Page 57 of The Other Side of Paradise (Story of Paradise #2)
Stella
Well, wasn’t this a tidy little reversal of fate?
Even just here for a month with Allison, I’d lost count of how many times Allison had been crashed out on the resort bar or at Brooklyn’s place spilling her woes to BB, but this time, when I stepped through the doors into the lobby, it was Brooklyn slumped against the front desk groaning to Allison.
I could hazard a guess what about—Ryan was leaving tomorrow for a two-week trip to Florida for some of her investigative reporting, and for whatever reason, BB was obsessed with my sister.
But hey, it had worked out well for me. Had a cute girl I got to kiss now thanks to that whole obsession thing.
I walked up behind Brooklyn, and I was never going to get tired of the way Allison’s whole face lit up when she saw me, like I was the best thing she’d ever seen.
And I knew it was something she only got when she looked at me, because Brooklyn glanced back with an expression like she knew exactly what to expect as soon as she saw that look in Allison’s eyes.
Also, Allison definitely stared at my legs, but, like, I’d worn a short skirt for a reason. She was really into legs. I’d gotten a couple new short skirts since I’d found that out.
“Hey, Allison,” I said brightly. “Hey, BB. Moping about your girlfriend?”
Brooklyn laughed dryly, brushing her hair back from her face. “I do like her, as it turns out. Guess I’ll have to find a way to pretend I’ve got a life while she’s away.”
“You did just fine for years,” I laughed. “You’ll live. Could always come hang out with me and Allison.”
“And interrupt your private-time routine? I hear you put Allison through her paces.”
Allison’s soul left her body, and she spoke in a hollow voice. “Brooklyn, don’t tell her about that.”
I laughed, leaning over the counter to squeeze Allison’s arm. “You do fantastically. Not one complaint from my end.”
“Besides,” Brooklyn said lightly, “you just want to come over to my place so I can make you drinks.”
“And what about it?” I said, hands on my hips. “C’mon, we’ll have parties and stuff. Two weeks will be gone before you know it. Allison’s been introducing me to the whole events staff and the workshop organizers. We’ll get a whole schedule filled up for you.”
Brooklyn smiled sardonically. “Aren’t you considerate? Partying your nights away just for little old me.”
“Well, yeah. I’m an angel. Right, Allison?”
“I mean, I think so,” Allison said.
“Ha.” Brooklyn pushed away from the counter.
“Well, thanks for letting me rant, both of you. I will take you up on the parties. Let me know when there’s anything going on, I’ll see if I want to go out too or sit at home missing my girlfriend.
I’ll let you clock off and go have Stella put you through your paces. ”
“Oh my god, BB, don’t talk about that here, ” Allison groaned, a hand over her face. I smiled sweetly at both of them.
“She’ll do great. I’d give you the updates, but I don’t think she’ll let me.”
“You think correctly,” Allison mumbled.
Brooklyn headed off too—she’d been on her shift today too, and had just finished half an hour before Allison, so apparently she’d just popped over to spend that half an hour complaining about how she was going to miss her girlfriend—and Allison was off in the other direction soon, her supervisor Gavin stepping on to replace her.
We made small talk while Allison clocked off and got changed out of her uniform, since I’d hung around clinging onto my girlfriend enough that I was an honorary part of the team now, and Allison’s face fell when she came out of the back in her houndstooth blazer and neat slacks and saw me talking to him, saying quick goodbyes and have-a-nice-week wishes for Allison’s extended time off.
“What were you two talking about this time?” she said as we got out of the resort, heading back towards the car.
“Last night’s party, mostly. Whether Paola hooked up with anyone.”
“Oh…”
I smiled serenely at her, slipping my hand into hers and squeezing as we passed the cafeteria and through the ornate arches to the parking lot. “I wasn’t talking this time about how I’m going to use the strap-on.”
“Oh—my god. Stella.”
“What? Did you want me to?”
She threw up her free hand, blushing furiously. “To use it? Yes. To talk to everyone about it?” She hesitated for just an instant before she said, “No.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “It turns you on knowing that I talk to people about what I like doing with you, doesn’t it?”
“It embarrasses me,” she said, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
“And also turns you on.”
“I mean, yes. Shush! Shush, shush, shush. The car! Here we are. I’m driving. Or are you driving? I can drive.”
“Not while I’m talking about what we’re doing once we get home. Not unless you want to crash.”
