Surviving Regret (29 page)

“No, you’re not. It’s our birthday weekend, and you guys are hanging with us. Tell Dominic to come up next weekend.”

I didn’t have to look up to know he was glaring at me.

“This is the only weekend he doesn’t have football practice. I’m not cancelling on him.”

Dominic had left a few weeks ago for college at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he received a full football scholarship to play for them. Hailey and I would be joining him and Hunter there this fall. Yes, I know what you are thinking. I chose to go there because of Hunter, and yes, it was probably a mistake. I didn’t care.

“Yeah, you can. Tell those assholes you have plans.”

With that, he turned away before I could respond. I had been dealing with this all week when Mason or Cooper would ask what my plans were. I had always tried to avoid them and be as vague as possible.

A few minutes later, my phone beeped with a text message.

Hailey – 12:22pm: Got a text from Mase telling me 2 cancel my date this weekend

Me – 12:23pm: LOL. They have no idea

Hailey – 12:23pm: I know it’s going 2 be gr8

The twins had to work for the next few days with my uncle, so it was easy avoiding them. We were able to run to the store to grab things for the party without them knowing. Hunter was going to cover for us Friday night. He told my brothers that he wanted to take me to see a chick flick to repay me for when I helped him a few weeks ago. Dominic had football practice Friday, so he was not going to be here until some point on Saturday. I couldn’t use Dominic as an excuse to be out of the house without one of my brothers tagging along.

Late Friday afternoon, Hunter came to pick me up before my brothers got home. We made our way to my parents’ shore house to start getting things set up for the party the next day.

My parents were out of town on a weekend getaway. The shore house was a lot bigger than our regular house. It was three stories with five bedrooms, two bathrooms and a full finished basement. The house also had a massive deck and the beach backed up to the yard. We had a lot more room here to accommodate everyone than we did at home. Hailey had come down earlier in the day to let the housekeeper in so they could give the house a good cleaning before everyone would arrive tomorrow.

Hunter and I walked into the house. I called out, “Hey, Hails! We’re here.”

“Hey, guys,” she came over and kissed Hunter and then me on the cheek.

“I just started putting a few decorations around the house. Did you get the food and the rest of the stuff from your house?”

“Yeah, we got it. It’s all in my truck.” Hunter yelled over his shoulder, on his way out to the truck to grab the food.

“I’m going to get started on the food. Hails, can you get Hunter to help you move the furniture around in the living room so we have more space? Mom also said to lock all the bedroom doors so nobody can get into them. You know where the keys are, right?”

“Yes, on top of the fridge in the money jar.” Hailey said, and then left to go help Hunter.

For the next couple of hours, I prepped all my brothers’ favorite foods. Hailey and Hunter moved everything around so that we would have room for everyone tomorrow night.

“All done, CC,” Hunter said. “Anything else you need help with?”

God, when he called me that, I just wanted to kiss him to death and punch him, all at the same time. Hunter was the only one who got away with calling me CC, short for Chubby Cheeks. There was a picture of me as a baby dressed up in an Easter dress that my parents kept on the mantle at home. I looked like a Cabbage Patch doll. Mom had put this bonnet on me that made my cheeks look super chubby and ever since Hunter saw it, he started teasing me by calling me CC.

“Nope, I think that everything is done for tonight. You ready to get out of here, Hails?”

Looking as if she would drop any moment, she answered, “Yes, I’m exhausted. We should get up early to come back down here, so we better get going.”

We left Hailey’s car at the shore house, since it was late she didn’t want to drive the forty-five minute ride home by herself. Fifteen minutes into the ride, Hailey was passed out. I looked over at Hunter wishing I could just scoot over and lean my head on his shoulder.

“See something you like, CC?” He had the biggest smirk on his face.

Damn, he caught me looking at him. I turned away from Hunter and looked out the window, hoping to hide the blush creeping up my neck to my face.

