Chapter Fourteen:
RILEY'S POV
I stuck my tongue out at Cleo. "At least I don't eat with my mouth open," I shot back.
Harleen burst out laughing, Amber gasped dramatically, and Cleo narrowed her eyes like she was about to lunge at me. Before she could say anything, the stylist cleared her throat loudly, and we all immediately calmed down.
Moments later, the four of us stepped out of the salon, shopping bags swinging at our sides. My hair felt unnaturally light and smooth, and every time I passed a glass window or store display, I caught myself glancing twice.
I looked… different.
Sunday morning sunlight spilled into my room—way too bright for a day that required actual social interaction. I groaned and buried my face into my pillow, but my peace didn't last long.
The front door burst open without so much as a knock—Harleen's trademark entrance.
"Rise and shine, Lily!" she sang.
Amber followed behind her, carrying two oversized shopping bags like we were moving out for a month instead of a week.
"You could've called first," I muttered, sitting up and pushing my hair out of my face.
"And miss the chance to catch you in your natural, grumpy state? Never," Harleen smirked, already pulling open my closet like it belonged to her.
Amber dropped the bags on my bed.
"Everything's ready for Max's pool house. You better be ready too."
I mumbled something about needing coffee but let them shove me into an outfit they had clearly planned ahead of time. Harleen fussed over my hair— "Don't touch it. It's perfect the way it is"—
while Amber added light makeup despite my protests.
We left together, dragging our bags behind us.
The moment we stepped outside, a car pulled up.
Max's grin was visible from a mile away as he leaned out of the driver's window. Ben stepped out next, looking mildly annoyed.
And then—
Xander.
He climbed out of the passenger seat, tall and effortlessly composed. His eyes found me almost instantly.
Just like that, my stomach decided to do somersaults I hadn't authorized.
This was the first time I'd seen him face-to-face since that kiss.
Before I could break eye contact, another engine rumbled into the driveway. A sleek black car pulled up beside Max's, and Connor stepped out wearing his usual easy grin.
"Ladies," he greeted, giving Amber a quick kiss on the cheek. She smiled in that way she only did for him—like the rest of us had disappeared.
Jaden climbed out after him, stretching lazily. "Morning," he said, nodding at the group before opening the trunk to help with bags. No extra comments. No unnecessary smiles.
"Alright, let's load up before the sun sets on us," Max called, already moving toward the car.
Everyone paired off into seats without thinking—until I realized the only space left in Max's car was next to Xander.
Great.
I slid in, keeping my eyes glued to my phone as he shifted to give me room. His cologne was faint but distracting, and when his arm brushed mine, I felt it way more than I should've.
Max started the engine. Connor and Jaden followed behind in the second car, and soon we were on the road toward the pool house.
I told myself I wouldn't speak to him.
But with Xander sitting inches away, the silence felt louder than conversation.
I stared out the window, pretending to focus on passing streets instead of the fact that his knee was barely touching mine.
"So… did Max bribe you to come today?" I asked, breaking first.
"No."
I nodded slowly. "So you just… wanted to come?"
"Guess so."
I tried again. "Have you been to the pool house before?"
"Yeah."
I bit the inside of my cheek. "So what's it like?"
He glanced at me, eyes unreadable. "Big."
Nonchalant.
I leaned back, crossing my arms. "You know, for someone with four siblings and a bunch of friends, you act like conversation is a federal crime."
His lips twitched—just barely—but he turned back to the window.
After that, the car fell quiet. Not the comfortable kind—more like the heavy, you-could-hear-a-pin-drop kind.
Music played softly up front as Harleen and Amber chatted about snacks, but back here… it was just me, Xander, and the tension hanging thick between us.
I kept my eyes on the window, but the longer we drove, the more aware I became of it.
His stare.
That slow, unhurried kind you can feel without looking.
My fingers twitched in my lap.
Don't turn around, Riley. Don't—
I turned.
Sure enough, Xander was already looking at me, his expression unreadable, like he was trying to figure something out.
I snapped my gaze away, heart pounding louder than the bass of the music.
"Why didn't you change your hair too?" he asked suddenly.
I blinked. "Because I didn't want to."
His gaze stayed on me. "Why?"
I hesitated. "I like it the way it is."
I didn't add the because you said you liked it part. He didn't need to know that.
Soon, Max slowed the car and turned down a long driveway lined with tall palm trees swaying in the breeze. At the end sat a massive modern pool house—white walls, glass panels, sunlight glinting off a huge pool.
"Welcome to paradise," Max announced.
The moment the engine cut off, Harleen and Amber piled out, their voices echoing. The second car pulled in behind us.
I unbuckled quickly, eager to put distance between myself and Xander before my brain did something stupid—
Like remembering exactly what it felt like when he kissed me.