Gloria's Revenge (20 page)

I unlocked the front door and we stepped into an open space that featured a spacious living room with French doors that looked out over another grand deck and the ocean. Water and waves dominated my vision. To the left was a large kitchen and to the right were the guest bath and a hallway leading to two bedrooms. Beyond the kitchen, another hallway led to three bedrooms and the stairway to the second floor. Each first-floor bedroom had an en suite bathroom, which made arrangements for this summer much more comfortable. Drew and I could log time in the bathroom, but Silas was on a whole other level; he could spend hours in front of a mirror spiking his hair with half a dozen different products.

A large island divided the kitchen and living room and the house was completely white walls and worn wood floors. The realtor had suggested I refinish the floors, but I adored their charm. Whoever had designed the house was inspired by the natural beauty of the surroundings, beautiful in its quaint simplicity. I had fallen in love at first sight.

I walked across the room and opened the French doors. I wanted these doors open the entire summer to let the ocean breeze waft in and keep the dust bunnies and stale air at bay. I wanted to wake up each and every morning to a new fresh start, and keeping these doors open would do that.

“I’m going to go throw this stuff in my room.” Silas headed down a hallway.

“The corner room is mine, Silas,” I called after him. He shot me a dirty look because it was the largest room on this floor with the best views. “Advantage of being the owner.” I grinned. The house had two floors, but the three bedrooms on the second floor were in rough shape and I’d need to call a carpenter in to replace some of the flooring and update the plumbing. Every room in the house had access to the sprawling decks that wrapped around the first and second stories. There was also a small set of stairs off the second story deck that led to the widow’s walk on the roof.

While the bedrooms on the main floor were livable, they could use a fresh coat of paint and some modern updates, just one of the summer jobs I’d roped Drew into helping me with. While Silas said he would help, I knew his version of help was more like overseeing while sipping a drink with a little umbrella in his hand. He was good for opinions though, he had plenty of those.

I continued to walk around the living room and open all the windows before lifting the sheet off the ratty, old couch. There was some wicker furniture tucked in a corner that was in need of a paint job, but I liked it and planned on leaving it.

“I’m starving. Let’s order something.” Silas ambled back into the kitchen. “Stop working, we just got here.” He scrunched his nose.

“That’s why we’re here, Silas. Let’s just get our stuff hauled in and then we’ll talk dinner.”

“Fine, Mom.” Silas rolled his eyes before flashing me a playful grin. Silas always complained that I was too responsible, but on the flip side he was entirely too irresponsible, making us a perfect fit.

We both headed out the door to haul in the things we’d deemed worthy of the trip for the summer.

Later that night we sat together on the couch eating pizza and drinking beer. My feet were curled up underneath me and I was angled toward him.

“I’m dying without TV, love.” Silas took another slice out of the box between us. I smiled at his pet name for me. He’d begun to call me that shortly after we met our freshmen year at Duke. I’d assumed he called everyone that, but I soon found out I was the only one who’d earned that pet name. It made me feel safe and protected, loved. Silas soon became a part of me. He was there whenever the pain became too much to bear, listened with open ears, sat with me, rubbing my back without complaint when I needed silence, and started calling me love, the only thing that had helped warm my frozen heart.

“I’ll work on it tomorrow, but you should know that I believe you have an entertainment addiction.” I crooked a grin at him.

“I fully admit to that. If there were a twelve step program I’d be there.”

“I bet.” I rolled my eyes at him. “You okay with Drew being here this summer?”

“Do I have a choice?” He scowled through a bite of pizza.

“No. Maybe you could come to an understanding,” I trailed off.

“Doubtful. When will she be here?” He sauntered to the kitchen and grabbed us both another beer. The boy was absolutely delectable. If he didn’t like other boys I would, without a doubt, have been in trouble. I would have fallen for his mischievous grin and sexy dimples and he would have broken my naïve heart. Silas wasn’t much for monogamy.

“Thanks.” I took the beer. “I talked to her earlier. She and
Gavin
are coming tomorrow.” I emphasized his name.

“Gavin, huh? Sounds like a tool.”

I giggled and shook my head at Silas. “Well apparently he’s a hot tool, with a big tool.” Silas and I erupted into a fit of giggles.

“Can’t wait.” His brown eyes sparked with amusement. “Did you talk to Kyle?” Silas asked.

“Yeah.” I took another sip of my beer.

“And how is he?” Silas watched me with a thoughtful expression.

“He’s… okay,” I mumbled.

“Still not happy about this summer’s arrangements?” Silas asked.

“Not particularly.” I huffed and picked the pepperoni off my pizza absentmindedly.

“Are you guys going to be okay?”

“Sure. He’ll get over it.”

“What if he doesn’t?” Silas continued to watch me. I was fast becoming uncomfortable with this conversation.

“He will. It’s just for the summer.” I shrugged.

“And what about next summer?”

“I don’t know, Silas. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m here and he’s there. That’s it. That’s what it is.” I jumped off the couch and headed for the kitchen to dispose of my paper plate.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, love.” He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and set his chin on my shoulder.

