All the Pretty Lies Read online

  “Whatever.” I brush it off, turning to slip on my sandals. “I’m hungry. Do you have anything good next door?” I ask. “Our cooler is nothing but hot dogs and Lunchables.”

  “Afraid we aren’t much better. Though I do have some peanut butter and jelly and I think there’s some bread left.”

  “I would love a peanut butter and jelly.” I grab my brush and run it through my hair before tying the wet strands up in a loose bun.

  “Well then, come on. Lunch is on me.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  CALLUM

  IT’S JUST AFTER DARK as we make our way down to the dock. When Poppy told me that Ethan had invited her, I wasn’t surprised. What I was surprised by was how much it irked me with how excited she seemed by it.

  I have to remind myself that was the whole point. I must admit though, I thought this would be easier. I thought I’d take pride in knowing that I was right. Or maybe I thought it would be harder. Harder to pretend. Except, it’s felt more natural than anything I’ve done in a very long time.

  I grip Poppy’s hand in mine, my fingers laced with hers as we join the small gathering already in full swing.

  The dock is big. Bigger than you’d expect a normal boat dock to be. Spanning at least fifteen feet wide and several more feet long, it stretches several yards out into the water.

  There’s a small group circled around a large camping lantern. A few others sit on the edge of the dock with their feet in the water. And there are a handful of guys hanging out at the very end with poles in the water.

  The full moon shines bright overhead, illuminating the water. Even if there were no lights at all, I’d be able to see just fine, thanks to the cloudless sky.

  “What up, C?” Josh and Trevor, two guys from the football team, greet us as we approach.

  “Hey.” I lift my free hand and bump fists with each one of them before dropping it back to my side.

  “How’s it going, Poppy?” Trevor asks, a smile on his face.

  “It’s going.” She shrugs.

  “I see you’ve got my boy here rather occupied.” His gaze slides to me before going back to Poppy.

  “Yeah, it’s not like this is the last time we’re all gonna get to hang out like this.” Josh gives me a pointed look, sarcasm in his tone.

  “Sorry, boys. But she’s way prettier to look at.” I chuckle when Poppy looks up at me. “What?” I ask her. “It’s true.”

  “Whatever, man.” Trevor clucks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “You at least owe us a drink. What do you say, Poppy? Think you can spare him for a few minutes?”

  “I think I’ll manage without him.” Her eyes go over Trevor’s shoulder. “As a matter of fact, there’s April. I’m going to go say hi,” she tells me, releasing my hand.

  I watch her sashay away from us seconds later.

  “Dude. What the fuck?” Josh lands a punch to my shoulder.

  “What?” I reach up, rubbing the spot he just hit.

  “Since when are you into Poppy Harris?”

  “You say that like it’s some sort of surprise. Have you looked at the girl?”

  “Hell yes I have. But that’s not the point. You two have never hung out before. What’s changed?”

  “Actually, we used to be really good friends when we were younger. We got to talking a couple of days ago and, I don’t know, things kind of clicked.”

  “And how does Queen Annika feel about this?” Josh chimes in.

  “Pretty sure I don’t give a fuck.” I’m surprised by how true the statement is.

  Sure, when I first concocted this plan, making Annika squirm was the icing and cherry on top, but now I find myself thinking very little about her. I don’t take too much time to think about why that is.

  “Now, where’s that drink you promised me?” I cross my arms in front of my chest.

  “There’s the Callum we know.” Josh laughs. “Come on, we’ve got a stocked cooler over here.” He nods toward the edge of the dock before turning and heading in that direction.

  I smile at Poppy as we pass her and nod to Brock who’s standing next to April, his arm around her shoulders.

  As much as I would love to join them, I know I need to spread out my time a little better. As excited as I was to spend the week partying with my friends, I’ve actually done very little of that since we got here.

