Beautiful Mess (3 page)

Ignoring
that jab, Bri decided they’d tortured poor Cole long enough.  “Well, we
should probably get going,”  She ignored Carly’s outraged glare.

“Okay,
let me tie this up for you.” Cole rolled up the portrait and tied a piece of
black ribbon around it.  He handed it to Bri, but Carly snatched it out of
his hands.

“Thank
you so much!  You know, we might head back this way sometime next
week.  Are you going to be around?”

“Um,
I’ll probably be here Monday and Wednesday.”

“Well
then,” Carly gave him a sly smile.  “Maybe we’ll see you next week, then.”

“Sure,
maybe next week,” Cole smiled, even though Bri was certain he wanted nothing
more to do with Carly.  “Bye, ladies,” he looked at Bri.  “It was
nice to meet you.”

Bri
smiled and nodded.

“Bye,
Cole!” Carly sang, and the two girls headed back up the beach.

As
she was walking away, Bri felt eyes on her.  She turned her head and found
Cole watching her walk away.  A slightly cocky, definitely amused grin
broke out on his face, and Bri couldn’t help the smile that answered his. 
Carly, noticing her distracted cousin, turned around also.

“OMG! 
Did you just see that?” Carly asked giddily.  “Cole was like, totally
checking me out!  Oh, I’ve
so
got this one in the bag!”

The
rest of the weekend passed tortuously slowly.  Carly dragged Bri to all of
the typical L.A. tourist traps, which wasn’t so bad in and of itself.  It
was Carly’s constant gabbing that drove Bri crazy.  Carly went on and on
about how Cole was totally into her, and how she couldn’t wait for her summer
fling to pan out.  If Bri had to endure another detail laden rundown of
how Carly was going to seduce Cole and have her way with him, she was going to
strangle the girl.  Literally.

And
Bri wasn’t the only one struggling with Carly.  Bri’s dad, Connor, was a
patient man, but his niece sometimes pushed him to his limits.  He could
only take so much girl talk and gossip before he broke.  Summer, Bri’s
stepmom, didn’t even try to pretend that she could stand Carly, and avoided her
as much as possible.  Carly, of course, didn’t even notice.  Bri’s
twin brothers, Liam and Logan, were only three years old, and didn’t know any
better.  Luckily for them, Carly pretty much ignored them, except when
they would sneak into her suitcase and play sling shots with her bras.

Sunday
night, Carly barged into Bri’s room.

“So,”
she plopped onto Bri’s bed.  “What do you say we head back down to Venice
Beach tomorrow?  Cole said he’d be there, and I’ve only got a few more
days before I go back home.  I gotta get this thing going.”

Five
more days.  Bri only had to survive five more days.  She had serious
doubts she’d make it.

“Um,
I guess we could go.”  Bri felt she should try to break it to her cousin
that Cole wasn’t really interested.  She should try to spare her some
embarrassment.  It was the right thing to do.  “Carly, are you sure
he really even likes you?  It just didn’t seem like he was that
interested.”

“That’s
because you are clueless when it comes to boys.  I mean, how could you
possibly know anything?  You’ve never had a boyfriend, for crying out loud!”

Bri
had in fact had a boyfriend before, but that wasn’t something she wanted Carly
knowing about, so she didn’t say anything.

“You
see, Bri, it’s all a game.  Boys pretend they aren’t interested to get you
to want them more.  It’s how they’re programmed or something.  Guys
never come right out and
tell
you they like you.  You have to like,
force it out of them.  Girls, on the other hand, have to let a guy know
they like him.  If they don’t, he’ll just move onto the next girl who
shows interest.  It’s like, totally unfair, but you have to play the game
to win.”

Bri
gaped at her cousin.  That was the most absurd thing Bri had ever
heard.  Girls were supposed to throw themselves at guys to get them, while
guys didn’t have to put in any effort?  It was insane!  Who actually
thought like that?  Well, obviously the misguided girl in front of
her.  Bri felt a little sorry for Carly right then.  What a crazy,
bass-akward take on dating.

“Whatever,
Carly,” she said, unconvinced.

“Just
wait, you’ll see tomorrow.  I’m going to play Cole so hard he won’t know
what hit him.  Give me half an hour with that boy and it’ll be make out
central.  Good thing, too.  I’m a little hard up over here, if you
know what I mean!”

“Carly,
ew!  Way too much information!”

“What? 
Just because you’ve never even kissed a guy and have no idea what I’m going
through...”

Again,
not true, but Bri wasn’t going to push the point.

“Okay,
new subject,” Bri interrupted before Carly could get into the details of her
make-believe sex life.  “So what time do you want to go tomorrow?”

