently ex, although frankly it was a long time coming. “Definitely not upset about Jake. Maybe a little upset about how angry he is about being un-invited to my family’s party.”
Claire frowns. “Still contacting you?”
“Yep.” I scoot up on the lounger. “Is it usually like this?” I don’t have a lot of experience with boyfriends, but in speaking with my friends I kind of thought it went one of two ways: you break up and never see each other again, or you break up and continue to hook up until you meet someone else. At least, that what’s our friend Erika does. With Jake, after ignoring so many red flags I may as well be color blind, I really wanted to go with option one.
“No, it’s not usually like this.” She sits up and slides her sunglasses to the top of her head. “There can be drama, but Jake’s whole vibe is bordering harassment. Just block him.”
I bite my lip. “I would, but then I’m afraid he’ll just show up here and ruin the party. The last thing I need is to give my parents a reason to worry about me.”
This is the summer I gain some independence. I’m not sure what I want to do yet, but it definitely involves expanding my social media business. Not that I’m an influencer. I do have a couple of personal accounts, but I haven’t monetized anything except my YouTube channel, which is a partnership with the North American Organ Donation Association. All that money goes back into the non-profit in the hopes that more people will get a second chance at life, like I did.
What I do is create content and manage other social media accounts, like my brother’s pet bearded dragon. I also work to create connections between influencers and businesses. I really enjoy it, but my father is set on me going to law school, in case I need a ‘backup career’ as he puts it. I love my dad and he is a great lawyer, but that’s not what I want. Especially since I know it’s just an extended way for him to watch over me. I want to find something exciting, maybe something where I get to travel for a bit.
“If he keeps it up, you’ll block him, right?”
“Yes. I just don’t want anything ruining this party for my mom. She’s pretty excited all the guys are coming this year.”
Claire squirts some sunscreen on her pale, freckled arms and rubs it in. “She’s excited? What about me? I love Kingmaker and I can’t believe they’re all going to be here in the flesh.” She gives a little shiver. “They’re so hot.”
I roll my head towards her. “Are you including my brother in that statement?”
“Sorry, but you must know how gorgeous he is.” Claire sighs dramatically. “It is the great disappointment of my life that Noah Whitlock didn’t fall in love with me the second we met at Thanksgiving a couple of years ago.”
“Gross. I know he’s not a troll or anything, but trust me, you don’t want Noah falling in love with you.”
“Why not?”
“Noah loves the idea of falling in love more than anything.”
“That just means he’s a romantic.”
“Tell that to all the women he’s loved before.”
She bursts out laughing. “Hmm, well. If not Noah, there’s four other beautiful men I haven’t met yet.” She settles back in the lounger. “Unless you tell me otherwise, of course.”
A little flutter starts in my stomach. “What do you mean?”
She shrugs. “You grew up with these guys, you must have all the dirt on them.”
“Not Ajax, he joined a little later.” I pick at my bikini tie. “Keep in mind that I didn’t really hang out with them. I missed a lot of school and they were older than me anyway.” Except I did hang out with Noah and his best friend, Tanner Steele, Kingmaker’s beautiful, broody lead singer. I kind of thought he was my friend too, but then I ruined everything.
Tanner hasn’t been home since then.
Until now. Nervousness floods my body. It’s been five years. That summer, I turned eighteen and my parents’ huge Fourth of July celebration was even bigger that year because Kingmaker just found out they’d been signed. It’s not like I haven’t seen Tanner in that time, but only for a few minutes here and there. And everything has changed. Now he kind of flip flops between treating me like an annoying kid sister, or worse, a stranger.