  It’s hard to believe the week is almost halfway over. I guess it’s true what they say – time flies when you’re having fun. And fun is exactly what I’ve been having with Poppy. I didn’t expect to enjoy spending time with her as much as I am. But every moment we spend together is another reminder why I was so obsessed with her when we were younger.

  I almost made a move once. The summer between eighth and ninth grade. We were at the beach with my parents and somehow she ended up with her limbs wrapped around me in the water.

  She was so close I could taste her on my lips. I started to lean forward but something stopped me. I don’t know what it was. Fear of rejection. Fear of ruining our friendship.

  But something changed that day. I don’t know how to explain it other than something shifted, and I didn’t want to be around her anymore. I wish I could make sense of it, because looking back I can’t wrap my head around why I pushed her away the way I did.

  Of course, she wasn’t innocent either. She made very little effort to speak to me. Of course, after I made an asshole comment to her in the hallway one day, it kind of put the nail in the coffin. I didn’t mean to hurt her. Or maybe I did. All I know is that I was angry and I lashed out. Truth be told, I can’t even remember why I was so mad to begin with. Maybe at myself?

  I spend the next several minutes walking around, sipping on a beer as I catch up with the various people gathered on the dock. I have to admit, it’s nice out here. Most of the team is here and a few of my other friends, but it’s void of the crazy chaos likely taking place up by the fire.

  There are no girls dancing like strippers or guys trying to do keg stands. It’s chill. Quiet. And honestly, a nice break.

  I spot Poppy sitting alone on the dock a few feet away, her legs dangling over the side, a red plastic cup clenched in her hands, and I immediately head in that direction.

  “Where’d April and Brock run off to?” I ask when I reach her.

  “Brock said he needed to run back to the cabin for something. April went with him. If I had to guess, we won’t be seeing either of them again for a while.”

  “Well they sure didn’t stay long.”

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “No, I guess it doesn’t.”

  We both laugh.

  “What’cha got there?” I gesture to her cup as I slide down next to her.

  “Fireball and RumChata.” She looks down at the liquid inside.

  “RumChata?” I hitch a brow.

  “Oh my god. Don’t tell me you’ve never tried Fireball and RumChata. It’s seriously the best drink ever.”

  “I think I’ll be the judge of that.” I snag the cup out of her hand and quickly lift it to my lips, taking a big gulp. “Ugh.” I curl my nose, handing the cup back to her. “That’s gross.”

  “Gross?” She hits me with a look of shock, her hazel eyes as wide as saucers. “You need to have your taste buds checked. This is delicious.” She takes a drink, moaning as she swallows.

  I stare at her for several long moments, entranced by the sight of her.

  What the fuck is happening here?

  “I think maybe you do.” I clear my throat. “Because whatever that is, it is not good.”

  “Your opinion. But it’s wrong.” She grins, taking another drink.

  “I’m surprised you’re drinking tonight. Given how last night went for you.”

  “Camila told you?” Her cheeks heat to a soft pink.

  “About you puking all over the floor while Brock and April were trying to get it on.” I laugh. “She told Tripp. Tripp told me. Though given the look of you this morning, I’d assumed y
ou had a rough night.”

  “Is that your way of saying I looked like shit?”

  “You said it, not me.” I smile.

  “Whatever.” She knocks her shoulder into mine.

  “So, have you talked to Ethan at all?”

  “No, he’s been down there fishing since we got here. Why, do you think I should?”

  “No.” I shake my head. “Make him come to you.”

  “And if he doesn’t?” She hitches a brow.

  “He will.” I promise.

  “How can you be—”

  “What’s up, bitches!” Poppy stops midsentence when Camila appears seemingly out of nowhere, dropping down next to Poppy on the dock.

  “There you are.” Poppy turns her attention to her friend. “I was starting to think maybe you got lost.”

  “Sorry, I got a little... distracted.” She giggles, nudging her head to the side as Tripp steps up behind her.

  “What’s up, guys?” He nods toward me, his hands shoved in the front pockets of his board shorts.

  “What’s up?” I nod back.

