Love the One You're With (14 page)

“I guess he made us some riding reservations,” Baby explained. She glanced from a distracted Avery over to Jack, who seemed impatient to get rid of her. Even though she’d planned on avoiding Riley, hanging out with him suddenly seemed like her best option. “I’d better head down that way.” She grabbed a pair of jeans to wear later and headed out the doors and onto the wraparound patio.

“’Bye,” Jack called sweetly. Baby didn’t bother to respond.

“Is this good?” Avery called to Jack, choosing a blue-and-white cabana at one end of the hotel pool. Since Jack had arrived an hour ago, Avery had been dying to delve into a long, girly conversation. Baby was her sister and all, but for some reason Avery hadn’t wanted to talk to her about the Rhys thing. Besides, she wanted some outsider perspective on her mom’s engagement.

“Sure!” Jack sprawled on one of the linen-covered lounge chairs and sighed. “God, this is so much better than New York. It was so boring without you! And the stepbrats were fucking monsters. Remind me to never have children.” Jack shuddered and pushed her D&G sunglasses on top of her auburn hair.

“Don’t tell me, tell J.P.!” Avery giggled. She pulled her container of Bliss suntan lotion out of her See by Chloé watermelon pink beach bag and slowly squeezed some onto her arms.

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Jack rolled her eyes. “Can I have some of your sunscreen?” She held out a dainty, manicured hand.

Avery regarded Jack curiously. Even though she and Jack had become good friends in the past month, she’d never really heard Jack talk about anything personal. Instead, they’d talk about sample sales, totally unacceptable behavior by other Constance students, what parties they were going to go to, and what they were going to wear. Thinking about it, Avery didn’t know Jack’s favorite color or if she’d slept with a stuffed animal when she was little or if she ever had braces or any of the totally normal things you were
supposed
to know about a best friend. It seemed Jack had been born totally beautiful, confident, and sure of herself. Or at least, she wanted everyone to believe that. Avery knew from firsthand experience—when she’d discovered Jack living in the tiny garret above her former town house after her dad cut her and her mom off—that Jack had her own insecurities and hidden secrets.

Avery was about to find the politest way to probe Jack about J.P. when she noticed a group of people on the other side of the pool. Avery could just make out a blond guy and a brown-haired guy, sitting beside two scantily clad girls, drinking and playing in the water. It was Owen.

And
Rhys
.

She couldn’t see Rhys’s face, since he was turned toward the submerged bar, but she certainly saw one of the girl’s arms draped possessively around his neck. They were at least fifty yards away, but Avery thought she could even hear them laughing. There were empty glasses on the edge of the pool on either side of them. And it was what, 11 a.m.? Had they just been there all morning, drinking and flirting? Were they on a
double date
?

“What?” Jack asked curiously. Avery was stuffing her towel and sunblock back into her beach tote. She motioned toward the
pool.

“I know when Owen’s flirting. I don’t want to ruin his game,” Avery lied. She ignored the tears pricking her eyes. “Besides,
no one’s here, anyway. I want to go to the beach.”

“Owen?” Jack asked, standing up to follow Avery’s gaze. From across the pool, she suddenly saw what Avery was staring at.
She recognized Owen’s shock of blond hair and his white teeth as he threw his head back, laughing at something Rhys Sterling
had said. Or maybe it was something one of those skanky girls with them had said. They were hot in that trashy, look-at-me
sort of way, and one of the girls was practically rubbing herself against Owen’s tanned torso. Jack suddenly felt like she
was going to be sick, and it wasn’t from the early morning flight.

She grabbed her things and went to follow Avery toward the beach, glad that they weren’t sticking around to watch. She suddenly
felt extremely stupid and extremely annoyed with herself. What had she been thinking—that she’d arrive in the Bahamas and
fall immediately into Owen’s arms?

Avery marched away, her cork Hollywould platforms thwacking down the sandstone stairs. She swiped at her eyes with the back
of her hand, hating herself for getting so upset. An uneven black smear of mascara stayed on her hand. Fuck. Why was she wearing
mascara to the beach, anyway? To impress Rhys? It was so stupid. It wasn’t like they’d even
kissed
. And yet for the first time in her life, she felt like she’d let a guy make a total and complete fool out of her.