“You know I do.” I mumbled, hoping he would not catch what I said.

“And what would Dominic think about that?” Hunter reached over and ran his fingers down my arm, causing me to shiver. Over the last year, Hunter had seriously kicked up the flirting game with me. I’m sure it was because of Dominic.

I rolled my eyes at him. “You always bring him up, why?”

“Because I don’t think he deserves you. Is he actually going to make it here tomorrow for the party, or is he going to blow you off again?”

“He promised he would make it this time. He didn’t blow me off the last time. He got held up at practice, and it didn’t make any sense for him to come all the way here, and turn right back around.” I paused. “Besides, he sent me flowers a few days later.” Yeah, I was still mad, but it’s not as if he could drop what he was doing just to come home to see me. I knew football was his life.

“If I was him, and you were my girlfriend, I would make damn sure I was home every chance I got.” I noticed when he said this, that he gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, and his knuckles turned white.

“He’s trying, Hunter.”

As we were pulling into the driveway of my house, he mumbled under his breath something that sounded like, “He needs to try harder.”

“What did you say?” I asked, wanting to clarify what I thought he said.

He shook his head. “Nothing. What time do you want me back to pick you and Hailey up?”

“You don’t have to; I’m going to drive my car down in the morning. I just need you to make sure my brothers are there by seven. I don’t care what you have to tell them, just get them there.” I reached over the seat and shook Hailey’s leg and said “Hails, wake up. We’re home.”

***

The next morning Hailey and I were up before Mason and Cooper. We quickly got ready, and made our way back down to the shore house to finish setting up for the party. Finally, after all the food was out, and everything was set up, Hailey and I went up to my room and got dressed.

“What are you planning on wearing?” Hailey asked as she dumped out everything we had packed.

“I’m wearing my white shorts, and that…” I pointed to the black low cut halter-top she had in her hand, “with my black peep toe pumps.”

I picked the outfit because Dominic could never keep his hands off me. He always told me that wearing white shorts made my legs look miles long.

“Your brothers are going to throw a fit. That shirt barely covers the girls.”

I smiled, looking at her reflection in the mirror in front of me, and just shrugged my shoulders. I knew she was right, but I didn’t care. “You should wear those hot pink shorts on the pillow over there, with the white strapless shirt and those cute white pumps with the pink underneath them. The white shirt will bring out your tan.”

Hailey picked up the outfit and held it up to herself in the mirror, “Yeah, I think you are right. I do look pretty hot in pink.”

Hailey was gorgeous. She was tall with long blonde hair, dark olive skin, dark blue eyes and flawless skin. I never could understand why she felt so insecure about herself.

After Hailey and I finished getting ready, we made our way downstairs to start greeting everyone arriving for the surprise party. We had our next-door neighbor Jimmy have everyone park in his parents’ driveway. Hunter and my brothers would think it was Jimmy throwing the party. Around six-thirty, I got a text from Hunter saying they would be there a little after seven.

Wondering why Dominic was not here yet, I sent him a text to find out where he was. I didn’t want him ruining the surprise by showing up late.

Me 6:36pm: Where r u?

Dominic 6:38pm: on my way stuck in traffic

Me 6:40pm: text me when you cross the bridge

Dominic 6:41pm: I’ll be there by 10

Me 6:42pm: Y so late?

Dominic 6:44pm: Traffic

Of course, he was going to be late; he would be late to his own damn wedding. I knew I shouldn’t act pissy, but he had known about this for weeks. He should have been here hours ago, but at least he was coming this time.

“Everyone, please find a hiding place. They will be here in the next few minutes.” Hailey yelled over all the chatter in the house.

I heard their street bikes pulling into the driveway so I “shushed” everyone to give a warning that the boys were here.

They walked in laughing, and flipped the light switch on. Everyone screamed “Surprise!”

Cooper and Mason’s eyes flew wide open. When they noticed everyone, they were in complete shock. When their eyes landed on Hailey, Jaylinn, and me standing in front of the stairs, they smiled and shook their heads.