  It’s not hard to guess what kept him and Camila. The look is written all over his face. I know that look well. It’s one I’ve worn many times before.

  I’m not sure how I feel about my closest friends hanging out with Poppy’s best friends. It seems odd, really. We’ve never really hung out before. But if you were an outsider looking in, you’d think we’d all been friends forever. We just meld that well together.

  The four of us sit on the dock for well over an hour, taking turns running to the cooler to get drinks. It’s casual. Easy. Probably one of the best nights I can remember having in a very long time. That is, until Ethan joins us.

  As he walks over, I watch Poppy’s demeanor instantly change. Suddenly, she’s all smiles, laughing at every word that comes out of his fucking mouth. It grates on me more than I’d like to admit.

  When fishing becomes the topic of conversation and Poppy admits to having never fished before, Ethan swoops right in and insists he show her how it’s done. Of course, he asks if I mind first, which is all for show. I know his game. I’ve played it. Which is why I knew that this plan would work.

  I keep my composure, acting like I’m totally cool with it, when in my head I’m already thinking about all the ways I can fuck with him to make myself feel better. Given that he’s crashing in my cabin, I have endless possibilities.

  Childish, I know. But what can I say? I’m buzzed and feeling oddly territorial over Poppy. Not a great combination at the current moment.

  I watch from a distance as Ethan shows Poppy how to bait the hook, my shoulders tight as he steps up behind her and helps her cast the line out.

  “Dude’s getting awfully comfy with your girl,” Tripp voices my exact thoughts.

  Only she’s not my girl. He just doesn’t know that.

  “Ethan?” I question, forcing my gaze to the left where Tripp and Camila are sitting. “He’s harmless.”

  “You wouldn’t say that if you knew how much Poppy talks about him in a single day,” Camila interjects, the alcohol clearly giving her a loose tongue.

  “Uh oh, dude.” Tripp laughs. “You better go break that shit up before your ass gets dumped for another guy.”

  “Fuck you.” I shove his shoulder before pushing up to my feet.

  “Where are you going?” He looks up at me.

  “To break that shit up.” I smile.

  “That a boy.” He raps his fist against the wood beneath him.

  Shaking my head, I take off in the direction of Ethan and Poppy. I can hear her laughter from several feet away and it only gets louder the closer I get.

  “So, how’s the lesson coming?” Ethan takes a full step back at the sound of my voice.

  “I think it’s safe to say I’m terrible.” Poppy grins over her shoulder at me.

  “Is that so?” I force a smile, stepping up directly next to her before dropping a kiss to her temple. Ethan’s eyes are on me so I take it a step further, dipping down lower to nip at her earlobe.

  She tenses, but seems to realize what I’m doing and relaxes her weight against me.

  “I was thinking about heading back up to the cabin,” I say loud enough for Ethan to hear, but not so loud that it’s obvious I want him to hear. “You wanna come?”

  She looks at me, indecision weighing in her eyes. I can tell she wants to stay but she nods anyway, turning to hand the pole back to Ethan.

  “Thank you for the lesson. Tell Heidi I hope she feels better.”

  So that’s why I haven’t seen her all night.

  “Speaking of Heidi, if she’s up for it tomorrow, we’re gonna hit the trails. You two should join us. We’re going to head out early before it gets too hot. Probably around nine or ten.”

  “Yeah, maybe,” I answer before Poppy can.

  “Well, have a good night, guys.” He purposely avoids my gaze as I drop my arm around Poppy’s shoulder to lead her away.

  “Oh my god,” she whisper hisses, trying to keep her excitement hidden from everyone but me. “Did you see that?” She whips around when we reach the end of the dock. “He was totally flirting with me.”

  “I told you it would work.”

  “So what now?”

  “What do you mean what now?”

  “What should I do?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing?”

  “Look, if you start chasing him now, it’s only going to curb his interest. We have a plan, stick to it.”

  “You’re right.” She blows out a hard breath. “I just... I can’t believe your crazy, asinine plan is actually working.”