“We
leave by 10:00 at the latest.  I need all the make out time I can get!”
Carly bounced happily off the bed and headed out to the hide-a-bed in the den.

Finally
alone, Bri changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed.  She’d be lying
if she said she hadn’t been thinking about Cole, too.  His face seemed to
sneak into her mind more often than she’d ever admit.  She found she was a
little excited to see him again tomorrow, which surprised her.  She hadn’t
gotten all tingly over a boy in a long time, and she barely knew this
guy.  It was ridiculous to feel this way about someone she’d just
met.  She managed to brush off her excitement as really looking forward to
seeing Carly humiliate herself again tomorrow. 

But
deep down, Bri knew it was more than that, as Cole’s eyes and lips dominated
her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

“Okay,
here’s the plan,” Carly stopped Bri.  They were just north of where Cole
was sitting, but he hadn’t noticed them yet.  It was about noon on Monday,
the 10 am departure time having been greatly delayed by Carly’s inability to
choose an outfit, and the Venice Beach boardwalk was fairly quiet.  “After
we get over there,” she eyed Cole,  “and say hi, I want you to take
off.  Go shopping, or go find us a spot on the beach, I don’t really
care.  I just want you gone.”

“Wow,
Car, I’m really feeling the love here.  You know, I’m not your
chauffeur.  You don’t get to order me around.”

“Ugh,”
she sighed impatiently.  “Don’t be so dramatic Bri!  I just need some
time alone with Cole to work my mojo.  I’ve only got a few more days
before I go home.  My window for some hot, California-boy lovin’ is
closing fast.  I have to work quickly.”

“And
you think that’s what’s going to happen?” Bri looked at Carly skeptically. 
“You’ll just walk over there, bat your eyelashes, and bam! You two will be
tongue tied, just like that?”

“Just
watch and learn,” Carly replied smugly.  “Give me fifteen minutes, and he
won’t be able to keep his mouth off me!”

Bri
grimaced at yet another visual she didn’t need. 

Carly
adjusted her red bikini top, yes the infamous red bikini was back, trying to
coax as much cleavage out of it as she could.  It wasn’t much.  She
smoothed her new red sarong and tossed back her hair.

“Let’s
go,” she commanded.  “Time to get my mack on!”  With that, Carly
threw her shoulders back and stalked her way down the beach.  She was like
a lioness hunting her prey.  Poor Cole was going to have his hands full.

“Hi,
Cole,” Carly practically purred as she sauntered up to him.

Cole
looked up, his eyes landing first on Carly.  Then, as they found Bri, he
smiled.

“Well,
hello, ladies!  It’s nice to see you again.  Bri, and um, Carly
right?” He smiled at Bri again.

“Nice
to see you, too, Cole,” Carly tried for a sexy smile, but it came out more like
bared fangs.  “And you remembered my name!  You must have been
thinking about me,” her voice dropped suggestively.

Bri
couldn’t believe how forward Carly was being.  Well, actually she
could.  Cole looked like he couldn’t quite believe it either.  He
seemed to be struggling with an appropriate response.  Bri decided to step
in and save him the trouble.

“Or,”
she turned to Carly.  “It could be that we were just here a couple of days
ago.  Even you could remember something for three days.”

“But
still, I must have made an impression,” Carly eyed Cole seductively.

“Oh,
I’m sure you made an impression all right,” Bri murmured, causing Cole to
laugh.  Carly turned a menacing smile at her cousin. 

“Don’t
you have something to do, or a
book
to go read?” Carly’s voice was tight
with anger.  “Like, now!”

Bri
eyed her cousin for a moment.  But her desire to see Carly humiliate
herself won out over her pride.  She smiled sweetly at Carly.

“And
so I do.”  She picked up her beach bag and gave Cole an apologetic
smile.  His eyes begged her to stay, but she just winked at him, and hoped
he was prepared for what was coming.  She felt his eyes follow her as she
left.

Bri
walked a little ways down the beach.  She stopped when she was far enough
away not to look like she was eavesdropping, but close enough that she still
could.  This was a show she did not want to miss.  She began to set
out her things as she listened.

“So,
Cole,” Carly attempted to regain his attention.  “You didn’t answer my
question.”  When Cole turned back to her with a blank look, she
sighed.  “Were you thinking about me?”

“Oh,
um, I don’t... really...” Bri heard Cole’s voice trail off as she slipped out
of her tank top and board shorts.  She adjusted her black bikini before
chancing a glance at Cole.  Sure enough, he was watching her, the goofy
smile on his face telling her he liked what he saw.  Bri quickly glanced
at Carly, who was glaring daggers at her.  She pretended she had no idea
what they were talking about and proceeded to apply some sunscreen.  When
the talking didn’t immediately resume, Bri knew Cole was still watching
her.  Feeling a little smug, she laid out on her towel.  Her
sunglasses allowed her to watch Carly and Cole without being obvious.

