Chapter 24. “Sl*t!”

"And I break down, then he's pulling me in. In a world of boys, he's a gentleman."

The next morning came faster than I would've liked. I turned around to see if Justin was still next to me, but he was gone, just the imprint of him left behind. I sat up in bed, realizing I still wasn't dressed from last night, and couldn't help but laugh at myself and the stupid smile plastered on my face.

I reached for my phone, blinking against the brightness of the screen as I unlocked it. A text from Justin popped up at the top of my notifications.

Justin: "Snuck out a bit ago. Didn't want to risk getting caught. I'll see you later." 

I exhaled, shaking my head with a small smile. Of course he did. Smart move. The last thing we needed was someone like Dani catching him leaving my room first thing in the morning. I tossed my phone onto the bed and stretched, my muscles still sore from the hike yesterday. Every joint ached to stay in bed but I knew the day needed to get started.

Time to get up. Time to pretend like last night never happened. Like I wasn't already waiting for it to happen again. My mind's in a flurry of memories from Erik's kiss to Justin's touch. I don't know which one to replay first.

I threw on some clothes and began brushing my teeth when a sharp knock at my door made me freeze.

Justin?

My stomach twisted at the thought. Would he really risk showing up here after slipping out unnoticed? I swallowed down the ridiculous hope rising in my chest and walked over, opening the door slightly, not sure what to expect.

"Erik, hey. Good morning."

My toothbrush was still in my mouth, making the words come out garbled, and he laughed at the mess of them. I put a finger up, silently telling him to wait as I ran to spit and rinse before returning. He was still at the entrance, leaning against the doorframe, looking entirely at ease.

"Okay, much better. Hi! Good morning."

He straightened up, smiling. "I was hoping you were awake. I know you're probably exhausted, but I was wondering if you wanted to get breakfast with me. There's a little place about fifteen minutes away I want us to check out."

I truly was still exhausted, but I didn't want to waste any time or daylight, so I gladly gave in. "I would love to. Let me just finish getting ready, and I'll meet you downstairs."

He nodded before heading off, and I shut the door quietly behind him, letting out a slow breath. I started rifling through my clothes, looking for the perfect breakfast attire. I settled on a pink bathing suit underneath my black Rolling Stones shirt and some denim shorts. I think Erik will get a kick out of me wearing another band t-shirt I have no idea about. 

I threw my hair up in a messy bun and grabbed my bag as I headed out. I made it to the den outside of my room when I noticed Justin laying on the couch. I assumed Nancy was still in their room with Hunter. He laid there perfectly still with his eyes closed and his breathing slow, I assumed he was sleeping. But the minute I passed him I heard him whisper. "Have fun with Erik," he murmured, his tone teasing. So I smiled but didn't say anything in return, I just kept walking past letting a small laugh out. 

Erik was waiting for me downstairs with the keys in his hands and a smile on his face. We made our way over to the Jeep and like usual he opened the door for me. Each time he does, it always sends a flutter in my chest. He slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. 

The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of the ocean as Erik pulled onto the road. The drive was short, but the silence between us never had the chance to settle.

"So, another band tee you know nothing about?" he teased, glancing over at my shirt before returning his focus to the road.

I grinned, tugging at the edge of my Rolling Stones shirt. "I'll have you know, I actually know one of their songs this time."

"Oh yeah?" He raised a brow, clearly amused. "Let's hear it."

I hesitated, racking my brain. "Uh… 'Sweet Home Alabama'?"

Erik nearly choked on a laugh. "August, no. That's Lynyrd Skynyrd."

I gasped, dramatically clutching my chest. "No way. You're lying."

He shook his head, smiling. "I'm not. But I respect the confidence."

I sighed, shaking my head. "This is embarrassing. I should stop wearing these shirts."

"Nah," he said, glancing at me with a smirk. "It's part of your charm."

