Chapter Ten

Gemma

"I cannot believe you witches dragged me out of bed this early in the morning. I thought you were my friends," Daphne whined and then cried. "Friends do not treat friends like this."

Sophie rubbed her back. "There, there." She chuckled. "Maybe you shouldn't have left us after the bonfire to have some fun with Dimitri." Then she turned to me and Coco for a split second, raising a brow. "That was his name, right?"

I shrugged my shoulders and took a sip of my fruity beverage and played with the curly straw. I honestly didn't know his name. I remember Daphne going on and on about some guy, but never actually committed the name to memory. I didn't think we'd ever see him again, so it didn't matter. Apparently, Daphne knew she'd be seeing him again later in the evening.

Coco smirked. "It's all because of your weakness for tequila," she pointed out, but Daphne slapped her. "Hey, now we get slapped for telling the truth?" she asked, acting astonished. "He invited you back to his room for more booze and you couldn't help yourself." She placed a hand on her forehead and jested, "He was just so dreamy," as she practically fell on to Daphne's back, giggling. "Anyone's dreamy with that much alcohol in their system."

Sophie fixed herself on a chaise in our cabana and sighed. "Well, it's not early, but I wish we did wake up early because I want to soak up every second of this trip with my girls." Then she leaned over and placed her head on my shoulder. "I'm going to miss you guys," she cried.

I looked at her and picked up her head. "Hey, what does that mean? You're not going anywhere."

"Except for her honeymoon." Coco winked. "But that's only for two weeks. That's nothing, sweetie."

She sighed and waited for the cabana boy to leave after delivering fresh towels. Then she whispered, "I feel stupid saying it."

I rubbed her arm and coaxed her, "You can tell us anything." Then I cleared my throat. "You can tell me anything," I corrected. Although, as I looked over at Daphne, who was currently sleeping, her face crushed against the cushion of her lounge chair, and Coco, who was now at the entrance, waving at a guy on the beach, I assumed it didn't matter. They weren't listening anyway.

Sophie faced me and played with her own straw. "When you get married everything changes. I won't see you as much."

I shook my head. "That's not true. You'll see me plenty."

"How can you be so sure?" she asked, her eyes full of tears.

I kept my hand on her shoulder. "Because nothing will change. We'll stop by and see each other, we'll grab lunch, and go to Mom and Dad's for dinner when they're home."

"Bobby does like to barbecue," she said, her face lighting up. "Maybe a little too much. But he seriously makes the best steaks and just the way I like them—medium rare."

"There you go." I pointed at her. "Some things may change, but not everything, and what does will be for the better." I smiled. "I promise."

She wiped her eyes and sniffled. "You're right. And this is my bachelorette party. I shouldn't be getting down like this."

I nodded. "Exactly. You know what you need?" I asked.

She shook her head and stared at me.

"One of those pink drinks I saw on the bar's menu."

She smiled. "I do like pink drinks."

I laughed. "I know."

I stood up and exited our private sanctuary, going around Coco. "I'll be right back with four of them."

Sophie pointed to Daphne and smirked. "Better make that three."

"Coming right up."

"Wait, where are you going?" Coco asked me.

I nodded in the direction of the bar. "To get us pink drinks."

She put her arm up and ran ahead. "I'm coming with you. Be back, Soph," she shouted over her shoulder, but it was useless, my sister already had her head in a magazine.

"So are you having fun?" Coco asked me, it dawning on me for the first time that she wasn't all that bad. I mean, we were like night and day, and she was definitely still in her party era, but she meant well and loved my sister like a sister of her own.

I nodded and smiled. "This might be hard to believe, but I am. I really am."

"Good," she said, linking her arm through mine as we approached the bar.

The fans were going strong, keeping us cool in the shaded spot. We walked right up to the bartender and sat down on two vacant stools opposite of him. I pointed to the picture on the wall behind him. "We'll take three of those."

"Our Watermelon Frosé," he said, smiling. "Those are quite popular on hot days like today. Good choice."

As he turned around and made the drink, Coco got her flirt on, curling her hair with her fingers. "So what's your name, handsome?"

