“So, no party?” he repeats, and I realize I never answered his original question.
I mutter, “No,” still lost in his stare.
“Mind if I sit down?” His voice is gentle and makes me feel at ease.
I nod, and he lowers his body to the ground, spreading his long legs in front of him. With a turn of his head toward me, he lifts a bottle of vodka. “Want a sip?”
“I’m normally not much of a vodka drinker.” Lifting one hand, I reach toward him. “Okay, I’m not at all a vodka drinker, but after the night I’ve had, I wouldn’t mind taking the edge off.”
He hands me the bottle, and our fingers brush. His are cool and smooth. The gentle encounter makes me hyper aware of the close proximity of our bodies. I lift the bottle to my mouth and take a sip. The cool liquid burns my tongue and sears my throat on its way down. Not my poison, but it does the trick. Our fingers meet again as he grasps the bottle from me and props it in the sand beside us. This time the contact causes my body to shiver. I notice he has a blanket in his hand, but instead of sitting on it he lays it down beside the bottle.
“What brings you out here to the beach all alone?”
“The wild festivities sucked.” My hands dredge in the sand by my feet. As I lift them, the grains pass through my fingers.
“And you’re not in the mood to get drunk and act like an asshole like the rest of them?” he asks, his voice all velvety and smooth.
“Oh, God, no.”
He laughs at my answer. It’s a hearty laugh that makes my own lips want to part, but I don’t let them.
“I hear that.”
I lift an eyebrow. “I take it you didn’t enjoy the party either?”
“That obvious?” Sarcasm drips off his words and I nod in understanding.
“If you hate them so much, what brings you to a lame ass party?” I can’t help but mock him. His answer intrigues me.
“What can I say . . . Last party of the season. Had to make an appearance. I’m over it, though. School starts in one day. I’m ready to get to it already.”
“Yeah, I totally get that,” I mutter.
“What’s your name?”
“Lynn.”
He stretches his hand out and I take it. His fingers wrap around mine and I feel a surge of energy go through me. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Lynn. I’m Carson.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Carson.”
Pulling his hand from my grasp, he leans away. I grip the base of the cool glass and take another swig. The taste burns its way down and makes me feel warm inside. As the liquid pools in my stomach, it lessens the misery from Matt’s rejection swirling inside me.
“Okay, Lynn. From the look on your face and your obvious disdain . . . why did you really leave? Because it’s got to be something more than the party being lame.” He shrugs matter-of-factly before turning toward me and inclining his head. “What happened?”
My body stiffens. A perfect Barbie replaced me. “I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”
“I understand.” He leans back on his elbows, his face still focused on me. “So, if you don’t want to talk to me about what’s got you so upset, let’s talk about something else.”
I groan. “Or we can just sit in silence.”
“But that wouldn’t be quite as fun, now would it?”
“I guess not.”
“You know, you’ll probably never see me again after tonight. I’m the perfect person to vent to.” The baritone of his voice reverberates through my body. “If you won’t tell me why you left, then tell me one fun fact about yourself.”
He’s right, what he just said. This is my chance to just talk and have someone listen with no judgment or expectations. I look up to the sky and let out a sigh. Plus, talking to this guy is a much better choice than hiding from Matt.
“Fine. Hmm, one fun fact . . .” As my eyes gaze overhead, I come up with a relatively easy answer. “I’m mildly obsessed with the stars.”
“Any reason why?”
“Growing up, I moved around a lot. I never felt I had a home. But no matter where I was—what city I was in—the stars were always the same. Even if some aren’t visible, you know they’re there. You know what I mean?” For some reason, it feels good to tell him this. Refreshing in a way. It’s not often anyone asks me questions about my home life, but sitting here telling this stranger feels cathartic.
“I didn’t move around a lot but I understand the feeling of liking consistency in life.” He reaches out his hand and takes the bottle back, pausing for a swig from it. “I know a thing or two about stars,” he says as he looks up to the sky.