The Vincent Brothers (The Vincent Boys #2)(48)

Not that it mattered. I’d have never been able to go through with it now. Maybe it was fate’s way of stepping in and fixing my stupid planning. It wasn’t meant for me to be at the University of Florida. I wasn’t meant to be with Sawyer.

“Hey, chica stop staring out at the gorgeous beach with that sad face and get your hot little pink bikini on and come soak up some sun with me.”

I turned around to see Jewel standing in the doorway. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a high ponytail and she was wearing a lime green string bikini that made her tan seem even darker.

“What about your date? And what happened to you and Heath? I thought he was spending the summer here with you.” When she’d told me about her date with the lifeguard, I’d been so focused on breathing through my broken heart that I hadn’t processed her comment.

She waved a hand as if batting away a fly, “He caught me with this beach volleyball guy that, like, plays on a pro-team. So hot, Lana, I mean so hot. And soooo worth it. Heath flipped his lid and left. It was for the best. We had just about squeezed all the good out of that relationship. Time to move on.”

That was Jewel for you. She could jump from one guy to the next and never look back. Any guy who went into an exclusive relationship with her was just asking for trouble. Jewel couldn’t do it. However, she could be a friend. Maybe not the best one in the world but she’d been the only one I’d ever really had. Right now, she was a lifesaver.

“Let me get changed and I’ll meet you out there in a few minutes,” I told her.

She nodded and turned to walk away when I thought about my mom.

“Hey, Jewel,” I called out.

She turned back to look at me with that carefree expression she always wore like a crown. “Yeah?”

“Don’t tell my mom or dad I’m here if they call, okay?”

Jewel nodded, “No worries. I’d want to hide from those two if they were my ‘rents too.”

“And Ashton, if she calls... I don’t want her to know either.”

Jewel’s eyes went wide in surprise, “Wow, really? What’d the ever perfect cousin you love so much do? I can so, go pull her pretty blonde hair if I need to. She’s a little too prissy perfect for my taste anyway.”

Shaking my head, I couldn’t help but smile. Yep, Jewel might hit on the guy you like and dress slutty for confession in hopes of tempting the priest but she’d have your back in a fight if the chance ever arose. “Ashton did nothing to me. Still love her, just need some distance from Grove right now and everyone in it.”

Jewel puckered her lips as if wanting to ask more and trying to keep from it then finally nodded, “Got it. Don’t tell one f**king soul that inquires about you that I’ve seen you. Done. Now get your perky ass in a bikini and slather on some sunblock because God knows you don’t need any more freckles.”

~*~

Not being able to use my phone sucked. I needed something to read while I lay on the beach. My phone had my Kindle app on it. I didn’t have an actual book with me and all Jewel had were magazines that I wasn’t in the mood to read. I already knew those “How To” articles did not work. I’d tried most of them.

Lana waved happily when she glanced up at me through her hot pink aviator sunglasses. She had a great setup out here. Two lounge chairs and large beach umbrella already tilted to shade the entire empty chair. She was bathed in the sun’s rays with a magazine in her lap and a large hurricane glass in her hand.

“You look smoking, Lana banana,” she called out then whistled.

I was beyond getting embarrassed by Jewel’s comments.

I sat down in the shaded chair, leaned my head back, and sighed. This was nice. The breeze, the sound of the ocean...

“Here take a sip. It’s got orange juice, pineapple juice, ginger ale, and vodka. It’s amazing.”

I started to shake my head but instead reached for the cup and thought, what the hell.

Taking a sip of the tropical flavored concoction, I realized it was really good. I could easily drink the whole thing. But I didn’t. I needed my sense about me right now. Drinking away my problems was a weak thing to do.

I handed the drink back to Jewel, “Yum. Thanks.”

Jewel started to stand up, “You keep it. I’ll go make another.”

“No thanks. I don’t want to drink. Not now anyway.”

Jewel frowned and took the glass before settling back in her chair.

“You gonna tell me what happened?”

No, probably not.

“Don’t want to talk about it,” I replied.

Jewel sighed, “Okay, fine. Be warned, I’m only going to let that answer fly for a little while. Eventually you are going to tell me what happened in Grove.”

Fair enough. She had supplied me with an escape and she was keeping shut about it. When I was ready, she deserved an explanation.

The phone in her lap began singing Circus by Britney Spears. It was Jewel’s theme song.

She glanced down at the phone, and then up at me, “It’s your mom.”

I’d been prepared for this. “Answer it. Act like you haven’t got a clue.”

Jewel grinned. She loved the idea of getting to lie. It was ridiculous but she liked the feeling it gave her.

“Hello?”

She was quiet a moment. My mom was probably talking a mile a minute.