I could hear everyone laughing and the music. I could hear everything I was walking into. I check myself out one more time in the mirror. The invite said pool party and dinner. I decided I’d just go in jeans though. I didn’t even think I had any trunks if I was honest with myself. I hadn’t been out in water in a while. I threw on my hat, grabbed the bouquet, the card, and the bottle of wine, going over to see her. She was straddling the tailgate, or hovering over it, I’d say it was probably too hot to actually sit on.
Offering to help her, they trapped her in the bed of her brother’s truck to fulfill some sort of master plan? I learned this when I was introduced to Bell. The girl that Kinnley had warned me about, she was a tall athletic brunette with deep blue eyes and she was wearing about the same thing Huntleigh was, though her hair was in a high ponytail, honestly she kind of put me in the mind of Becky when she was younger but that felt like an insult to Bell. She walked out right after I’d helped Huntleigh to the ground and my hands were still on her waist. We were having a bit of a moment though neither of us wanted to admit it? She looked a bit pale as Bell came out and started pressing the matter. Though she knew her friend meant well.
Bell asked Huntleigh to put a sleep mask on as a blindfold to get her to the back yard. We got to the kitchen, and she left us for a minute. I couldn’t help but admire Huntleigh even though she was panicked. She clearly didn’t like surprises or losing control. Signs of someone who had little control over life growing up or in general. She was stunning, with ink and piercings, with her hair braided. Her body was a canvas, and it was a work in progress with art. She had curves and her jewelry reflected things we’d talked about already. A bloodstone pendant and a Taylor Swift necklace with a cat choker. Three levels of her personality and they all tied together perfectly.
As Bell told us to come to the back door, they gave Huntleigh a speech about how she had to remember they loved her. I wasn’t sure why they would have to point that out to her until I took a step into the yard with her. I couldn’t help but laugh because they set up one of those huge outdoor projector screens towards the very back of her yard. Lights and lawn chairs. The best part? A small stage by her little deck, with a little podium, which clearly indicated that they were planning to embarrass this woman. It was hard to believe that three weeks ago this place was just an empty lot essentially and now it’s a home.
Huntleigh stared for a few minutes trying to process it. You could almost see her brain working as everyone teased each other. There were multiple friend groups here which all they had in common was Huntleigh. It was easy to see the cliques among the group.
“What? What is that?” She asks, rubbing her forehead.
“It’s for later, for your surprise after dark.” Milo and Bell say together. “Also, for movie nights and stuff. We had to get rid of you for a few minutes to get it set up.” Milo adds with a laugh. “Ow.” He grabs his arm as Bell punches him.
“You didn’t need to lock her in the bed of Jake’s truck for three hours! It’s her house.” Bell huffs. “Sorry about that Hun. We love you.”
“Drew locked her in!”
“You were supposed to get her out!” Drew defends himself.
“Sorry Huntleigh, we do love you though. Jake coulda got you out too. So could Kaden and Landon.”
“She’s not my sister.” One of the guys with a beer in their hand shrugs.
“She owns the house, and she’s, my sister.” Jake sighs. “I’m sorry I thought you could get it.”
“It’s all good.” She forces a smile and turns back to me. “Everyone this Connor, be nice to him or I’ll kick you out. Deal?”
“What the fuck? One hot guy comes around and she’s threatening to kick us out if we’re not nice?” One of Jakes friends asks him. “I thought I was exempt because of that one time you called me sexy?”
“Doesn’t count she was drunk.” Drew yells from behind me. “Only counts if she’s sober.”
“You want a beer? We got seltzers too? The red cooler, blue is nonalcoholic drinks.” Jake says pointing to the coolers behind him as he continues to fiddle with the grill.
“BOO! Those suck!” One of his friends says.
“I can’t get shitfaced when I’m hosting. And you guys don’t need to get shit faced either.”
“Double boo. Is she always like this?” A tall and lanky guy with a baseball cap and dad shirt teases her. “It’s my weekend off?”
“Connor this Kaden. And that’s Landon.” She points to a guy who was standing next to her brother with a similar build but with shorts and no shirt and looked about half lit already with a dopey grin as they talked. “Those are Jake’s friends. Though a few of them will be arriving later.” She grabs a Gatorade from the cooler and offers me one as one.
“Thank you. You’re a pro at this aren’t you?”
“You can’t say that yet.” She smiles. “Come on, gotta introduce you to the rest of the gang.”
