“No.” I shook my head. “I’m single as can be.”
“So am I.” She smiled back at me and looked down. “Oh, I can’t believe I just said that.”
“Why?” I laughed and smiled down at her.
“Because I’m not usually this forward.”
“Then I’m glad you were tonight.”
“Yeah?” She took a step towards me and beamed at me. “Then I’m glad I was as well.”
“Wanna get out of here?”
“Sure. Where do you want to go?”
“I was thinking we could go sit by the beach? Watch the stars and talk?”
“Oh.” She made a face. “The wind isn’t good for my hair.”
“Oh.” I was disappointed in her answer. I knew Riley would have jumped at the opportunity to go and stare at the stars.
“But maybe we can go and get milkshakes at Steak ‘n Shake?” she suggested with a sweet smile, and I nodded.
“Sounds good.”
We walked out of the party together, and while I was happy to be leaving the party and getting to know her better, a part of me felt sad. A part of me felt like I was giving up something I’d never really had.
***
“So, tell me all about yourself, Hudson Blake.” She leaned forward and sipped on her chocolate milkshake.
“Want do you want to know?” I ate some fries and sat back. “I’m nineteen, a sophomore. I love video games. I’ve had the same best friend my whole life. I’ve got two tattoos. I like wrestling and boxing. I’m single.” I smiled wide at her and she laughed.
“Wow, that tells me a lot, but not really.” She grinned.
“Why don’t you tell me about you?” I sipped some of my shake and waited for her to talk.
“I’m nineteen as well and a sophomore. I want to be a doctor when I grow older to help find a cure for cancer. I also want to be a doctor because they make a lot of money and I want to buy my mom a house. I’m mixed as well.”
“Mixed?” I laughed. “Mixed up in the head?”
“No,” she giggled and stole some French fries off my plate. “My mom is black and Native American, and my dad is white.”
“Are your parents still married?”
“No.” She grinned. “My dad remarried and I have two small brothers with the blondest hair and bluest eyes. It’s really funny when we all go out. People stare at me and wonder what I’m doing with them.”
“I suppose they think you’re the nanny.”
She burst out laughing. “Exactly! That’s not an issue, is it?”
“What, that you’re a nanny?” I raised an eyebrow at her, and she leaned forward and hit me in the shoulder.
“No, that I’m mixed.”
“Doesn’t matter to me if it doesn’t matter to you that I’m all English.”
“I love English men.”
“Well, I should clarify.” I laughed. “I’m not actually English, but I think my ancestors are.”
“That’s pretty cool.”
“Yeah, I can even put on an accent.” I cleared my throat. “G’day, guv’nor, my name’s Hudson.” I spoke in my best Cockney voice, and Clara burst out laughing.
“That was absolutely awful,” she said between sobs. “Please never do that again.”
“Wot do ya mean, mate? I’m from London, England,” I continued and grinned as I watched Clara laughing. There were tears coming out of her eyes and she was doubled over.
“I think ‘mate’ is Australian,” she giggled, and I reached over and wiped a tear off her cheek. She paused then and stared at me, her face turning a deep red.
“I hope you don’t mind me touching you.”
“No, that was very nice of you.”
“We sound so formal.” I laughed. “If Luke were here, he’d jump up and moon us or something to get the party started.”
“Luke is your friend, right?”
“Yeah, he’s my best friend. He’s the one who dragged me to the party.”
“Yeah, Lara is my best friend and the one who made me go as well.” She sighed. “We should hook them up.”
“I don’t think you want your best friend to date Luke.” I shook my head. “I love him, but he’s not anyone I would recommend as a boyfriend right now.”
“Oh yeah?” She laughed. “Then he’d definitely be perfect for Lara.”
“Oh, Clara. You’re so bad. Who knew?”
“Not me.” She shook her head and laughed. “Do you want to get out of here and do something?”
“Something like what?”
“Maybe we can go and drink.”
“Drink?” I paused, surprised at her words.
“Yeah, maybe we can grab some beers and smoke pot.”
“Oh. I didn’t know you—”
“Oh, I don’t at parties, but otherwise, why not?” She jumped up, grabbed my hand, and pulled me up. “Let’s go.”
“Okay.” I got out of the booth slowly, suddenly unsure how I felt about continuing the night with her.
Her comment had taken me aback. I’d thought we were on the same wavelength about drugs and alcohol, but apparently I’d been wrong. I was thinking about a way to tell her I had to go home when my phone started ringing.
“Hello?” I answered hesitantly, as the number was unknown.
“Hudson, where are you?” Eden’s voice was loud, and I could hear loud music in the background.
“I’m just leaving Steak ‘n Shake. Why? What’s wrong? Is Riley okay?”
“Huh?” Eden sounded confused. “I’m at home. We’re having a party.” She giggled. “Riley’s in the closet right now making out with Steve Anders.”
“What?” I could tell that my voice sounded agitated, but I couldn’t help it.
“Seven Minutes in Heaven.” She giggled again, and I took a deep breath. “That’s what we’re playing. I’m hoping I’ll get to go in with Zack Spinelli. He is so hot.”
“What do you want, Eden?”
“Do you know where Mom and Dad leave the keys to the liquor cabinet? I wanted to make screwdrivers for everyone.”
“Eden, are you joking?” My voice was loud, and I saw Clara give me an anxious look.
“Don’t get all high and mighty on me, Hudson Blake. I know you and Luke drank plenty of whiskey in your time.”
“That was different.”
“Why? Because you’re guys?”
“No.” I sighed. “Because you are girls and you have guys over. Alcohol makes people act funny. You don’t want anyone getting pregnant during those seven minutes in heaven.”
“Hudson, gross!” Eden shouted, and I heard someone whispering something to her.