"Corey," he answered, smiling. He was clearly used to girls flirting with him as he responded with, "What's yours?" I supposed it came with the territory.

"Coco," she said in a lower voice than usual. It was much more seductive and I practically laughed at the thought that she'd change her voice just to attract some guy. "As in Chanel," she added, purring.

His gaze went to her then me before falling back on her as he let out a low chuckle. "Well, Coco, what brings you here?"

She licked her lips and leaned in, pushing her chest up against the bar. "My bestie's bach party."

He peered down, but only for a moment, as though fighting the urge to stare. Then he cleared his throat and poured our drinks into their glasses. "Here you go." He slid three pink drinks to us.

"Thanks, sugar," Coco said, clearly still intent on flirting.

I chuckled. "Give the man a break, you're obviously making him uncomfortable."

"Not uncomfortable," he said, holding his hands up. "Just can't date the customers. It's a rule."

"A resort rule?" Coco asked. "Or your rule?"

He frowned. "Both. But, still, I take rules very seriously."

"Yeah, so does G here," she said, pointing to me and plopping back down in her seat, obviously defeated. "Maybe you two should talk."

"Nah," I said, trying to get the attention off me.

She laughed beside me. "She'd never get involved with someone here. She's much too serious for that."

I looked over, my eyes growing wide. What was she doing to me over here, it wasn't even like I was interested in this Corey guy. It was obvious, though, it was easier for her to poke fun at me than accept that he just let her down gently. "Coco," I shrieked.

"No, it's true," she defended, and Corey turned to look at me, as if sizing me up.

I felt my face flush and not because of the sun.

"I know that face!" she shouted suddenly, pointing at my face. "You're hiding something. That's the same face your sister has when she's hiding something."

I shook my head and clenched the straw between my lips, taking a hearty sip of my very grown up slushy. "No, I'm not." I hated lying, even to Coco. "I swear." I just swore when I was lying. What was the matter with me?

She gave me that yeah-right-spill-it look and I exhaled sharply and then decided fine, I'd give in.

"I met someone," I said, as though that was all she needed to know and the conversation would end there.

Coco's mouth practically fell open.

No such luck. I should've known.

"So let me get this straight," she started and then paused, placing a finger on her lip. "Daphne has a one-night stand and a hangover the size of Texas, Sophie's getting married, and you met someone. When did you meet someone?" she asked and then immediately brushed it off as if she didn't care. "Am I the only one here with no prospects?" She placed her hand under her chin and blew bubbles. "Life isn't fair."

I looked down sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Who's the guy? Spill," Coco demanded. "You have to tell me. Come on, we practically turned into best friends on this trip and soon I'm going to be your sister's sister-in-law, so that has to make us some kind of family."

I laughed, relaxing in a way I usually didn't around her. Maybe it was the cocktail. Maybe I secretly was dying to share. Either way, I blurted out, "He's a ten. No, a twelve."

Corey whistled and I looked over at him. "Sorry," he said, holding his hands up. "Couldn't help but overhear. A twelve's a big deal."

"No one is ever even a ten," I said, pointing my finger at him. Then I swayed my head back and forth, remembering Lance again. "But this one," I said, sighing happily, "he's so handsome and charming." I waved my hands in the air. "But it doesn't matter because I screwed it all up with my stupidity." They should only know just how stupid I was back then and again now.

"No one is that stupid to let a twelve go easily," Coco replied. "Does Soph know?"

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter."

"I believe in fate," Coco explained. "Yeah, and I believe if it's meant to be, then your paths will cross again and maybe this time you won't be so stupid."

"Some people come into our life for a purpose, others a moment in time, and others a lifetime." We all looked up and took in what the bartender said. "What?" he asked, backing up. "I read it somewhere. It stuck."

"Apparently," Coco mumbled.

I laughed and hopped off my stool. "Well, as fun as this has been, we should get this back to my sister before it melts." I lifted both drinks from the bar top and Coco grabbed hers, slurping as she went.

She was running to keep up beside me. "I still can't believe this. We have to tell your sister."

I practically rolled my eyes thinking about that conversation. Me and my big mouth. I wished I never said anything to begin with.