“Speaking of parties,” she said, deciding to change the subject. “Have you guys decided what you’re wearing to my dad’s party on Saturday?”
Lili waded over to Emma and put her arm around her shoulder. “Maybe I’ll wear this bikini. Shock a little life into the old fogies.”
The girls giggled. Suddenly, a rustle sounded in the brush, and everyone stopped.
Madeline’s eyes were wide. “What’s that?”
Gabby rose halfway out of the water. “What if it’s security?”
“I so can’t get busted again,” Lili whined.
Emma felt goose bumps rise along her arms. The thrashing noise grew louder. Emma made out two figures tearing through the branches. There was a small yelp, and then Thayer and Laurel tumbled out of the bush.
“God,” Lili murmured, splashing them. “Way to freak us out, idiots.”
“Sorry!” Laurel trilled, looking giddy. She took Thayer by the hand. “We were just fooling around.” She stared at Emma as she said it. “Sorry we’re late.”
“Yeah, sorry we’re late, Mads,” Thayer added, glancing at his sister.
Madeline’s expression was stony. “Why didn’t you answer my calls?”
Thayer blinked. “I-I didn’t hear them, I guess.”
Madeline jumped out of the hot spring and snatched Thayer’s phone from his pocket. “You don’t even have it on!” she shrieked.
“I’m sorry,” Thayer protested, holding up his hands.
Madeline didn’t answer. Everyone else was silent, looking around awkwardly. Laurel dropped a canvas tote bag next to a squat rock, pretending not to notice the tension. She slipped out of a white eyelet dress and set a navy blue towel on top of the tote.
Waving his hand in a whatever motion, Thayer pulled his black T-shirt over his head. His bare chest was smooth and tan, and his stomach muscles rippled. Emma caught herself looking, then tore her eyes away. It was surprisingly hard not to look at Thayer—he was so gorgeous. “Um, I thought this was a girls-only party,” Charlotte said as he edged into the spring.
Thayer raised an eyebrow. “Are you talking about top-secret stuff?”
Emma shrugged. “Kind of, and—”
“Oh, please.” Laurel rolled her eyes. “Thayer can know. He’ll be invited anyway.” She cuddled up to him, all the while keeping her gaze on Emma. “Then again, what was that thing you always said, Sutton? If I told you, then I’d have to kill you?”
All of a sudden, Emma felt unbearably hot. She didn’t like sitting here discussing killing with Laurel, even jokingly. She wasn’t sure if she could even be in the same pool with her right now. Not answering, she leapt out of the spring and wrapped her body in a huge beach towel. The cool night air calmed her pulse, and taking deep, even breaths, she wandered down one of the paths, trying to clear her mind.
Emma sank against a boulder and stared at the night sky, wondering just how much longer she could take this. She needed hard evidence against Laurel, something she could actually take to the police.
“Sutton?”
Emma whipped around. Standing before her, his skin glistening and wet, was Thayer. He was out of breath, as though he’d jogged over to her. Emma kept her gaze averted from Thayer’s taut stomach. She decided she’d better not look at his arm muscles, either.
“Thayer!” Laurel’s voice sounded in the distance. “Where did you go?”
“One second,” Thayer called, sounding a little annoyed. He looked at Emma, his face full of concern. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she answered, staring at the ground and trying to marshal her courage. This was her chance to question him. “Um, how about you? Are you having fun with Laurel?”
Thayer’s expression tightened. “What do you care?”
Emma’s mouth fell open. “Sorry. I was just making conversation.”
Thayer’s broad shoulders tensed. “I don’t get it, Sutton.” He shook his head slowly. “I’m trying to move on. But it’s…” His voice trailed off, swallowed by the night breeze that passed between them. “I can’t stand seeing you with Landry,” he finally said. “I want to kill that guy.”
Oh, Thayer, I whispered, wishing he could hear me. It broke my heart to be so close to him and not be able to explain what I still felt for him, even now. It killed me all over again that Thayer thought my feelings for him were gone.
The cold air chilled Emma’s still-wet bathing suit. “I’m sorry,” was the first thing she could think to say. She couldn’t imagine how this looked—Sutton had been in love with Thayer before he vanished. He’d been hit by a car on their last night together, and when he came back, she was with someone else. She felt terrible for doing this to him, but then, it wasn’t like she could just pick up where Sutton left off with Thayer either.
“And…I’m sorry I wasn’t the one there for you in the hospital that night,” Emma added. “I’ve wanted to tell you that for so long. I understand why you had to call Laurel, but I still feel like it should’ve been me…”
Thayer scoffed. “Whatever. It’s in the past now.”
“But I feel terrible about it.” Emma heard a splash and a giggle from the hot springs. “Did Laurel at least stay with you?” Emma pressed. “Overnight, I mean. So you didn’t have to be alone?”
Thayer let out a laugh, but anger flickered across his features. “Do you really think I’m that much of a wuss? I didn’t need Laurel with me to hold my hand.”