Huntleigh showed me around introducing me to her friends and family. Harry and Lorren, I already knew, Seth and Maddy, I knew in passing because I’d gone to shows to support Kinnley. She introduced me to Abby, who is her editor and friend. They met in 2027. But had been inseparable ever since. They actually met in the job Huntleigh had as she was working up to become a party planner. That was pretty cool, if you ask me.
The rest of Kinnley’s band showed up to show their support for the girl who was basically their sister. The band had been together since high school and well, you do that math, Huntleigh is the front man/creator’s sister. Obviously, I got introduced to Milo, Amy, and Bell again. With Drew offering an apology for being weird on Wednesday though he added he was always that weird.
“Are you sure you’re okay with everyone, I just want to show them around then, I’ll be back? I mean you are always welcome to join us?” Huntleigh asks, getting Jake to make her a drink.
“I will be just fine. You go do your thing.” I smile.
“Promise?”
“I promise. I can handle it.”
“Throw him to the wolves!” Her brother’s friend’s yell.
“Behave! I don’t run your guests off!” She turns back to me. “Make yourself at home.”
“No, you make friends with them!” Jake laughs, handing her a drink. “Kinnley better get his ass back here in time for shots though.”
“He had to pick up the shit for Hunt to drink, she don’t like lemon! You been drinking with her how long and you still don’t know this?” Drew laughs. “Plus, he’s running a last-minute errand.”
As soon as Huntleigh was out of earshot, Jake got right to work with whatever his plan was? I’m going to go with being a menace. Or attempting to be a father figure of an older brother? Jake is something. Entertaining? Yeah, definitely entertaining.
“You do know I’m not going to be nice, right?” Jake fake squints though he busts out laughing. “Nah I’m fucking with you. Why are you wearing jeans though? Did she not tell you it was a pool party? What do you want with her anyway? You know she’s crazy. Crazies are her friends and crazier is that one.” He laughs gesturing to the door.
“I just wear jeans.” I say awkwardly.
“If you need a pair of trunks we got you.” Milo says as he comes to the cooler grabbing a Gatorade. “Huntleigh usually buys a new set for each of us every year to keep in her truck because SOMEONE is an IDIOT and looses them! Drew!”
“I left them at Rayla’s and I told you, you could happily email my insane sister and ask her to send me my clothes back but I would rather just spend money on a new pair.” Drew laughs.
“And the others? You lost them, where?” Milo teases.
“We don’t talk about that.” Drew sighs, though he was quickly interrupted by a disturbance of Taylor Swift.
“EW Taylor Swift!” Landon says as he sits in his chair. “You didn’t warn us. My ears!”
“It’s a Swiftie’s housewarming!” Milo yells at them. “Of course, Taylor Swift is playing. Keep it up and I’ll put it on the TAYLOR SWIFT ONLY PLAYLIST!”
“Don’t you dare!” The guys yell together.
“Is this a regular argument?” I ask Harry as he walks over casually grabbing an ale completely unbothered as the war over music continued.
“Well, yeah? They just like arguing. Huntleigh is the Swiftie and that core group enjoys defending her honor with a passion, they also like watching her freak out about it. They only act the way Hunt would if she was out here. She’ll probably be more tame because you’re here.” Harry says sipping his drink.
“Okay then.” I reckon it’s a good thing I enjoy some Taylor Swift every now and again.
It was probably only an hour that she was inside with her friends giving them a tour. While she was away, I talked with everyone a little bit. Jake was a goof, but he was pretty chill and his friends might not have been my particular cup of tea, but they were alright. Milo and Drew helped Amy and Bell finish the final touches with Seth and Maddy as the rest of everyone else showed up. I tended to fall more in line with Harry and Lorren who were also doing last little touches.
“That’s so sweet that you came, she was worried that you wouldn’t.” Lorren says, as she holds one of Huntleigh’s cats. “This is Jace, he’s the oldest and most social but he’s a grump.” She laughs.
“Well, he’s a handsome fella. I haven’t had a cat around in a while. Not since I moved out on my own. But yeah, I was excited to come over if I’m being honest. Huntleigh is a sweetheart and she clearly knows how to throw a party. I was stoked to get the invite so we could continue to get to know each other.” I say with a smile, hoping my cheeks aren’t as red as they feel. “You guys are all so fun to be around, I really did enjoy Wednesday night.”
“Awe we did too, and she especially did. I think it’s sweet to see the way you two have connected so well. It’s good for her too, she’s so friggin antisocial. I know you wouldn’t know it by seeing all this, but she is. It takes a lot to get her to talk to anyone. Or to really connect with someone on a deeper level.”
“I definitely feel that. I’m not that social myself. I got my little circle and I’m content.”