“Cole? 
Cole!
”  Carly had to shout to regain Cole’s attention.

“Oh...uh,”
he shook his head to clear it.  “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

Carly
gave him a predatory smile.

“Look,
Cole, we could go on playing this game all day.  But I’m leaving in a few days,
and I don’t really have time for games.  So, I’m just going to lay it all
out for you.”  She took a step closer to him, intentionally invading his
personal space.  “I like you, Cole, and I’m pretty sure you like me,
too.  I think we could have some fun together.  You know, some no
strings attached, no commitment required, kind of fun.”  She ran a finger
down his chest.  “If you’re interested.”

“Look,
Carly, I...”

“Shhh,”
she put a finger to his lips and leaned in close to his ear.  “Just think
about it,” she purred, and then turned, removing her sarong as she walked
away.  She threw Cole a suggestive look over her shoulder, before joining
Bri on the sand.

“And
that,” Carly said smugly, laying herself out on her towel, “is how you do
it.  Give him ten, fifteen minutes tops, and he’ll be over here begging
for it!”

Bri
could only shake her head at Carly’s antics.  The girl was completely
clueless.  But, wanting to see how things played out, Bri didn’t dispute
her.

An
hour and a half later, Cole still hadn’t come “begging for it”.  And each
minute that passed, Carly grew more and more agitated and angry.  From the
look in her eyes, Bri could tell something was brewing in that tiny brain of
hers, but Bri wasn’t sure she wanted to find out what it was.

Bri
had spent her time much more enjoyably.  She had been watching Cole,
trying to judge his reaction to Carly’s offer.  At least, that’s what she
told herself.  Wanting to watch him had nothing to do with the way his
board shorts hung low on his narrow hips, or the way his white t-shirt
accentuated his broad chest.  She had been sneaking glances at him on and
off, and from what she could see, he wasn’t remotely interested in Carly’s
proposition.  This, oddly, made Bri feel better.  She was secretly
worried that Cole would fall for Carly’s fake hair, fake tan, and fake
personality and jump all over the chance for a little action.  She was
relieved to find he wasn’t that shallow.

She
rolled over onto her stomach, and laid her head on her arms, which gave her an
unobstructed view of Cole.  She watched him draw a bit, saw him talk to a
couple of people who stopped to look at his work.  Then, to her horror,
Cole looked directly at her, a cocky smirk on his face.  He winked,
telling her that he knew she’d been watching him this whole time, and he was
calling her out on it.  Bri smiled guiltily before she could stop
herself.  Totally busted now, she felt her cheeks flush, which caused Cole
to laugh.  Bri rolled over, completely embarrassed, and turned her attention
back to Carly.

“So,
Carly, what’s the plan here?” she asked.  “Are we just going to wait
around indefinitely for him to come over?”

Carly
scanned the beach and got a determined look in her eyes.

“Nope,
enough waiting.  If he’s going to keep playing hard to get, fine. 
I’ll just have to take a different approach.”  She grabbed her towel and a
bottle of tanning lotion, and strutted her barely-there bikini up the beach,
right past Cole.  She didn’t stop, or even glance his way, but her butt
was swaying, just begging for his attention.

Cole
glanced up briefly as Carly passed, but then went back to his drawing,
unconcerned.

Carly
strutted right up to a small group of high school aged boys who were tossing a
Frisbee around.  Bri couldn’t hear what Carly was saying as she bounded
right into the middle of group, capturing their attention.  It then dawned
on her what Carly was doing.  This was her Plan B.  Carly was trying
to make Cole jealous by flirting with other boys.  Bri couldn’t believe
it.  Did Carly really expect a guy who wasn’t remotely interested in her
to get jealous enough to go claim her for himself?  Bri knew Carly was
shallow, and not the brightest thing, but she didn’t know her cousin could be
this juvenile.

Suddenly,
Carly’s high pitched laughter rang out down the beach and got both Bri’s and
Cole’s attention.  They both watched as Carly playfully pushed the chest
of a tall, burly, blonde boy.  She laid out her towel, and sprawled out on
her stomach.  She smiled up at the boys and held up the bottle of tanning
lotion.  The blonde she’d pushed grabbed it from her with an enthusiastic
smile, and proceeded to lather up Carly’s back for her.  Bri thought she
saw the guy grab Carly’s butt in the process, and Carly’s less enthusiastic
laughter confirmed that he had, in fact, copped a feel.