Uncle Trey is in the kitchen making a drink.
“I didn’t know you knew how to make a cocktail.”
He turns and smiles. “Vodka with a splash of soda water is hardly a complex cocktail.” He swirls the liquid in the glass. “But it does have a lime.” He squeezes the juice into the glass and then drops the wedge in. “Tonight, I need something a little stronger than a beer.”
“Yeah, you and—” I stop myself before I finish, but my uncle isn’t stupid.
He offers a knowing smile. “Listen, I wouldn’t blame you. You’ve been through a lot lately. And just so you know, I was young once, too.” He gives me a wink. “I went to my fair share of parties with the iconic red cups—not filled with anything considered alcohol, funnels next to the kegs, and music loud enough to get the cops to show up every damn time.”
That brings a smile to my lips. “Well, a party on the beach a few blocks from here will undoubtedly have all. I planned on going with a couple of people I met at school. Are you okay with that?”
“Absolutely. Go have fun.” He sets down his drink. “If you need me to drop you off or pick you up, this drink can wait until another time.”
“Thanks, but that’s okay. I’m just going to walk. It’s close enough, and if I have a couple of drinks, I can just walk home.”
He eyes me pointedly. “Like I said, if you need me, I’m here. I can be there in a flash.”
“Thanks.” Wanting to keep the line of trust open, I snap a picture of the address on the paper Josh gave me. “Here’s the address. It’s right up the beach.”
“Well then, if you’ve got it handled…” He holds up the glass. “Cheers.” Then he takes a sip, the ice clinking against the sides of the glass. “Be careful. Don’t take a drink from someone you don’t know, don’t swallow the pretty pills, and wear a condom!”
“I will. I mean, I won’t— I don’t plan on—” I slap my hand over my face.
He chuckles through my sputtering. “I’m just kidding. I mean, I’m not. I know you know how to be responsible. At least you look like you do. I’m only trying to be the adult who thinks they should know what to say.”
“You do. You sound like my mom,” I comment with a sarcastic thumbs-up.
“Great!” He chuckles as we walk out onto the back deck.
“I’ll be home before midnight. And I promise to be careful.”
He plops down in his favorite chair and kicks up his feet. “Kinsley. Try to enjoy yourself, will ya?”
I turn to look at him before stepping off the last step. “Yeah, thanks.”
As soon as my feet sink into the sand, it’s not hard to know exactly where the party is. The raging bonfire is the first indication. The second is the music's beats, which can easily be heard from down the beach. The sun hovers just above the ocean. The raging fire complements the melting fiery orange glow as it sinks below the horizon. The closer I get, the clearer the details become. A game of volleyball is going on, a few people are playing Frisbee, and others are tossing a football. It seems like the entire population of Monarch is here.
With so much going on, a small hope sprouts that maybe no one will notice my arrival.
And as fast as that seed takes root, it’s killed when an arm wraps around my shoulder.
“You made it!” Josh pulls me tight against him. “Damn! You look hot.” His breath reeks with the stench of beer and mustard. This Josh is very different than the cautious and shy one in gym class.“Hey, you want a hot dog? I just had one.”
That explains the mustard. “Thanks, but no, I’m good,” I say.
“Let’s get you a drink,” he suggests.
“Great idea.”
The second we pivot, I get a full view of what’s in store for tonight. And I suddenly want to turn around, head back down the beach, and go home. Then, to sweeten the deal, order a pizza and pop a bag of microwave popcorn while I chill out and watch a movie. Instead, I do the exact opposite. I let Josh guide me toward the house.
The bonfire casts a golden glow over the people surrounding it. Some lounge in beach chairs, while others lie on towels. Most of them are against another body. We make our way around the blaze to the other side. Gunner and one of Brielle’s bitch friends are a mess of tangled limbs, groping hands, and fused mouths.
My gaze travels around the curve of the fire. Levi is next in the lineup, lying on a towel. His knees are bent, and a girl is tucked under his arm. The side of his torso is on full display. There’s no sign of the snake tattoo. One of them is in the clear.It doesn’t mean he isn’t involved. He just isn’t the one who did the actual killing. All this amateur detective work would be a lot easier if masks weren’t mandatory at the UG.
Kade is in a beach chair, eyes closed, and his earbuds are in place as he takes a drag off the joint between his fingers. He’s wearing a loose tank that covers any possible ink. There’s a girl at his feet, but he’s too wrapped up in his happy place to notice or care.
Then there’s Edge. His muscular body is splayed out, legs crossed at his ankles. With his head lying on Brielle’s stomach, he uses her mostly naked body as a cushion. One of her hands trails up and down his bare chest. With each of her caresses, her overflowing breasts spill out of her triangle top and come intentionally close to his face. He looks uninterested, bored by everything going on around him.