After talking to Lorren for a bit longer Kinnley got back. Huntleigh was still giving the grand tour, showing Abby the office space and they got swept up in conversation about the big post that was coming out not long after the book launch.
“Where is Huntleigh?” Kinnley asks, grabbing a bottle of water.
“Inside. Bandmates and Abby wanted a tour.” Drew says from his chair.
“Good, I need three of you who aren’t wasted already.”
“I can come help.” I laugh.
“Me too.” Harry says, setting his drink down.
“They’re something.” Bell sighs setting her drink down and following. “What are we doing?”
“We got liquor, her gift from mom and dad, and Cas is a real one. She helped me pick this shit out.” Kinnley laughs.
“What the fuck am I? Chopped liver?” Braden asks, unstrapping the potted plants. “Hello Brother, I heard you and Huntleigh met.”
“Hello brother.” I laugh. “We did, it was kind of hard not to with her being my neighbor and all.”
“Braden you’re one of my best friends, you saved me too bro, you know that.” Kinnley laughs.
“Yeah, yeah. You just like my truck.”
“What exactly is all this?” I ask.
“It’s for the thing above the water fountain. We’re gonna make it pretty for her. Help bring her vision of her oasis to life also we have a shit tone of snake repellent.” Kinnley says as he pulls two of the plants towards him. “And the fire pit since that was at the house, we were supposed to bring that this morning, but we forgot. I was trying to get coolers and shit. Oh, and there’s this cute picnic table.”
“She scared of snakes or something?” I ask. “Also, how much money do you fucking make to get all this?”
“Petrified.” Everyone, including Braden says at the same time. “She has a very strong fear of them it’s really bad, it’s not like she can get rid of them and then move on with her day. She freezes up and shit.” Bell adds.
“And we didn’t buy all of it. Cas heard about the idea, and she was like oh we can clean out the garage.” Braden laughs. “So, curtesy of our brother-in-law and sister.”
“Good to know.”
“Yep. You can rescue her from snakes.” Braden nods.
“Hopefully you won’t have to any time soon though because I think if she runs into a snake with the way her mind is right now, we’re going to deal with her wanting to move in with one of us.” Kinnley sighs.
“Wednesday was that bad huh?” Bell asks, clearly forgetting I was standing right there.
“Just this whole move, all of it at once. She’s fucking pushing her own buttons. I hope tonight doesn’t end like Wednesday did.” He sighs.
We all carried the plants and everything out back, with the help of one of the later arrivals, a guy named Tate. Who was Huntleigh’s boss though he wasn’t the highest ranking, and friend from her brick-and-mortar job. He also brought Champagne.
Huntleigh was out back, though still being pulled in every direction as her brother and his friends were talking to her and trying to get videos with her. And she was trying to make sure everything was settled perfectly with Amy and Maddy both sending her to mingle and let them handle it.
“But – she pleads and I’ll admit she looked kind of helpless in the moment.
“BUT NOTHING!” Amy says to her with a smile as she physically turned her around. “Go HOST. We have everything else under control. GO, now, Huntleigh let us handle it.” Amy laughs.
“Fine. But only because my drink is empty and Kinnley is here and Connor is back out here and Tate is here!”
“GO!” Maddy and Amy both say to her.
“Hi gents, how’s it going? Hot shot.” She nods at my brother.
“Ice Queen.” He smirks. “How’s it going?”
“It’s going to burn. Are you staying?”
“Do you want me to?” Braden winks at her.
“Are you seriously hitting on her right now?” Kinnley sighs. “You’re brothers right there.”
“You think I’m scared of him? Ice Queen?”
“You can stay if you want, but there are more people coming. If you think Kinnley’s a prick, you should probably avoid the three at the grill. They’re idiots. I love them but they’re idiots. Are you cool with that Cowboy?”
“Of course, the more the merrier as long as you’re cool with it.” I smile.
“Okay, I will be back in a minute I swear, I just need to get Jake to top me off then I’ll be back, okay?”
“Take your time, Moonshine, we got all night.” God, was she stunning. Even with the anxious mess she was right now, she was beautiful and fun to be around.
We followed Kinnley to help him get the last of the things set. Getting the picnic table set up on the opposite side of the pool closer to the privacy fence that bordered on our properties. Putting some little decorations on it, as her dog followed us around. He kept running between Huntleigh and us. It was quite funny. He was having a blast with all the people around. He also enjoyed the water a lot, jumping into the pool and rolling in the dirt with Huntleigh facepalming the whole time.
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