Before I could come up with a witty comeback, he pulled into a small café with a patio overlooking the water. It was the kind of place that looked like it had the best coffee and food you could stumble upon by accident.

"Okay, maybe if you educate me on classic rock over breakfast, I'll redeem myself," I offered as he parked.

Erik grinned. "Deal."

He hopped out and came around to open my door because, of course, he did. And, of course, that little flutter in my chest showed up again.

We made our way in, and the waitress wasted no time seating us. We opted for the outdoor patio, where the crisp air mixed with the distant crash of waves along the shore.

"Pancakes or waffles?" Erik asked, peeking over his menu, his expression almost eager.

I didn't hesitate. "Easy! Pancakes."

He squinted at me, pretending to be disappointed. "Normally, there are no wrong answers… but that's wrong."

I gasped, clutching my chest dramatically. "Excuse me?! How am I wrong?"

"The only right answer is waffles. Always waffles," he declared. "They have little pockets for butter and syrup. It's perfect…scientific, even."

"No way! If layered correctly pancakes are the answer. You start with a single pancake, spread butter, pour syrup and then the next pancake on top and you repeat until you have however many you want!" 

He nodded his head in disapproval. "Agree to disagree. Even if I still think you're wrong!"

I shook my head, grinning. "Agree to disagree. Even if I still think you're wrong."

Erik chuckled, setting his menu down just as the waitress returned. We placed our orders. Him with his waffles, me with my pancakes and soon enough, steaming plates of food were set in front of us.

I cut into my pancakes, watching as Erik meticulously filled each square of his waffle with syrup. "You would be the type to do that."

He smirked. "What can I say? Precision is key."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help laughing as we dug into our food. The conversation flowed easily, bouncing between light teasing and finally teaching me about classic rock bands, the warmth of the morning sun making everything feel inviting. 

Once the bill came to the table he instantly picked it up, not even giving me a chance to grab it. 

"Your money's no good around me, I've told you this already." He smiled as he placed his card and the bill close to the edge of his side of the table. I couldn't help but roll my eyes playfully and let out a small chuckle. 

"Thank you." I mouthed to him as the waitress grabbed the check and his card from the table. We sat quietly, staring at each other, he reached his hand in front of me and seconds later mine found his. My heart started racing as his thumb gently rubbed my knuckles. The corners of his lips raised slightly and I couldn't resist smiling back. 

My thoughts brought me back to last night, with him in the pool when our mouths finally met. I had to pull myself out of my own head when the waitress returned with his card, and he slipped it back into his wallet without letting go of my hand. The warmth of his touch sent a quiet thrill through me, but before I could dwell on it too much, he gave my fingers one last squeeze and let go.

"Ready to head back?" he asked, his voice light, as if the moment between us hadn't just made my heart stutter.

I nodded, still smiling. "Yeah, let's go."

The drive back was just as easy as the ride there, filled with the hum of music and the occasional glance between us that felt like it carried more weight than it should have. I caught myself staring at the way his fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, and just like that, my thoughts drifted again…back to last night, back to the way it felt when we finally closed the space between us. Back to his hands grazing lightly down my back.

Before I could get too lost in the memory, Erik pulled into the driveway, shifting the Jeep into park. He turned to me with a grin. "See? No regrets about waking up early."

"No regrets." I said softly.

He hopped out and, of course, came around to open my door again. I rolled my eyes, but that stupid little flutter in my chest came back anyway.

As we made our way inside, I braced myself for whatever awaited us. Whether it was a lazy morning with everyone else or the quiet tension I knew was lingering just beneath the surface.

To my surprise almost everyone was gathered around the kitchen and the dinner table. Conversations came to an immediate halt when they realized Erik and I had walked in. 

"There they are! We were wondering where you two snuck off to." Dani grinned at us as she sat back down on her stool. A wave of hello's and good mornings filled the room as we made our way into the kitchen. 

 I leaned against the counter closest to Mallory. "We just went to get breakfast at this cute little place on the water."