  “I told you. I know guys like Ethan.” I snag her hand, tugging her alongside me as we make our way back up toward the cabins.

  “Thank you, Callum. Seriously. I still don’t know why you offered to help me, but if it weren’t for you, what happened back there never would have happened.”

  “Glad I could help.” I nod.

  “What about Annika? Any word from her?”

  “She’s been around.” I shrug.

  “That’s it?”

  “My goal wasn’t to get her back. It was to make her jealous. I’ve no doubt succeeded and will continue to do so as long as we continue to do this. That’s good enough for me.”

  “You know, I got invited to mani/pedis with the Stepford Wives today.”

  “The Stepford Wives?” I question.

  “Yeah you know; Taylor, Eve, Mia. To name a few.”

  “I’m confused. You call them the Stepford Wives?”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little weird how they always dress so perfect and proper? They always fix their hair the same way. They walk with their purses the same way. They talk the same way. It’s like they’re perfect little robots.”

  “I hadn’t really thought about it, but I guess you’re right. They are kind of too perfect.”

  “Exactly. Anyway, Taylor invited me to their cabin today. Taylor Brines. Like seriously. That girl hasn’t spoken two words to me in the twelve years we’ve been in school together, but now that she thinks we’re dating, she suddenly wants to be my friend.”

  “Girls really are strange.”

  “Right? Who wants to be friends with someone just because of who they are dating?”

  “So, are you going to hang out with them?”

  “Um, absolutely not.” She shakes her head on a laugh.

  “Oh come on. Why not? Maybe they’ll induct you into their group. I’m sure you’d look adorable in a skirt and hair scarf.”

  “Ha. Ha.” She sticks her tongue out at me. “That’s not me and you know it.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “I guess it goes to show the power of dating the most popular boy in school. It’s like I’ve gone from invisible to standing under the spotlight.”

  “You’ve never been invisible,” I tell her, slowing to a stop just outside of her cabin.

  “Says the boy who’s barely
spoken to me in four years.”

  “I deserve that.”

  “Yeah you do.” She playfully shoves at my chest.

  I catch her wrist in my hand and tug her close, using my other hand to brush her hair over her shoulder.

  “Um, what are you doing?” she whispers when my lips come within an inch of hers.

  “Kissing my girlfriend goodnight.”

  “I’m only your girlfriend when people are watching and I hate to break it to you, Callum, but there isn’t anyone around.”

  She’s not wrong. I’m not sure if the party wrapped early or if we were down on the dock a lot longer than I realized, but it’s eerily quiet out right now, with only a few stragglers left down by the fire.

  “Someone could be watching. You never know.”

  “Seriously?” She gives me a doubtful look.

  “Better safe than sorry.” I close the distance between us, pressing my lips softly against hers.

  I don’t mean for it to be anything more than a light peck, but the instant the contact is made, I want more. I slide my hands down her arms before finally settling on her hips, my fingers digging in as I hold her in place, my tongue sliding against hers.

  She whimpers into my mouth, and fuck me if the sound doesn’t have me wanting to push her inside and see all the ways I can make her whimper and moan. The thought has me going rock hard, my erection pressing uncomfortably into the unforgiving material of my shorts.

  Stop, Callum! I say to myself when one hand slides to her ass cheek.

  Stop, I say again when the other finds her neck and then slides down, grazing the side of her breast.

  Fuck... Stop!

  I force myself to drop my hold on her, taking a full step back to be sure I don’t dive back in for more.

  She seems as winded as I feel, her chest rising and falling in quick succession as she stares back at me, confusion mixing with something I can’t quite pinpoint.

  “Goodnight, Poppy.” I take another step back.

  “Goodnight.” Her voice is shaky.

  It takes everything I have not to follow her when she turns and heads inside her cabin. I want to. Fuck me, I really, really want to. But I know that’s because that kiss got me a little heated and I’m not thinking with the right head at the current moment.