“Please, our niece is present,” Vaughn said.
“Vaughn, she knows what snogging is. She doesn't live under a rock,” Miller interjected.
“And she was the one just now to let Simone know her lipstick was smudged,” Grayson added. “You’re still wearing some of that lovely color yourself.” He reached over to jokingly try and rub it off his brother’s face.
“Still, no need to be uncouth,” he replied, swatting his brother’s arm away.
Drea turned to Kyle and rolled her eyes. This is exactly what she had been talking about on the boat. It didn’t matter how old she got, she was to remain under the impression that her uncles were monks. Maybe someday she’d let Vaughn know that most of what she’d learned about sex as a teenager had come from his bride-to-be.
“Anyway,” Vaughn said, desperately trying to change the subject. “Everyone ready?”
The group nodded, but no one spoke up with their contribution.
“Age before beauty, so Vaughn, you’re up!” Grayson said.
“Fine. The old guy in room 531, you’ll know him by his ill-fitting toupee and blindingly bright tropical-themed shirt, will manage to hit on everyone here under the age of thirty by nine pm. So Drea, watch out.”
“Should I see him coming, I’ll just start making out with Kyle,” Drea said, trying to make it sound like a joke.
“No!” Vaughn shouted right as Grayson turned to high-five Kyle. “Don’t encourage that,” he threw in, glaring at Grayson.
“Give it a rest, Vaughn, she was making a joke,” Simone said, before turning to Drea. “Although at this point I’ll give you fifty bucks to do it if you see your uncle coming, just to give him a heart attack.” She reached out and high-fived Drea.
“Continuing on, Grayson?” Vaughn said, trying to change the subject again.
“I’m sticking with a staff hookup. May have failed me last week, but not two weeks in a row.”
“How very original!” Simone said sarcastically. “My money's on the elderly lady with the knitting needles following Dalton around all night trying to see if she can stick him with one of those needles.”
“The little redhead that is here celebrating her twenty-first with her parents? She can’t hold her booze as well as she thinks she can, so I say we’re gonna have a puker on our hands,” Drea added.
“Well, before she pukes, her dad is going to try to give a really embarrassing birthday speech, not that anyone around will pay him any attention,” Miller threw out there. “Kyle, you’re up, son.”
“Well, for my first submission, I contend that at least one of the women here for the divorce party will strip down to nothing and run for the water. But I’m pretty sure once one does it, they’ll all follow suit.”
“Good one,” Grayson said, high-fiving Kyle again. “You’re a natural already!”
“Great, then we’ll see everyone for breakfast!” Simone called out, pulling Vaughn away, back toward his office.
Drea shook her head, laughing at Simone, understanding exactly how she was feeling. It was taking everything in her not to do the same with Kyle. If it wasn’t for the fact that she’d promised Leona they’d all hang out together at the bonfire, she’d be tempted to try it. She waited until the rest of her family walked away b
efore turning to him, squinting her eyes in curiosity.
“Skinny-dipping, huh?” she asked, walking up to him until their bodies were all but touching.
“What can I say? I had a fantastic muse this past weekend,” he answered, winking at her.
Somehow the bonfire seemed bigger tonight. Kyle knew that wasn't possible, yet the more and more he looked at it, the bigger and brighter it seemed. Maybe it was just that all was right with the world as he and Drea made their way to find their friends at the weekly event. They weaved in and out of the crowd of guests, stopping briefly at the bar, before finally finding Leona and Dalton on the far side of the bonfire patio. The two of them were sitting in the new sling beach chairs that Drea and Simone picked out earlier this year, sipping bushwackers.
“Oh, gimme,” Drea said, reaching out for Leona’s drink.
Leona handed it to her, swapping it out for the margarita that Drea was holding. Looking around, Kyle found a chaise lounge and pulled it up so it was in line with the beach chairs their friends were sitting in. Plopping down with a thud, he sat all the way back, with the lounger’s back mostly upright, before pulling Drea down to sit in his lap. She let out a little noise as he grabbed her by the hips, trying to make sure not to spill the drink in her hand.
“Are we not hiding from the uncles tonight?” Leona asked, watching Drea as she settled in on the lounger.
“I’m protecting her from the creeper in 531,” Kyle answered.
“There’s a creeper in 531?” Leona followed up.
