I’m lucky that Juliana is only in juniorhigh because her friends are too young to date, even if I wanted todate them. They’re the only girls who ever come by the house, andthey just giggle and practice cheerleading, so dating is actually anew territory for me – and it scares me.
“Yeah, for sure. Dominic Richardson. I’mfrom Crescent Cove, California,” I tell her. “I’m on pretty muchall social media, so tell him to hit me up. I’m always game forsurf talk.”
She slings her hair over her shoulder andtypes something into her phone. “I just followed you on Instagram,”she informs me. “That way he can find you later. Thanks again.He’ll really appreciate it.”
Once she returns to the crowd of guysplaying beer pong, I push myself up from the edge of the pool anddecide to make the rounds to find a familiar face. But Kaia findsme before I even get my footing.
“Looks like I’m not the only one who makesfriends easily,” she says. She sways with her words, and that evilglare pierces through my soul like a sword. “Did she want yourautograph?”
Kaia leans into me, breathing vodka againstmy neck. Glenn would absolutely kill me if he knew I was here withher right now, especially since she’s already had too much todrink.
“She wasn’t looking for me,” I lie. “Sheasked if I’d seen her boyfriend, but I don’t know who he is. Kaia,we need to get you back home.”
“Hooooommme,” she says, laughing at theword. “I’m not home because we’re on an iiiiisland.”
She smiles up at me, resting her headagainst my chest. She runs her hand along my arm, tracing thedominant vein that makes me self-conscious. At least she’s a happydrunk.
“Did you kiss her?” she mumbles, closing hereyes and leaning into me with all of her weight. I hope she doesn’tgo from happy drunk to weepy drunk.
“No, Kaia,” I say, pushing her back to lookat me. “I only kissed you.”
She stumbles, but I hold her steady. I’m notsure how much of this she’ll even remember tomorrow. I sort of hopeshe’s one of those who remembers nothing from her drunkenstupor.
Hell, the last time I was wasted like this,I was at that bonfire on the beach. I tried to take HaleySullivan’s shirt off of her, which was the dumbest thing I could’vedone. That’s what prompted A.J. and the beer bottle. And now I’mhoping Haley’s boyfriend will sponsor me. Vin Brooks would probablycastrate me before he’d offer me a sponsorship with DrenalineSurf.
“Do you love me?” Kaia asks, her voice alldreamlike and floating.
“I could if you’d let me,” I say.
It’s the vicious truth. I could fall in lovewith this girl. She’s reckless enough to turn me on but soft enoughto make me feel like I can drop my shield. I like the tough girlimage she tries to put on, but I also like that she’s real with mebehind closed doors. She can hold her own against me and put me inmy place. It’s a rare thing for someone to push me like shedoes.
Her face turns pale, like maybe she’scompletely sobered up and realized what she just said to me. “Ithink I’m gonna be sick,” she says.
She jerks away from me and runs toward thehouse, but she stops just shy of the patio door. Then she pukes allover a hibiscus plant. My eyes meet Sloane’s, and we dash towardKaia at the same time.
“I need to get her home,” I say just asSloane reaches for Kaia’s hair to hold it back.
“She can stay at my house if she needs to,”she offers. “Give her time to sober up.”
I shake my head. “She can’t. Actually, Ican’t let her. I can’t leave her like this,” I say. “If her dadknew…I just can’t. I need to be there.”
Sloane goes to get her car keys while Iforce Kaia to rinse her mouth out with a bottle of sparkling water.She misses the patio and winds up spitting it on me, but I give itan A for effort. I honestly didn’t think she’d do that much forme.
Moments later, I crawl into the backseat,explaining to Kaia that we’re taking her back to the bungalow. I’llkeep an eye on her tonight. She murmurs something about ‘not myfirst wild night’ before drifting in and out of sleep.
I’m thankful that Sloane is sober, but shetells me on the drive back that she has to be – for Will’s sake.She’s probably pulled him away from plenty of crazy parties. Itmakes me a little sad that this is normal for her, that this is oneof the demons she has to face on a regular basis.
When we get back to the resort, she helps meget Kaia out of the vehicle. She follows us back to the bungalow,carrying Kaia’s purse, but she stops at the door. She tells me totake Kaia inside. It’s a miracle that Glenn doesn’t wake up as Istruggle through the living room and into Kaia’s room, dragging hisintoxicated daughter along. She collapses onto her bed, vaguelyaware that I’m in the room.
I tiptoe back outside to retrieve herbelongings from Sloane.
“Here’s my number, in case you needanything,” she says, folding the slip of paper. “I know you’ll beup to surf in the morning, but I can come by first thing if youneed someone to stay with her.”
I take Kaia’s bag. “She’s lucky to have metyou,” I say. “I think she needed a friend to survive theisland.”
“Don’t give up on her,” Sloane says,completely taking me out of myself. “She’s not as closed off as shepretends to be.”
“Oh, I know,” I agree. “I don’t know whatshe’s told you about me, but I’m not one to give up on anything ifI really want it. We all have our demons, but I’m determined not tolet them win.”
Chapter Eleven – Kaia
My head pounds like a sledgehammer, and thesunlight pouring into the bedroom only makes matters worse. I turnover to block it from my view, but shifting my body only makes mewant to throw my guts up. I clench my eyes shut and feel for myphone, but it’s not in the bed with me. How did I even
