Page 115 of Headstrong Like Us

My pulse rumbles in my veins, and I watch as more temp bodyguards pop into action, ushering the three strippers towards the other side of the bar. They might have been slow to intervene, but at least they’re intervening. Progress, right.

Jane and Luna rush towards me.

“Are you okay?” Janie asks, wide-eyed.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” Before I shoved him, at least there was still an inch of space between us. He was grinding air. That makes me feel a bit better. Farrow and I agreednostrippers—and I’m not sure why they’re here, but it doesn’t change the fact that they crashed the party.

And Janie found a pretty cool place tonight. Retro remixes blast in the beach-decorated bar. Outfitted with inflatable palm trees, a sandy dance floor, and sky-painted ceiling. Adrenaline still pumps in my body, not coming down as the music beats louder.

Sulli approaches, and Luna and Jane quickly fill my cousin in on the first (let’s hope last) bachelor partyshocker.

“Moffy almost punched a stripper?” Sulli asks slack-jawed. “Oh fuck, I missed it—are you okay, Mof?”

“Yeah.” I rake a hand through my thick hair. “I onlylightlyshoved him out of my personal space.” I want to prove to myself, more than anyone, that I have some self-restraint.

More than Farrow.

Who am I kidding—if a chiseled male stripper, only wearing a metallic G-string encroached him, he’d probably smile that annoying smile and stroll away like he’s the hottest shit in the bar. Not stand like Hades with blue flames bursting from his skull.

“You didn’t order them, Janie?” I haven’t asked yet because I just figured she wouldneverif I said not to.

“Of course not.” She texts fast, then looks up. “No one in our family hired them either.” She slips her phone in a watermelon clutch.

“What about SFO?” Sulli wonders.

I shake my head. “I already asked. It wasn’t them.”

“The mystery persists,” Luna sing-songs, swaying on a swing at the bar. No stools here.

Tonight has really been fun partying with my siblings and cousins, and I won’t let a bunch of surprise strippers dampen what’s been a great time.

Andwhosent them isn’t as important right now. As long as they’re detained.

I try not to check my phone. Every couple minutes, I’ve been taking out my cell to scroll through photos of Ripley and Farrow together. It amps up my longing to see them, and I want to stay in the moment tonight. As best I can, at least.

“Let’s go dance!” I shout over the thumping bass.

“Wait!” Sulli tears open a plastic pouch with her teeth. Inside:penis straws.She plops one in each of our cups. “You’re about to get fucking married! You gotta suck a plastic dick.”

We all laugh and tip our glasses together in cheers.

Janie sips on a fruity drink in a hollowed pineapple, via a blue dick straw. Condensation from my plastic cup wets my hand, the lemonade pretty full, and I’m about to take a sip. But I spot my brother chilling alone in a corner lounge. Coastal lanterns light up the wicker furniture with a warm glow.

“I’ll be back!” I tell them.

The girls chat and laugh together while I leave.

I touch the arm of a wicker couch and lower on a sailboat-printed cushion. Right across from Xander. He slumps in a chair. Hood drawn further over his head, and he nurses a water bottle.

Even though he’s sixteen, the bar manager allowed my underage family to enter, but if they see anyone under 21 drinking alcohol, we’ll all be kicked out.

I’m ten out of ten impressed that he’s here tonight. And really happy. My brother could’ve easily stayed back at the rental house with our parents.

“Want to come dance, Summers?” I smile at him.

His lip almost upturns at me. He sits up more and shrugs. His eyes pass over the strangers inside the bar.

I’ve kind of tuned out most of the random people. The bar is filled to the brim.At capacity.But in order to get in, they all had to give the bouncers their cellphones and sign NDAs. With zero cameras pointed at us, I feel less like I’m an animal at a zoo.