The white strip of beach below the pool was set up with the same blue-and-white striped cabanas as the hotel. Avery quickly
popped into one. She needed to relax and regroup, and hopefully avoid Rhys and his new girlfriend. At least until she was
appropriately rested and fabulous.

“Would you ladies like a drink?” A skinny beach waiter in khaki shorts and a white linen shirt poked his head into the cabana,
proffering woven straw menus.

Jack waved the menus away. “Mimosas. And muffins. And French toast,” she added. “We’re on vacation, fuck calories,” Jack announced
as she pulled off her flowy white Milly sundress and tossed it onto the sand, revealing her black Calvin Klein halter bathing
suit.

Avery shot her a grateful smile, suddenly feeling a teeny bit better. It was really sweet of Jack to sympathy-eat with her,
even though Avery hadn’t told her what was going on.

“And Danish!” Avery called after the waiter. Why not? She might as well feed her sorrows. She pulled off her own green-and-orange
Lilly Pulitzer dress and readjusted the straps of her gold Eres bikini. There. She had her best friend, the sun, and someone
catering to her every whim. Forget Rhys. She’d be fine.

“Okay, so details!” Jack pressed after she had settled onto her back. “Your mom’s getting married.”

“Yeah,” Avery said, nodding.
Right
. The engagement. That was why Jack thought she was upset. Which was good, because she really didn’t feel like talking about
Rhys, now that she knew he’d never even liked her in the first place. “You know, Remington’s kind of weird, but my mom loves
him. And he loves her.”
And he doesn’t flirt with half-naked pool sluts,
she thought mutinously.

Jack blinked her green eyes toward Avery, nodding in understanding. “Well, it’s better than my mom. She’s having an affair
with a fucking nineteen-year-old French dude named Guillaume. I mean, really, what the fuck?” Jack began, even though she
didn’t really want to talk about her mom and Guillaume. Or about Avery’s mom and her weird fiancé. Ever since she saw Owen’s
white-blond hair and broad shoulders from across the pool, all she wanted to talk about was
Owen.
She couldn’t believe she had just left him with those sluts. Jack knew she was being ridiculous—it wasn’t like Owen could
have known she was coming. But seeing him with someone else had hurt, in a way that seeing J.P. with Baby Carlyle never had.

“Boys are all asses.” Avery sighed as the waiter appeared with a carafe of mimosas, along with a tray of French toast and
a basket with mixed Danish and muffins.

“Including your brother?” Jack asked, she hoped subtly. She flipped over to her stomach and undid her straps so she wouldn’t
get any weird tan lines.

“Well, he’s always been a player,” Avery said as she grabbed a Danish. She bit into it, but it was stale and hard. “At least
in Nantucket he was. But since we got to New York, it was pretty much just him and Kelsey. You know, until he pretended to
date
you.
” Avery shook her head, remembering when Owen and Jack had pretended to be a couple. Avery put the Danish down and plucked
a blueberry muffin from the basket. While it had been a bitchy and devious move on Jack’s part, it was almost flattering that
Jack had gone to such great lengths to get under her skin. “But back in Nantucket, he hooked up with everyone.”

“Really?” Jack wrinkled her nose. She sounded a little upset, but Avery couldn’t tell behind her enormous D&G sunglasses.

“Why do you want to know?” Avery asked, suddenly suspicious. Did Jack have a crush on Owen or something? But what about her
boyfriend?

“Is everything okay with J.P.?” Avery asked point-blank.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Jack said, suddenly very focused on rubbing sunscreen into her tan arms. “The stepbrats’ nanny
has off until Monday and it’s brutal. I needed to get out of the house. And, of course, I wanted to see you!” Jack added.

“Okay,” Avery said uncertainly. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the feeling of the sun baking her skin. But she
couldn’t relax. The excitement of the morning had dissipated, and in its place she felt only disappointment and exhaustion.

“You know, I’m actually really tired,” Avery said, standing up. She felt bad ditching Jack, but right now, she wasn’t going
to be much fun anyway. “I was up late last night and I think I just need a quick catnap. I’ll call the desk to have a key
card made for you,” Avery said as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “Bye!”

She didn’t wait for Jack’s response as she walked the long way up the beach, so she wouldn’t have to cross the pool. All along
the sand were couples of all ages. Everyone looked so
happy
. What was her problem?

