chapter 15

Elizabeth

I squelch back up to the deck, ignoring Huxley, who walks beside me, trying not to laugh.

“Come on,” he says, “don’t be mad.”

“I’m not talking to you.” I mount the steps, while everyone who’s sitting there stares at me as I drip all over the deck.

“Oh my God,” my mother says, “what happened?”

I glare at Huxley. “He threw me in.”

“Oliver,” his father scolds. “Seriously?”

“She asked for it,” he says, picking up a towel from the pile on the side and tossing it to me.

I take it and rub my hair, knowing I must look a sight. I’m not wearing waterproof mascara for a start. “That wasn’t very gentlemanly,Ollie.”

“Then maybe you should have said yes,Liz.”

“Yes to what?” Brandy asks.

“Yes,” I say, “why don’t you explain?”

“If you want me to,” he replies, amused.

I glare at him. His gaze dips down, and his smile widens. I follow it and discover that my dress is plastered to my body. It’s now very obvious that I’m not wearing a bra.

“Jesus.” I clutch the towel to me.

He chuckles, comes o