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Emily
They weren’t kiddingwhen they said they were throwing a party.
The mansion is packed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people in one house before, and it still doesn’t even feel overcrowded. Everyone is gorgeous, dressed in rally fancy clothes, and I feel so out of place. I’m a college girl living in the city, I don’t have money or fancy clothes. I’m wearing my short denim shorts and a slightly baggy white sweatshirt with red stripes going around the arms. My hair’s down tonight, and I keep playing with it nervously as I sip at a glass of wine and look around the room.
The party is catered, because of course it is. People working the event in black shirts and black pants walk around with fancy snacks and alcohol. People seem to eat and drink like it’s the last thing they’ll do. There’s a DJ in the back right corner, although I don’t know where he came from because he wasn’t there like twenty minutes ago when I stopped upstairs in my room. People are milling around outside on the huge balcony around the pool, although I don’t know why there’s a pool when the ocean is like literally ten seconds away. There’s a bonfire on the beach, and people are coming up from the mansion and down onto the beach at will.
Henry is running around, acting the host, with a big smile on his face. He’s wearing a handsome suit and he looks nice, although he hasn’t said much to me yet tonight. We spent the afternoon together on the beach, which was a little awkward, but the other guys helped break the ice a little bit.
Speaking of the other guys, I glance to my right and catch James watching me. He’s wearing tight dark jeans, a simple white shirt, and he’s drinking a little glass of bourbon. He winks at me and I smile a little bit to myself, feeling uncomfortable.
He comes walking over. “Crazy party, yeah?”
I nod. “Crazy,” I echo.
“This is your brother’s thing. He loves throwing these parties.”
“He looks pretty at home.” I spot Henry laughing with a group of European-looking girls, all tall and brunette and thin as hell.
“He just likes the attention, and can you blame him?”
“Not really. I mean, I don’t experience this sort of stuff at school.”
“No, most people don’t. Honestly, before your brother, I was just another struggling artist trying to paint.” He grins at me. “I worked at Starbucks.”
I gape at him. “You’re joking.”
“Nope. I made cappuccinos by day and painted by night, at least until Henry found me, bought a few paintings, and started spreading the word.”
“I saw one,” I say to him. “At the top of the stairs.”
He nods. “That’s the first one Henry bought.”
“It’s beautiful. I mean, really gorgeous. I’m not a big art person, but I love that.”
“Thanks,” he says, smiling. “Means even more coming from a non-art person.”
I grin at him. “What can I say, I’m a simple girl. I see pretty colors, I like it.”
“Well, I’m a simple man. I see a pretty girl, I like her.”
His handsome, cocky gaze blazes into my eyes and I feel a chill run down my spine. I’m excited and I can’t believe what I’m seeing, but I’m pretty sure he’s flirting with me, and not even trying to hide it.
I look to my left and I spot Aiden walking over. He grins as he approaches. “I was wondering where you were,” he says. “Of course you’re hiding in the corner with the tortured artist over here.”
James laughs. “Don’t be a dick, Aiden.”
“Fair enough. How’s it going?”
I shrug. “Not too bad. Just overwhelmed.”
He nods, looking out at the crowd. “Yep. That’s Henry.”
I laugh a little bit. “Do you all say that about him?”
Aiden grins. “Yep. But don’t get me wrong, it’s part of what we love about him. I mean, he’s the glue that keeps us all together.”
“Really? Honestly, I wish I knew more about him.”