"Oh is that soooo?" Mallory's eyebrow perked up.

I playfully rolled my eyes at Mallory. "Yes and it was delicious! So what are today's plans? We have the luau later but that's not until like seven right?"

"We were all kind of doing a beach day? We found a volleyball net so we're gonna set that up, maybe do some light swimming. Honestly just kill time before we have to start getting ready." Dani leaned her elbows against the counter, taking a sip from her orange juice. 

"I was thinking about catching waves, you in Auggie?" Hunter added. He was already in a wetsuit waiting at the door with Nancy.

"I'm in, for both volleyball and surfing! I'll probably surf first. Let me get my board and a wetsuit." I turned to Hunter and he nodded as he headed out the door. 

Erik faced me slightly, he looked at me with subtle amusement. "You surf?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it surfing," I laughed, "let's just say if they ever film a Blue Crush 3 they're definitely not calling me." I shook my head. By this point everyone had started gathering their things and slowly started trickling outside. Mallory and Hannah were filling a cooler with drinks and snacks, Dani and Marshall were already outside with the net and a volleyball in hand. 

"I'm gonna go change into some swim trunks, i'll catch you later!" Erik started heading for the front door. I followed shortly behind him since the garage door was off to the otherside. 

"Thank you again for breakfast, Erik." I waved to him as he headed out the door. I made my way over to the garage, opening it slowly. To my surprise Jacob and Justin were inside working out. Jacob noticed me first, stopping the weights half way and walking over to me. 

"Morning Auggie! Where've you been?" He gave me a quick side hug, his sweat clinging to my shirt causing both of us to laugh. 

"Her boyfriend-not boyfriend, took her out to breakfast this morning." Justin sat up from the bench and winked at me when I finally looked at him. 

I gave Justin a quick glare before I let out a soft chuckle, he knew how to get under my skin without even trying but I can't let Jacob know. "Are you guys coming to the beach? Almost everyone is already out there."

"We're just pumping some iron real quick, can't let vacation get in the way of the gains." Jacob said as he playfully flexed, I turned to look at Justin who was leaned back on the bench, resting his forearms over his knees, his smirk deepening when my eyes met his. 

"No…no you can't" I laughed as I started making my way over to the rack of wetsuits. Grabbing my size, then moving over to the boards and grabbing the pink one I used earlier in the week. I gently tossed it to the side as I laid out the wetsuit.

Jacob was rambling about his workout plan, something about progressive overload and hypertrophy but I barely heard a word. I pulled my t-shirt over my head, dropping it onto a nearby bench before shimmying out of my shorts. I was fixing my bikini bottoms when I glanced up, Justin's eyebrows had shot up slightly, his eyes flickering over me before he went back to removing his lifting gloves. 

Jacob didn't seem to notice, still talking, while I stepped into my wetsuit, pulling up the legs and adjusting the sleeves before reaching for the zipper. Before I could, Justin was suddenly right there, his hands smooth as he grabbed the zipper and pulled it up in one slow motion tugging me close enough so I could feel his chest on my back..

I froze. Just for a second.

Jacob turned away to put the dumbbells back, and that's when Justin's voice dropped low, barely audible. "I'll be here if you need help unzipping it later."

I could feel the heat in my cheeks as he stepped back, walking back to his bench like nothing happened, his eyes barely leaving me as he sat back down.

"You good?" Jacob asked, completely unaware.

"Yeah. Just ready to surf," I muttered, trying to shake off the lingering heat from his words. Every single time I think I can play it cool around him, he finds a way to pull me into his orbit. I cracked a timid smile hoping Jacob wasn't catching on. 

"We'll be out soon, but really think about joining us sometime, Justin told me how killer you were during your hike yesterday." Jacob smiled at me as he picked up some weights and turned to look at himself in the mirror. I felt a little weird knowing Justin was talking about me to Jacob. What more had he told him? I shifted myself enough to meet Justin's gaze. 

