The Cousins(34)

Allison didn’t particularly want to hang out with Anders, but she didn’t recognize anyone else here, so she followed him into the bungalow’s run-down kitchen. “Beer?” he yelled over his shoulder, then grabbed two Solo cups from a stack on the counter without waiting for an answer. The line for the keg was ten people deep, but Anders pushed his way to the front as though he didn’t notice and wrestled the tap away from the startled boy who’d been filling his cup.

“Some things never change, huh?” asked a wry voice.



Allison turned to see Kayla Dugas, Anders’s ex, and the third point of the infamous Matt-Anders-Kayla love triangle. Kayla’s signature waist-length hair—she’d never cut it in her entire life—was hanging over her shoulders in loose curls. She looked effortlessly sexy in a black tank top and jeans, no makeup except for wine-colored lipstick on her rosebud mouth. Allison, who’d agonized about what to wear before settling on the kind of sweatshirt-and-shorts combo that Matt had deemed “GCI casual,” suddenly felt ten years old.

Kayla had that effect on people. She wasn’t unfriendly, exactly, but she was aloof in a way that Allison found frustrating. If life were a movie, Anders’s on-again, off-again townie girlfriend would have been eager to impress his wealthy family, but Kayla always acted as though she was the one who needed to be won over. As a result, none of the Storys had ever really warmed to her except for Allison’s father, who’d considered her a breath of fresh air. “I do believe your father has a crush,” Mother had once said acidly, which made Allison certain that she celebrated Anders and Kayla’s frequent breakups more than anyone.

This last one, after the Matt hookup, had been the longest ever. Anders had gone back to his second semester at Harvard swearing he’d never speak to Kayla again, and Allison hadn’t heard him mention her name since. Until—

“Kayla.” Anders handed Allison’s beer to his ex, as though he’d intended it for her all along. “What a delightful non-surprise.”

“Anders.” Kayla accepted the cup with a sly smile. “Thought you weren’t talking to me?”

Allison slipped away before Anders could reply. She’d never understand their dynamic: how her haughty, imperious brother could practically grovel for Kayla’s affection until she gave it, and then promptly ignore her. Allison waited her turn at the keg, feeling invisible as Anders and Kayla kept inching closer together, becoming the center of the room’s attention even as everyone pretended not to notice them.



“Disaster waiting to happen,” someone murmured in her ear.

Allison turned to see Matt Ryan holding two full cups of beer. He handed her one, and she pushed his chest with alarm that was only half joking. “Run away before Anders sees you!” she said in an urgent whisper, but Matt just laughed.

“Anders only has eyes for Kayla,” he said, but let Allison lead him out of the kitchen anyway. “I was hoping you’d be here,” he added once they were out of sight in a corner beside the stairs.

Allison looked up at Matt, taking in his flushed cheeks, disheveled hair, and lopsided smile. It looked as though he’d been at Rob’s party awhile. “Thanks for calling about getting coffee,” she said sarcastically.

Whoops. That’s not what she’d meant to lead with. She’d wanted to play it cool, like she hadn’t thought about Matt’s invitation every day since he’d made it. Her cheeks burned, but Matt just grinned. “Come on, you know I can’t call your house. Everyone except you would hang up on me.” He gave a rueful little chuckle. “Well, and maybe my mom.”

“She says hi and hopes you’re eating well,” Allison reported dutifully, then wanted to sink through the floor. Nothing sexier than passing along a message from a guy’s mother.

But Matt just laughed. “I’m not, but don’t tell her that. She’ll probably freak out and ask her sister to come stay with me. The last thing I need is my aunt Paula as a roommate. Hey, you want to play quarters?”



Allison drank half her beer as a stalling tactic. She didn’t, particularly. She wanted to talk to Matt alone, but she wasn’t sure how to make that happen at a party filled with people he knew and she didn’t.

Unless she borrowed one of Adam’s patented moves. Allison fanned herself and frowned. “It’s so hot in here. I was thinking about taking a walk. Want to come?”

“Sure,” Matt said, easily swallowing the line that, Adam liked to brag, had gotten him laid on every beach on Gull Cove Island. Not that that’s what I’m doing, Allison told herself, draining the rest of her beer as she and Matt wound their way through the crowded living room. She just wasn’t good at parties. And even though her brothers had all deserted her almost as soon as they’d arrived, she didn’t want any of them seeing her with fucking Matt Ryan.

Plus there was the problem of Kayla. If she got bored with Anders, she might turn her attention back to Matt. And Allison couldn’t compete.

She’d forgotten how cold it was, though, and started shivering as soon as the front door closed behind them. “Maybe this was a bad idea,” Allison said as the wind picked up and goose bumps sprouted on her bare legs.

“Nah, we just need reinforcements.” Matt unzipped his leather jacket and pulled a small bottle of bourbon from the inside pocket. “Liquid warmth,” he said with a grin, unscrewing the top and handing it to Allison. She hesitated, and he cocked a teasing eyebrow. “Unless you’re backing out on me?”