She cleared her throat, looking away. “I’ll, uh, I’ll be… I’ll ride. In the passenger seat.”
I paused at the side of the car, looking at her. “Is that the only thing you want to ride?”
“Oh my god. We can talk about that at home.”
I was planning to do more than just talking about it at home. But we’d start with talking.
The little oceanside drive that ran between Allison’s and Brooklyn’s houses already felt like home to me, a cozy place lined with palm trees and thick bushes, the sound of the ocean rolling up off the beach not too far away and bringing the taste of saltwater with it, lingering in the air as we stepped out into the stuffy summer heat once I’d parked the car.
The cute little bungalow with the romantic old-style draperies in the windows—Allison had defended that they were from the old lady who rented the place out, not her, but I thought it was cute, like a little beach fairy cottage.
The drive felt like home, the house felt like home, and even the family here felt a lot like home, judging by the way Ryan was out in front of the door, perching on the edge of the swing seat on the front porch, dressed in a loose crop top, denim shorts and white sneakers that made her look like a human being out on a summer vacation, instead of her old style that made her look like the human equivalent of an open-plan office.
“Your girlfriend got too clingy?” I said as I came up the hibiscus-lined path to the front door. Ryan laughed dryly, stepping off from the porch, and she pushed a bundle into my hands.
“Little parting gift,” she said. “For you and Allison.”
I looked it over—a box wrapped in brown paper. Could have been anything. “If it’s a sex toy, we’ve already got plenty.”
She made a face out into the middle distance as Allison, next to me, put her face in her hands. “I’m so happy to know that,” Ryan said. “It’s not a sex toy. More of a… good luck with what comes next, toy. I know you’re still figuring it out.”
“That just sounds like a particularly obscure kind of sex toy.”
“I feel like I should have gotten you a sex toy so we could have just hit fast-forward through this conversation.” She shook her head, giving me a small, lopsided smile. “I know I’m only gone for two weeks, but it feels weird… time’s been different ever since we got here.”
“Ha. No kidding. Got a rock-climbing girlfriend and fought your family all in a week.” I relaxed, holding the box against my side. “You worried the family’s going to bug you while you’re back in the mainland?”
“Florida’s not exactly next door anyway.” She looked away, fussing with one of the flowering hibiscus stems in the thick bush next to us. “But it does feel weird. I don’t know… like it’s blurring the boundaries.”
Allison was the one who spoke up. “I mean, first time leaving the island since you got here. Gotta eventually reckon with the fact that this isn’t just a big vacation and it actually is your life.”
“Mm.” Ryan nodded, looking over at her. “Yeah. Going to miss you coming around bugging me and Brooklyn for food.”
Allison put her hands on her hips. “I can feed myself.”
“I feed her a lot,” I said, and she huffed, looking away. Ryan laughed.
“Guess that is what it is. Like my little island dream life is spilling out into the real world. I’m a little jealous you have until the end of summer before you have to face that,” she said, a smile playing on her lips.
“Yeah, except then we’re going to be apart for nine months until next summer. I mean, we’ll be visiting each other for weekends and stuff, but still…”
Ryan nodded before she looked at Allison. “Hear that?” she said. “She actually does like you. Sad how it’ll be nine whole months apart.”
Allison put her hands up. “Look, it’s not like she doesn’t say so herself, but it still doesn’t make sense! She’s out of my league!”
Ryan gave me a skeptical once-over. “Huh… sure. I don’t think she’s that special.”
I laughed. Allison snorted. “I’ll fight you,” she said.
“You know,” I said, “two weeks will be done in no time, and you’ll be back here doing your writeups while your girlfriend brings you drinks.”
She paused. “I’m glad you took my side,” she said. “You know, back when everything happened. This whole thing would have worked out very differently if you hadn’t.”
I slipped a hand to Allison’s back, who softened into my side with that tiny, blissfully happy noise she did. “Worked out well for us both,” I laughed. “You and BB are good together. And Oscar’s just happy he has less family close to him.”
“Mom and Dad were both livid Oscar refused to come out here with me once I’m back,” she said. “I stuck up for him, said he was focused on work…”
“Taking your twin’s side even if you’re a fake one,” I said. “I look forward to harassing all of you in two weeks. And putting Allison on the spot. She’s never really properly met Mom, so…”
Ryan smiled sweetly at her. “Oh, she’ll be normal about that.”
“Uh-huh,” Allison said. “I have this paranormal super-sense that maybe you’re being sarcastic.”