Page 34 of Faking it For Summer

“Luke Haverbrook, is that you?” Andi sees me standing there and rushes over to me with wide-open arms. She’s overly friendly, considering I think we’ve only spoken a few times in our lives, but I dismiss that as excitement that she’s marrying my brother.

“Hi, Andi. So good to see you. And let me offer my congratulations. I saw Rex earlier, but I guess you’re making the rounds separately.”

I study her face to see if she’s upset that Rex is going around without her. Also, I wonder if she knows he’s flirting with all the guests. I wonder if she’d be as upset as I was about the way he’d spoken to Mia, but it’s not like I can bring it up.

“Oh, you know Rex,” she says, staring me deep in the eyes, like she’s searching for life’s meaning in my brain. It’s slightly uncomfortable, and I wonder if she realizes how she’s coming across. Her green eyes are vibrant and streaked with black from her mascara and eyeliner. I hope the streaks are from sweat and not tears, but I wouldn’t put it past my brother. “He is the consummate bachelor, loves entertaining a crowd.”

“But he’s not a consummate bachelor any longer,” Mia interrupts, her tone one of confusion. Tendrils of her hair are falling from her bun, and she brushes them back without thinking. I notice her hot-pink nail polish and try not to smile. She always did like bright, vibrant colors. “He’s marrying you. So, shouldn’t he be acting the exact opposite right now?”

Mia looks to me for confirmation, and I nod dutifully.

“I suppose so.” Andi looks annoyed at her comment. “But he’s also Rex Haverbrook, the most eligible bachelor on the island, so he’s likely still behaving that way because that’s in his DNA. I’m sure he’ll change when we get married.” She presses her palms against the leather skirt she’s wearing and turns to Talia. “Right?”

“Of course, though he wouldn’t have been the most eligible bachelor if Luke still lived in town.” Talia grabs my arm and squeezes my biceps. I jerk back in response to her touch, and she winks seductively at me. “So, how have you been, Luke? I’ve heard that you’re making a name for yourself in the Big Apple.”

“I have been working hard. It’s really nice to be back home here in Coconut Beach with?—”

“I’d love to take a bite of that apple one day,” Talia says, running her hand down my arm as she moves closer to me. Mia’s staring at her with a frown. “A very big apple,” she whispers in my ear, and it takes everything in me not to laugh before pulling away from her.

She looks slightly taken aback as I distance myself, but I’m not interested in whatever she’s trying to sell. Mia’s eyes narrow, and she takes a step closer to me. She’s not happy. I’m not sure why that elates me, but a throb of energy pulses through me as she takes a step closer and clears her throat.

“I dunno if you heard, but Luke and I are kind of dating.” She says the words casually, a polite look on her face, but I know Mia well enough to know that she’s pissed. I’m only glad that it’s not with me this time.

Talia looks at her, then at me, and then over to Andi and sniffs loudly.

“You don’t say?” The words drip off Talia’s tongue in disbelief. She stares at Mia’s dress and recoils, her angular face tight as she processes her distaste. “Cute dress. Get it at the boutique in town?”

Her words let us all know that she thinks the dress is anything but cute. I personally think the dress is sexy as hell, but I’m not going to bring that up now.

“I did actually. Thank you.” Mia beams at her in her bestI know you’re a bitch, but I’m going to pretend you’re being niceway. I know that if Talia keeps going down this path, Mia will then get to herI’m going to warn you once before I shut you upstage. “Is yours from the boutique as well?”

“Ha! This?” Talia looks down at her black sequined dress. “This is couture, darling,” Talia says, disdain drifting from her tongue. “Designed by Oscar de la Renta. Have you ever heard of him? Do you even know what couture is? Can you spellcoutureeven?”

Shots have been fired, and I’m about to say something when Mia shoots me anI can handle thislook.

“I own a bookstore.” Mia’s head goes higher. “I think I can spellcouture.”

“Well, it’s not really a store, is it? Can you call a converted van with a couple of bookshelves in it a store? What do you think, Luke? In Manhattan, if someone were to say they were going to a bookstore, would they be saying that they were going to see a converted, dilapidated van?” Talia purrs as she rubs her hand across the back of my shoulder. “So thick and strong.” Her eyes stare into mine with open lust.

“My van is not dilapidated,” Mia says, snapping. “And if you don’t mind, please keep your paws off of my man.”

She grabs my hand, and I jump slightly at the shock that runs through me at her touch. I’m surprised she’s acting this way. The Talias of this world don’t normally bother her.

“Your man?” Talia laughs, the sound reminiscent of a witch around a cauldron. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“And how long has this been going on for? I thought the two of you were just friends.” She looks over at Andi. “You never told me that your future brother-in-law was datingher.”

“Well, I didn’t know,” Andi says, looking uncomfortable. “And Rex didn’t know either.” She looks at me as if I’m going to give her an explanation here and now. “I guess they’re just a family of secrets.”

“Mia and I wanted to keep it under wraps until we were ready to go public. We’ve been best friends for such a long time that we didn’t want to out ourselves until we were able to see if the relationship was going anywhere.”

“And you just figured this out, huh? Or has Mia been hoeing around?” Talia smirks. “Because don’t I remember seeing you at Cocktails & Chaos about two months ago, all over that surfer from Hawaii? And weren’t you saying how you’d love to go to Maui, and he was saying he was from Kauai, and didn’t you make some comment about how he could show you all the islands?”

“No,” Mia says loudly and blushes. “It wasn’t like that. I was just being friendly.” She looks at me with wild eyes. “Luke, I was just being friendly.”

“It’s fine. I already knew about that night.” I give Talia and Andi a huge grin, letting them know the story doesn’t bother me. “Mia has no secrets from me.”