I lifted my eyebrows at Justin. "I'll see you guys later, I'm gonna go catch some killer waves." I scrunched my face slightly to Justin and he finally cracked a smile that wasn't a smirk. I walked out seconds later still trying to shake the feeling Justin gave me. 

I finally made my way outside, the warm sun immediately warming what little skin I had exposed through the wetsuit. I stepped onto the sand, the surfboard tucked tightly under my arm. The sound of the volleyball game in full swing reached my ears, followed by laughter and the occasional shout of excitement.

As I walked, I spotted Hunter sitting at the edge of the shoreline with Nancy beside him, both of them chatting casually. Hunter's gaze lifted as I approached, and he gave me a quick wave.

"You ready to catch some waves?" he called out, his voice carrying easily across the distance.

I gave him a quick nod and a thumbs up. "Definitely! I'll be out there soon," I replied, still focused on the water as I continued down toward the water's edge. I could feel the weight of the surfboard in my hands, the anticipation building as the tide rolled in. Hunter seemed content to stay put, his conversation with Nancy more important than any rush to go into the water. His laid-back attitude was almost contagious, and I could feel myself starting to relax.

I dropped my board on the sand and started waxing it. Just as I was making progress, a shadow cast over the board.

"I'm excited to see you tear those waves up." A familiar voice trailed over.

I looked up to see Erik standing over me now, watching me wax the board. I offered him a smile, letting out a soft laugh.

"Please don't expect anything but wipeouts from me. I can't face disappointing yet another person. My mom was enough." A sharp laugh escaped me, and I glanced back down at my board.

Erik dropped down next to me, stretching his legs out in front of him. "You can't ever disappoint me, August."

I tossed the wax to the side and started velcroing the strap to my ankle. "Yeah? We'll see about that after today." With a teasing grin, I stood up quickly, before he could say anything, and ran up to the water's edge. The cold waves lapped at my feet, and I took a deep breath, scanning the horizon for the best set.

I glanced back toward the beach. The others were still playing volleyball, their competitive shouts filling the air, while Hunter and Nancy continued their conversation, and Erik just sat there, carefully watching me. But for now, it was just me and the ocean.

With one final glance back, I waded into the water, balancing the board under my arm. The cool embrace of the ocean was a welcome change from the sticky warmth of the sand.

The waves were good, and I found myself staying on my board longer than expected. I wiped out a few times but got up even faster each time. By the time I made it back to the shore, I was grinning like an idiot, feeling more confident with every ride. I managed to catch a few decent waves, even getting some speed on a couple before crashing back into the water. Erik cheering me on in the background gave me more encouragement than I had expected. 

As I paddled back out for another go, I saw Justin making his way down the beach with Jacob. He glanced toward me, but I was too focused on the waves to care. Hunter finally caught up with me soon after, quickly hopping on his board. "Ready to see how it's really done?" he teased as he paddled out, already looking for his next wave.

I followed suit, trying to get some more rides in. By now, the volleyball game had slowed down a bit, but there were still a few laughs and shouts filling the air as I surfed. Erik had finally joined the others by the volleyball net.

We surfed for a while longer before the last wipeout I had, knocked the wind out of me. That was definitely my sign to get out of the water. As I paddled back into shore I could feel every muscle aching more than before. Whether from the hike yesterday or the surfing right now my body had had enough. Once I made it to shore, I threw my board to the ground and my body followed shortly after. 

The warm sand was a nice change of pace from the cold water. I laid there for a moment longer until I heard Erik's voice approaching. 

"You okay? That last wave got you really good." He leaned down and lightly grabbed my arm. I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous I must've looked getting knocked down. 

"Yeah, I'm fine, just… I'm exhausted. I didn't even realize how tired I was until that last wave." I propped myself up on my elbows, still laying down.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think if there was a Blue Crush 3, they would definitely call you to be at the very least, an extra." He sat down next to me and couldn't help but laugh at his own joke. I couldn't help but laugh either.