“I know. I just don’t want to talk about it. We’ll be fine. We’ve always been fine.” I plastered a half-hearted grin on my face. “I’m exhausted.”

“Okay.” Silas regarded me with somber eyes. “If you need anything just holler. I’ll come running like the valiant knight in shining armor that I am.”

“Brandishing your blow dryer?” I giggled.

“Absolutely.” He grinned before gathering our empty beer bottles. I slid the pizza box into the empty fridge and then flicked off the light before we headed down the hall to our respective bedrooms. Silas paused outside his door.

“Are you really going to be okay, love?”

Silas knew I always had trouble sleeping my first few nights in a new place. “Yes,” I whispered. I was never good at lying.

“Come on.” He wrapped his arm around mine and headed for my bedroom where we curled up together; he held me while I sobbed softly into the cool sheets.

“Honey, I’m home!” I heard Drew’s voice singing as she opened the front door the following afternoon. Earlier that morning I’d scrubbed out the fridge then had gone to the grocery store to stock up on food and drinks. I’d also bought cheap utensils and dishes and was now arranging the kitchen. Silas had just finished washing the main floor windows and was sweeping when my other best friend arrived.

I set down the glasses in my hands, skidded to the front door, and wrapped Drew in my arms. It had been months since we’d seen each other and I was beside myself with excitement, knowing we would spend the entire summer together.

“God, G, I’ve missed you so much.” She held me tightly and we rocked back in forth. Tears sprang to my eyes as I inhaled her familiar perfume.

“Me too. I’m so glad you came. Your hair is shorter.” I held her at arm’s-length and took in her layered brown bob. “I love it.” Drew was obstinate, opinionated, and self-centered but she, much like Silas, had the ability to set me straight. She told it like it was unapologetically. She and Silas were also the two most hilarious people I’d ever met, so unlike me I couldn’t help but be drawn to them.

“Drew,” Silas said behind me with a curt nod. I rolled my eyes.

“Silas.” She rolled her bright blue eyes and then a small smile broke out across her face. For all their bickering, I think they really enjoyed each other.

“Great house, give me a tour?” Drew looped her arm in mine and we headed down the closest hallway.

“I’ll take you to your room first.” She dropped a bag off in the bedroom I was giving her then we made our way through the rest of the house. At each room, we talked paint colors and design schemes.

Later we made our way back to the kitchen and found Silas making margaritas.

“It’s a proper girls’ night already,” Drew said as Silas poured the frothy drink into glasses. “Thanks for letting Gavin come, Georgia. I know it’s weird since you haven’t met him, but he’s great. You’ll love him.”

“Can’t wait to meet him.” I sipped the cold drink.

“Tristan’s great too, and off the charts hot.” She rested her hip against the counter and took a drink.

“Who’s Tristan?” I asked.

“Is he single? How old?” Silas asked.

“Twenty-seven, single, and straight.” Drew shot Silas a warning look.

“Perfect and not a problem,” Silas winked at her.

“Tristan is Gavin’s best friend. They’re in business together and working on a project they need to log hours on this summer. Plus he’s going through this thing, so I told him that you wouldn’t mind if he tagged along.”

“Drew.” I frowned.

“What kind of thing?” Silas cocked an eyebrow.

“Lady trouble. He just needs to get away for a while, put his past in the past kind of thing. You’re not mad are you, Georgia?” Drew pouted.

“Kind of weird that I don’t even know him…”

“Do you think I would invite a lunatic? Gavin’s known him since they were kids.”

“Technically I don’t even know Gavin.” I reminded her. She only rolled her eye in response.

“He’s great. They both are, plus the more muscle we have here this summer the less we’ll have to do.” She shrugged. I heaved an exasperated sigh. That was Drew… living in the moment and getting us into situations we probably shouldn’t be in. Maybe it had been a good thing she was ten hours away in Jacksonville the last few years.

“When are they coming?”

“Hopefully soon,” Silas said flirtatiously. Drew shot him another dirty look.

“This weekend. Gavin’s driving and Tristan’s sailing up the coast.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

“He has a boat?” I asked.

“Oh, that could make for an interesting evening,” Silas said.

“Straight, Silas.”

“I know, I know. Has never stopped me in the past though.” He winked at her.

Soon we found ourselves seated on the porch sipping margaritas, catching up. It felt good to laugh and reminisce about old times. I’d missed having Drew in my everyday life. While we talked often on the phone, it was a poor substitute for being together in person. Silas was my best friend, and I loved him just like a brother, but it was so good to have girl time. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed that too. Apparently, a lot of things had fallen out of my life over time and I hadn’t realized it.

“Shopping tomorrow?” Drew asked.

“Sounds great. There are some antique stores in town I’d like to hit first.” Drew and I had talked about the overall design of the house and how to maintain the cottage feel with modern updates. First, we needed to start with the living room since this is where we’d be all summer. A couch was at the top of my list, as well as overstuffed chairs and end tables and an entertainment center where we could tuck a TV that would still blend with the decor. I also needed to stop at the hardware store for sandpaper and paint to refinish the beautiful wicker set that was left here.