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Sunlight spills low over wide, tree-lined roads, where the houses sit behind stone walls and iron gates, all white clapboard and perfectly manicured lawns.

In the back seat, Bennett’s knees knock the leather, his nose practically pressed to the glass as he gawks. “Holy shit,” he mutters. “People actually live here?”

“They don’t live here,” West replies mildly. “They summer here. They spend the rest of the year elsewhere.”

Bennett lets out a huff. “So these places are empty for half the year?” he asks. “You think anybody would notice if I break in and squat in one?”

West shakes his head, trying to hide his amusement. “They’d notice. And they’d arrest you before you even made it past the kitchen. The owners spend big bucks on security.”

“Shame.” Bennett sits back with a dramatic sigh.

Beside me, West’s hand skims my bare thigh under the hem of my dress, his thumb pressing into the soft skin. It makes my pulse jump.

He’s been pulling long shifts at the resort all week, just to make the time to come here. So I haven’t seen much of him. And I’ve missed him, even though he’s been climbing into bed with me when he gets home every night.

He looks tired, but his hold on my thigh is steady. Even when he’s exhausted, he can’t stop touching me.

My phone buzzes, and I glance at the screen. The Fitzgerald Family Chat lights it up, and I try not to groan.

HUDSON:Did you and West make it to the Hamptons okay?

I let out a soft breath. West told me not to worry, he’d taken care of everything with Hudson. And I let him, because I’m a coward at heart.

EDEN:Yes, we’re all fine. Thanks for checking in.

AUTUMN:Notice how she says ‘we?’

I let out a groan, because my sister is a pain in the ass when she knows a secret.

“Problems?” West murmurs, still holding my thigh.

“Just the family chat,” I tell him and he lets out a soft laugh.

“If it helps, I got a message from Hudson earlier asking me to watch your every move. He doesn’t want you getting seduced by an actor. I promised him I wouldn’t let you out of my sight.”

ASHER:Who is ‘we’? Where is Eden? Why doesn’t anybody tell me anything?

AUTUMN:She’s in the Hamptons with West and Bennett, you doofus. I told you about this when we were at the coffee shop, remember? Mylene was ranting about Eileen’s new porch and how it was a waste of money.

ZACH:Those two still aren’t talking, huh?

AUTUMN:Not unless glaring at each other from across the street counts as talking.

I close the chat, relieved it’s moved away from me. It doesn’t stop me from squirming in the seat, though. I’m stupidly nervous. I have no experience with these kinds of parties. Ones that cost hundreds of thousands to throw.

And, honestly, I also hate the thought of all that money being spent on a few hours of entertainment, when the world is dying out there.

But I’ve promised West I’ll be good. Or as good as I can be. I have a beautiful dress I’ve borrowed from Autumn zipped up in a garment bag, ready to put on when we arrive. It’s with the garment bags holding the suits that Bennett and West packed. Apparently, all out of towners have somewhere to get ready at the house, because god forbid we head right in and party with jeans on.

Ten minutes later, we join a line of cars snaking their way up to the massive house set against the backdrop of the ocean.

“Jesus, is that Eleanor Carvel?” Bennett asks, winding down his window to poke his head out like a panting labrador to gawk at the people going into the house. “And Richard Sawyer?”

“If you’re going to act like that every time you see a movie star, you’ll be exhausted in ten minutes,” West says mildly.

I shift in my seat again. Why did I agree to this? Bennett’s practically vibrating with excitement, West is so cool and calm I feel like he’s about to enter a boardroom not a party, and I’m feeling like a complete fraud waiting to be unmasked.

“It’s going to be fine,” West murmurs, like he can read my mind.