I sat up, shaking the sand off of my wetsuit. I didn't realize how close Erik had sat next to me until I was fully upright. The sudden closeness made my pulse spike, and I felt a rush of shyness.

Last night, when we shared our first kiss, it was under the muted pool lights, soft, romantic, dreamy. But now, with the sun casting everything in sharp, clear detail, I was aware of every inch of his face. His jawline was sharper than I remembered, and the green in his eyes seemed to glow in the sunlight. His smile, that easy, charming smile, tugged at something deep inside of me.

I don't know why, but the thought of kissing him again hit me like a wave. It was a feeling I wasn't expecting, and it sent a flutter through my chest. As if he sensed my shift in focus, his eyes met mine. I felt the urge to kiss him again, an impulse I couldn't ignore. The way he looked at me, those eyes, so full of something I couldn't quite place, drew me in. The thought darted through my mind. What if I just leaned in, let the moment happen?

But before I could act on the thought, a breeze picked up, ruffling my hair, and I snapped out of it, immediately facing the horizon. The moment was short, but the tension stayed in the space between us. 

I cleared my throat, forcing a smile as I shifted uncomfortably trying to play it off. "After that last wave? I doubt it." I shook my head slightly, meeting his eyes again. 

Erik raised an eyebrow, that charming smile still playing at the corners of his lips. "You're too modest. You killed it, trust me." 

I chuckled nervously, unable to completely shake the feeling that I had missed an opportunity between us. We sat there watching Hunter catch some waves, making small mindless conversation. Acting like I didn't just want to jump on him and kiss him again. I hadn't realized I had felt this pull with him. Maybe not as strong or as electric as it is with Justin, but it was there, simmering under the surface.

Moments passed and the conversation quieted down, I didn't even realize we were leaning on each other until I went to stand up and his body shifted behind me briefly. He stood up seconds later and dusted off any sand he had. I went to reach for my board but as I gripped the edge he did too. Picking it up with ease and tucking it under his arm. And while I normally would have pushed back to carry it, I was too tired to even put up a fake fight. 

We started making our way back to the group, he reached his hand out like he was searching for mine. I let my fingers intertwine with his. The sand beneath our feet was warm, the laughter from the volleyball game filling the air as we walked back toward the others. I was still basking in the quiet, my mind too preoccupied with the feeling of Erik's hand in mine. We made our way past the group, making our way back up to the house. Dani and Mallory shot me a quick look and then another look at each other. Each with their own ear to ear grin. 

We walked past Justin, who was walking with Jacob, as he glanced over at us—his eyes briefly landing on our intertwined hands. There was a subtle shift in his expression, but before I could make sense of it, he quickly averted his gaze.

He nudged Jacob, laughing at something and falling back into his usual, easy-going rhythm. I didn't give myself a second to think about it as I could feel Erik's thumb caressing mine. We made our way to the back gate entrance of the house and Erik laid my board out. I figured I could lay my wetsuit next to it so I started trying to unzip the back, I fought with it for a few seconds before Erik noticed. He walked over telling me to turn around and he gently unzipped it, sending a flood of goosebumps all over my body. From the cool air touching my skin and the way his fingers lightly glided down my spine. 

I started slowly rolling down the wetsuit, very aware of how Erik was looking at me, but the minute I caught his eye, his gaze flicked to the horizon. I wanted to laugh but I didn't want to make things weird or uncomfortable so instead I just turned away from him briefly as I slid it down the rest of my body. His eyes stayed glued to everyone down below but for a second I caught him looking again. A warmth mixed with the usual guilt flooded my entire body. I know why he's being cautious with me, he still thinks I'm waiting for marriage. I wish I could tell him just how much things have changed but not only would I worry about how he sees me, I'd worry about how he sees Justin. I don't think I'm ready for that quite yet, and definitely not right now. 