After being greeted by a few of their friends, they made their way over to us. Mason pulled me into his arms, “I knew you were up to no good.” He let go of me and grabbed Hailey, while Cooper hugged me. “I can’t believe you two did this. Mason said you girls were out on dates tonight.”

“Is that why you left so early this morning?” Cooper asked. “I was surprised when mom said you left around ten. Your ass never gets up before noon.”

Hunter walked up behind me and draped his arms over my shoulders, “I knew you and Mason wouldn’t let us leave without a fight, so we had to disappear early.”

“You’re damn straight we wouldn’t. Oh, this,” Cooper motioned behind Hunter, “is Jessica, Alexis, and Angel.”

I knocked Hunter’s arms off my shoulders, and then turned towards them. I was surprised to see Alexis standing there with two other girls I didn’t recognize. “Hi, I’m MacKenzie, their sister, and this is my best friend Hailey, and Jaylinn over there is Hunter’s sister.” Alexis rolled her eyes, which she did a lot, and the other two girls just mumbled their hello.

I excused myself and walked into the kitchen to grab a drink when my older brother, Jackson, and his pregnant fiancé, Chloe, walked in.

“Hey, you guys made it! How are you feeling Chloe?” I reached over to rub her baby bump.

“This morning sickness is seriously kicking my ass. I don’t know how long we will be able to stay, but we wanted to show up for a little while.”

“You and Hailey did an excellent job, Kenzie. Mase and Coop were freaking the fuck out all day. Hunter and I had to keep them from coming to search for you girls,” Jackson said.

“Well, thanks for covering for us. You know how hard it is to surprise those two with anything. Hey, why don’t you guys just stay in your room upstairs?” I looked over at Chloe. “That way, if you don’t feel good, you can go upstairs to lie down. All the doors are locked, so no one can get into them.”

Jackson looked over at Chloe, and she nodded, “Alright, I guess we can do that.”

“Chloe, there are some clothes upstairs you can put on to sleep in.”

Chloe stood on her tiptoes, and kissed Jackson. He placed his large hands on each side of her belly. “All right, all right, get a room already you two.” Glued to each other ever since they met, it was no wonder she was pregnant.

I walked away from them to search for Hailey. Passing the stairs, I saw Alexis standing with her back to me, holding Hunter’s hand. “That’s just great!” I mumbled to myself. Her friends stood beside her. Angel held onto Mason’s arm, and Jessica looped her arms around Cooper’s waist. I didn’t say anything to them as I walked by. Out on the back deck, Jaylinn and Jackson were playing beer pong with Chloe’s friend.

“Hey, Kenzie, did Hailey find you?” Jackson said.

“No, that’s who I was looking for.” I said, looking around at all the people swimming in the pool, and sitting around the fire pit.

“Have you seen Mase, Coop and Hunter? I haven’t seen them since we got here.” Jackson said.

“They were over by the stairs last time I saw them.” I said, watching as his ping-pong ball landed in the cup on the opposite side of the table.

“Here, take over; I’m going to go get them.” As Jackson handed me the ping-pong ball, Hailey came running up the deck steps and grabbed my arm. “Fuck, Kenz!”

“Hails, what the…” I spotted Hailey’s ex-boyfriend Matt as he walked in with some trashy looking girl with crazy red hair. “Shit!”

“What’s going on?” Jaylinn asked, looking around.

“Kenzie, what the fuck is he doing here?” Hailey was practically screaming at me. She had every right to be hysterical after the shit that asshole put her through.

“I have no idea. You know I wouldn’t invite him here after what he did to you.”

After senior prom, about thirty of us came to party here at my parents’ shore house. Alcohol flowed freely, and everyone became more and more trashed as the night passed. Matt cheated on Hailey with some skank who had come with one of our friends. They broke up that night, and Mason nearly beat the shit out of Matt.