The Lies They Tell(25)
“So, where’d you learn to sail?” Bridges asked her, folding his arms on the table.
She took her time in answering. “My dad taught me. You?”
“Yacht club, here and in Southport, where I’m from. My parents and Gramps had me tying anchor hitches before I could walk.” He gave her an approving look. “You were pretty badass out there today. Saved our butts.”
Akil rolled his eyes. “You guys could’ve called down to me or something. Not like I was unreachable.”
“You wanted to have sex more than you wanted to win.” Tristan’s tone was even, declarative, and he didn’t spare Akil a glance as he wiped a ring from beneath his mug, laid down a fresh napkin as a coaster. “You made your choice. Own it. If Pearl hadn’t stepped up, we’d still be making our way back from Somes Sound right now.” One of the counter girls appeared with their order and began handing out sandwiches; Tristan stirred his coffee, continuing to speak as if she weren’t there. “Hadley wouldn’t have sex with you, would she?”
Akil’s jaw tightened as he glanced at the girl, whose eyes widened before she quickly moved on to the next table. “I got enough.”
“No, you didn’t. If you did, you wouldn’t be taking it out on Pearl.” Still such a calm tone. “Admit that’s what you’re pissed off about, not that she helped us win. You never cared about that.”
It was the fastest, most complete dressing-down Pearl had ever seen. Akil didn’t argue; in fact, he shrugged and began eating his fries, a little sullen but somehow mollified, like it was a relief to be called on his own bullshit. Pearl glanced at Tristan—had he just defended her?—but he was preparing for a meal he wouldn’t eat, adding pepper and salt. She barely registered the sound of the rear entrance jingling open until she heard Reese’s laugh as he traded friendly insults with one of the counter girls.
Pearl was on her feet immediately, crossing the room to head him off. Reese wore baggy board shorts and a David Bowie T-shirt, and he smiled, surprised. “Hey. You missed a classic this morning. Mrs. Rosenthal lost an earring in her brunch strata and had me dig around for it so she wouldn’t ruin her manicure. It was awesome. Ten bucks it went down her shirt, but I wasn’t ready to go, like, spelunking. You eating by yourself? Grab your stuff and come out back. I downloaded The House on Sorority Row.”
“I can’t.” She couldn’t pretend to be normal, couldn’t relax the tension written all over her face. “I want to, but . . . I can’t right now.”
“Um, okay. Why?” His gaze traveled to the table she’d come from, the empty chair with her bag hanging over it. Bridges was watching them with interest. “You’re sitting with them?”
She opened her mouth, closed it. Time hung suspended, tension deepening with each second.
“They asked you to sit with them?” Flatly disbelieving.
Unexpectedly, some part of her bristled at that. “I came with them.”
Reese stared at her for a long moment, then forced a laugh. “What is this, Be Kind to Second-Class Citizens Day? Why’d they ask you?” Another laugh, harsher, before she could speak. “Let me guess. Tristan Garrison’s gone all Howard Hughes and hired you to be his handler. No, wait—this is some social experiment and you’re their Eliza Doolittle. Who gets to stick the marbles in your mouth?”
“Will you stop? Can I say one thing before you talk over me?”
“Nope. I’m good.” Reese stepped away as if to leave, and she reached for him.
“It’s not—”
He turned, holding his finger in her face. “You’ve got no idea about those kind of guys, Pearl. You’ve got no idea what they really want.” His intensity silenced her. “You think you’re the first townie they let hang out with them? You going to party with them? Get wasted?” He made a disgusted sound. “Wake the hell up.”
Heat rose in her face. “Don’t tell me what I know about. And don’t talk to me like I’m stupid—”
“Whatever.” He put his hands up, turning away. “Enjoy your rich pricks.” He pushed past a tourist family and went out the rear door, letting it bang shut behind him.
Pearl took a step to follow, but she was mad, too—furious—so she lifted her chin and turned away. Jovia had been watching with a pained expression, but now she looked back to the cappuccino machine, saying nothing.
The chaos of the shop had a dreamlike quality as Pearl returned to the table, everything seeming distant and muted compared to the hammering of her heart. “Everything okay?” Bridges glanced back at where Reese had made his exit.
“What’s this?” There was a sandwich waiting on a plate for her, grilled cheese with tomato on rye, one of her favorites.
“I figured you must be hungry.” He slid some napkins her way. “Come on. Everybody’s eating.” And then he was back in the conversation, laughing at some story from Akil’s private school days that had even Tristan wearing a slight smile, his gaze sliding once to Pearl, then onward. She wondered who had first mentioned that she wasn’t eating, whose idea it really was to order for her.
As the conversation flowed around her, her pulse slowed, her breathing evened out. The sandwich smelled good. Tasted even better.