I laid my wetsuit down next to my board and adjusted my bikini. We stood there for a moment, silence hanging between us. The air was thick with tension, whether it was from me catching him watching me or just my own guilt weighing on me. Either way, it felt heavy. Regardless of why, I knew I wanted to stretch out the moment, savoring it before we were caught up in the noise and chaos of the group again.

We lingered in the silence, and now that it was just the two of us in the backyard, I didn't want to rush. No distractions. No lingering glances or knowing looks. Just us. I glanced at Erik, the warm golden light hitting his face like daylight. His eyes were fixed on something far off, his expression unreadable, but there was a tension there, heavier than the usual easy rhythm we shared.

"Hey," I broke the silence, my voice softer than usual. "Do you want to hang out up here for a little longer? Just the two of us?"

Erik looked at me, a slow smile curving at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, sure," he agreed, his voice steady, the hesitation gone, replaced by a quiet openness.

We moved to the edge of the small brick fence that separated the backyard from the beach, leaning against it and staring off into the distance. His body shifted slightly, and I felt the heat between us again, our thighs and shoulders brushing ever so gently. My heart raced, but I refused to overthink it. He was close. Too close, and yet just right.

I turned to meet his gaze, a moment of hesitation passing between us. I leaned in just a little, watching him carefully, waiting. My eyes dropped to his lips, the anticipation building. His eyes searched mine for a moment, unsure, but then finally…he leaned in, just enough, and I closed the space between us.

The kiss wasn't slow, like the last time. This time, it was immediate, almost urgent and full of heat, the pull of it undeniable, something I hadn't fully realized until it happened. His hands found my waist, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss, and the world outside the backyard disappeared. There was nothing but this moment, just us, finally letting go and feeling what had been simmering under the surface since last night.

When we pulled away slowly, his hands cupped my face gently. He pressed a soft kiss to my nose before we both turned our attention to the laughter from the volleyball game starting up again. My chest felt tight but not in a bad way, more like an understanding that something had changed between us, and it felt right. I leaned my head on his shoulder, and he threw his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. This felt easy. Comfortable. The quiet stretched between us, our own small world, until we noticed everyone starting to break down the net.

"I guess that's our cue to join them, huh?" I lifted my head off of his shoulder and looked up at him. His smile was still present, as he looked back at me. 

"Yeah," he said softly, nodding as his hand slid from my waist. He looked at me for a moment longer, the smile still there, but somehow deeper. We stood up off the fence, our eyes meeting once more before we made our way toward the group. 

The sand made it impossible to reach them before the entire net was all the way down, regardless we helped where we could. Interweaving ourselves back into the group effortlessly. I tried to catch Justin's gaze but for the first time he wouldn't meet my eyes. He was fixed on something Hannah was saying to him. I felt a weird pull in my stomach but I willed it away as Mallory called out for me to help her with the cooler. 

The entire group made their way back into the house, laughs still trailing along. Once inside we all hung around briefly in the kitchen before we all went our separate ways because it was time to get ready for the luau. 

I let the day melt away as I showered, the water washing away any lingering tension I might have felt. I began getting ready, starting with drying my hair. The scent of my lotion lingered in the air as I smoothed it over my skin, taking my time, enjoying the quiet. After slipping into my dress, I turned my back to the mirror, reaching over my shoulder to grab the zipper.

As I struggled to pull it up, my door cracked open.

"Need help with that?" Justin's voice broke through the quiet. 

I met his gaze in the mirror as he leaned lazily against the frame, arms crossed, an infuriating smirk playing on his lips.

Before I could respond, he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He didn't wait for permission, he just turned me gently by the shoulders and zipped up my dress, his fingers grazing my back in a way that left a trail of heat behind.

I turned over to look at him. He didn't move after zipping my dress up. We were closer than I expected us to be. "Thank you." I muttered looking up at him. 

"You're welcome…I just came in here to check up on you, I saw how hard that wave knocked you out but I didn't want to overstep on your time with Erik." He let out a humorless laugh and took a small step back, finally adding space between us. 