“Who’s that?”
“Riley says hi,” she continued. “Riley, get on the phone with my stupid brother and tell him to tell you where the key is.”
“Hello.” Riley’s voice was soft and I smiled involuntarily.
“Hey, egghead.” I laughed into the phone and heard her groan.
“What’s up, asshole?” she muttered, and I closed my eyes for a second to picture her face. I knew exactly what face she’d be making right now.
“I’m not telling you how to get into the liquor cabinet,” I continued and then realized that Clara was just standing there, looking at me uncomfortably. “Hey, let me call you guys back in a few minutes, okay?”
“No need,” Riley giggled, and I frowned. “Just a second, Hudson,” she said into the phone, and then I heard her laughing hysterically. “Stop it, Steve! You’re going to make me drop the phone!”
I frowned even more as I heard her laughing, and I felt a dark emotion run through me. I gripped the phone tightly as I listened to Riley flirting.
“Riley, I have to go,” I spoke into the phone with a stern voice.
“Okay. Bye.” She hung up then, and I stood there, feeling like someone had just slammed a door hard in my face.
“Everything okay?” Clara looked at me with a concerned face.
“Yeah.” I nodded slowly and gave her a weak smile. “Just my sister and her silly friends.” I shrugged. “Nothing important. Let’s go and get that drink, yeah?”
“Sounds good to me.” She grabbed my hand as we walked out and smiled up at me. “I’m so glad I met you, Hudson.”
“Me too.” I tried to mean the words as I said them, but all I could think about was Riley.
What was she doing at the party? What was she going to end up doing? What if she slept with that guy Steve? I felt my blood boiling and tried to ignore the feeling of emptiness that was slowly filling me up.
“Hold on a sec, Clara.” I pulled my phone out and called my parents, leaving a voicemail. “Mom, you and Dad need to get home as soon as you can. Eden is having a party and I’m pretty sure things are getting out of control. I suggest you go home as soon as you can before something bad happens.” I hung up and put the phone in my pocket, feeling a little better.
I knew my parents well. As soon as they got that message, they would be racing home. The party would be broken up and all the boys would be sent home. All that would be left was a girls’ sleepover. Steve—whoever he was—would be gone and Riley would be snuggled up under my roof, safe and sound. I tried not to examine my feelings too much. I was trying to protect my sister and her best friend. That was what big brothers were supposed to do.
Chapter 4
Riley
Four Years Ago
Every summer, Eden and I would go to her parents’ beach house in Englewood, Florida, for two weeks. I would accompany her parents and Hudson, and sometimes Luke, Hudson’s best friend, would come as well. As we got older, I always worried that Hudson would stop coming, but he never did. Those summers were magical. We would swim and boat, sleep under the stars, and grill out almost every night. Eden’s parents let us do our own thing most of the time, so during those summers, we really felt like adults.
The summer I was eighteen, right before my senior year in high school, Hudson brought someone else with him. Her name was Clara, and he proudly introduced her as his girlfriend.
"This is Clara," he spoke to Eden, who stared at the beautiful brunette with wide, eager eyes.
"Nice to meet you, Clara. I'm Hudson's sister, Eden, and this is my best friend and almost-sister, Riley."
I smiled weakly at the girl who stood in front of me holding Hudson's hand.
"Hi." Her voice was as sweet as she looked, and I tried to dismiss my thoughts of jealousy.
"Riley." Hudson's voice was surprised as he looked me over. "You've grown." His eyes traveled the expanse of my body and back up to my eyes. There was an odd expression on his face, and he frowned. "I haven't seen you in a while."
Eden rolled her eyes. "Now that you're a college man, you don't have time for your two sisters."
"Riley's not my sister." His voice was harsh, and my face reddened. "I'm going to go and show Clara around now. I'll see you guys later." And with that, he turned around quickly and walked out of the room, Clara scurrying behind him.
"He's such a pain." Eden rolled her eyes at the door. "I can't believe he got a girl as beautiful as her though!"
"Why not?" I looked at her in surprise. "He's hot."
"Eww! No he's not." She pretended to puke. "He's annoying and gross. Don't you agree?" She gave me a pointed look and I nodded.
What was the point of telling her that I harbored feelings for her brother? It was just a teenage crush, and he wasn't interested. He'd never be interested in me. Especially not now that he had a beautiful girlfriend.
"He's a boy. All boys are gross," I replied as if that explained it all. I tried to ignore the pangs of jealousy and pain that twirled in my stomach. "Let's go swim." I ran into our shared room and looked for my swimming suit so that she wouldn’t ask me any more questions.
***
The day that changed my life started off like every other day. I woke up and went to the kitchen to get some cereal while Eden lay in bed, still snoring. I was pouring out my Frosted Flakes when Hudson walked in, bare-chested.
"Morning, Squirt." He wrinkled my hair.
"Morning, Gramps." I made a face at him and he laughed.
"What are you eating?"
"Cereal."
"Boring." It was his turn to make a face. "Want to go and get pancakes?"
"You and me?" My heart started beating fast as I stared at him with hopeful eyes.
"Yeah. I assume Eden is still in bed?"
"Of course."
"We'll call her on the way back. See if she wants anything." He grinned. "Now go and get dressed."
“What about Clara?”
He frowned. “She’s suffering from a hangover.”
“Oh.” I bit my lip and then continued. “Is she in your room?”
“No.” He shook his head. “She’s in her room.”
“Oh, you guys aren’t sleeping together?”
“Not on this trip.” He laughed. “Mom and Dad aren’t that cool.”
“Oh, okay.” Did that mean that he and Clara had slept together before or not? I knew it was none of my business, but I really wanted to know.