Avery hurried toward the villa. Maybe she could just take a nap, and when she woke up this entire morning would be like a
dream.

In fairy tales, only Prince Charming can wake you….

Baby sat hugging her knees to her chest on the teak chair outside the guys’ villa. It had been almost an hour since she left
Avery and Jack, and she’d intended to knock on the door, grab Riley, and go riding. But as soon as she’d gotten here, she’d
hesitated. Layla wasn’t in the room when she woke up. What if she was with Riley, like, doing it or something?

“Howdy, partner,” Riley said, emerging from the villa. His hair was spiky, as if he’d put product in it, and he was wearing
a red flannel shirt cut off at the sleeves, along with jeans. “Have you been waiting out here? Why didn’t you just come inside?”

Baby shrugged. “Looks like it’s just the two of us. I think Layla and her dad are getting breakfast together,” Riley explained.
“Ready to ride?”

“If you are.” Baby smiled. She and Riley started walking toward the golf carts, and easily fell into step. At only five feet
tall, Baby was used to practically having to run to keep up with the strides of guys she dated. But Riley was good about walking
in step with her, almost as if he were doing it on purpose.

“Hop in.” Riley nodded to the passenger side of the golf cart.

“I’m driving today.” Baby arched an eyebrow and slid into the driver’s seat.

“You’re on. I like a woman who can giddy up and go.” Riley smirked as he walked over to the passenger side of the cart.

“So, are you going to tell horse jokes all morning?” Baby asked sarcastically.

“Probably.” Riley smiled as Baby turned on the ignition and began driving down the bumpy dirt road that wound around the other
private villa compounds. It was pretty here, but almost too perfect. With the bright blue sky, the lush palm trees, and the
incessant birdcalls, it felt like she’d stumbled into some dream world.

“So, your mom’s getting married. That’s pretty wild,” Riley said. He drummed his slender fingers against his knees as if accompanying
the beat of some song only known to him.

“Remington’s a good guy. I just want them to be happy, you know? I mean, we’re all going to be out of the house in two years….
I just don’t want her to be lonely.” Baby tore her eyes away from Riley’s fingers and concentrated on the road. Why was she
spilling to Riley? Next thing she knew, she’d tell him she had a huge crush on him.

“He is a good guy. And it’s a little fast, but I guess you know when you know,” Riley mused, looking at Baby in that secretive
way again. “Like, when—wait, stop here!”

Baby abruptly slammed on the brake.

“We’re here.” Riley smiled and shook his head. “You love the gas pedal, don’t you? I’m going to call you Trigger,” he teased
as he slid out of the golf cart.

They walked up the grassy hill to the stables. For Baby, it felt natural to be with Riley.
But what about Layla?
she wondered.

“You’ve got a cool family,” Riley said.

“Thanks. What about yours? Are they sad you weren’t home for Thanksgiving?”

“Right.” Riley gave a short laugh that sounded like a bark. “I’m from Texas. It’s big hats, big hair—my dad thinks I’m gay
because I like music. He’s on his fifth wife. Second runner-up for Miss Texas.” Riley shook his head. “It’s easier to forget
about them and just do what I want.”

“I can understand that.” Baby nodded. Riley quickened his pace and walked into the door to the stable. “I’ll get the horses
ready,” he called.

Baby settled on a wooden glider swing set up outside the stable and slowly pushed herself back and forth with her foot. She
loved Riley’s lilting Texas accent and the way he stared in her eyes, as if he really wanted to know what she was thinking.
His flirty jokes were actually funny, and it seemed he was telling them as much for his own amusement as hers. He seemed honest.
He wasn’t trying to make his past seem perfect.

“Here you go,” Riley said, carrying a plastic step stool under one arm and leading a large bay with the other. He tenderly
patted her nose. “I brought you Boots. She and I’ve got a history.”

“Should I—I mean, Layla, be jealous?” Baby asked as she slid off the glider and walked toward the horse. Oops. She’d almost
made it sound like
they
were a couple.

“Nah,” Riley said. Something flickered over Riley’s face at the mention of Layla’s name, but he didn’t seem to want to go
into it. He put the step stool down on the sandy grass. “Step up.”

Baby swung her leg up and over the horse’s broad back.

“Whoa!” Baby involuntarily exclaimed. This horse seemed even bigger than the one from a couple of days ago. “You sure she’s
nice?”