"It uh definitely knocked the wind out of me. I'm okay though. But uhm you should probably open the door in case someone comes to my room." I pointed at the door as I turned back around to grab my heels. But Justin didn't move, he just stood there studying me as I continued putting my heels on. 

"I'm stepping out right now, no need to worry about getting caught again. Just wanted to make sure you were okay." He winked at me as he turned around, opening and closing the door behind him once more. I felt like I could finally breathe. The pressure in my chest finally relieved itself. I don't know why I felt so nervous, that had never happened before. 

I tried to shake off the feeling, blaming it on exhaustion. I put on my earrings, spritzed myself with perfume, and made my way downstairs.

The house was buzzing with excitement as everyone gathered their things for the luau. I found Erik by the door, adjusting his shirt. "You look amazing," he said, smiling.

"Thank you, you clean up nicely," I replied, smiling back.

I looked around for Justin and saw him with Hannah, laughing. I ignored the small twist in my stomach and followed Erik out to the cars.

The drive to the hotel was quick. Just my luck I got stuck with Hannah and Justin. But thankfully the guys sat up front while Hannah and I sat in the back making small talk. Excited about being able to enjoy dinner and a show.

When we arrived, the hotel was alive with the warm scent of tropical flowers and tiki torches lining the path to the venue. The tables we booked were set up with six seats on one table and four on the other. Erik led me to the smaller table and pulled out the chair for me to sit beside him. I sat down, trying not to notice how Justin and Hannah followed us. Justin sat directly across from me, his eyes catching mine for just a moment before he turned his attention back to Hannah.

The night was in full swing, and I told myself to ignore any weird feelings and just enjoy the moment. Almost immediately, Justin and Erik dove into a conversation, while Hannah and I decided to grab a quick drink. We made our way to the bar, where Mallory and Dani quickly caught up to us.

"Auggie! Hannah, you both look so good," Dani called out, looping her arms through ours as we walked closer.

"Thank you! This color is stunning on you, by the way," I said, leaning in to whisper to Dani. She was wearing a yellow floral dress that draped perfectly over her, accentuating all the right places.

"I'm happy to see you wearing the dress I got you!" Mallory added, wrapping her arm around mine.

We each ordered a drink, chatting as all the guys along with Allie and Nancy made their way over to the bar. We all exchanged small talk, enjoying the casual vibe of the evening. And, as per tradition, before we could sit down, we had to take our Dani-mandated shot.

When we finally settled back to the tables, the family-style dinner was served. The sound of laughter and clinking glasses filled the air as the show began. Performers danced and sang in a display of Hawaiian culture, the fire twirling in the distance.

I was trying to focus on the performance, but my phone buzzed in my lap, drawing my attention. I pulled it out, half-expecting a message from Mallory, but instead, it was Justin.

Justin: "I know I zipped you into that dress earlier, but I'm wondering if you'll let me unzip it later too?"

I felt my cheeks heat up as I glanced at Erik, who was deep in quiet conversation with Hannah. I quickly shot a glance toward Justin. He caught my eye and smiled, his expression mischievous. I couldn't help but smile, even as the heat of his gaze lingered on me across the table.

I hovered over the message, unsure of how to respond. He had been weird with me earlier in the day but looking back I really do think he was just trying to give me my unbothered time with Erik. 

I typed and erased my message a couple of times. I could tell Justin was getting impatient for my response because his gaze never left me. Finally I knew what to say. 

August: "I could use some help with that…"

I looked up at Justin, watching as he read the message. His smirk deepened but for a second Hannah's attention shifted to him. He locked his phone and put it in his pocket in one smooth motion. And I did the same, putting my phone in my purse without getting noticed. 

We joined the conversation smoothly and the phone exchange went unnoticed. Every once in a while though Justin would shoot me a pointed look and for some reason the anticipation was starting to build up in me. I was finding it harder and harder to focus.