Chapter 65
-MILLIE-
On my way to the villa for the preparation for Dad’s party, my phone rang. It was Andrea.
“Where do you need these?” Mara, the 52–year–old gardener, asked, lifting a bountiful basket of white roses she handpicked for Dad’s birthday celebration. The sun was bright above us, a pleasant contrast to the fading warmth of summer air as fall drew nearer. We were on the paved path behind the villa leading towards the back entrance of the function hall, where the preparation was already taking place.
“Give them to Lisa. She got instructions from Mom for the table settings,” I said, pouting at the insistent.
ringing of my phone. “I’ll be there in a sec. I just need to get this.”
“Sure thing, love,” Maria smiled, the roses leaving a pleasant smell in the air as she walked past me towards the function hall.
Answering the video call, Andrea’s gleeful voice
greeted me. “Look at that view!”
pure wonder
blanketed her face, eyes shining in awe as she stared at
something on her right.
“Hello to you, too.”
“Oh, Millie!” Andrea looked down at her phone, Candice peeking over her left shoulder. “My God. I’m in love with Clarke Bay!” she sang on top of her lungs. I’m sure the diners at the restaurant could hear her.
“She got dicked last night,” Candice pipped in, snatching Andrea’s phone.
“Hey! That’s my phone.”
Candice fixed Andrea with a scowl. “You left me in our hotel room for a stranger. I get to do what I want with your phone.”
Andrea stuck out her lower lip. “He was a hot stranger.”
“Ok, hold up…” I butted in, trudging through the paved path towards the front of the villa. Dad’s morning routine included checking the restaurant and all his staff. He was very hands–on with Summerfield and I’m doing the rounds in his stead.
Andrea and Candice were inside a cab, and I gathered they’d been here at Clarke Bay since last night. “Can you go back to the part where you didn’t tell me you’re
here at Clarke Bay already?”
Candice pursed her lips, a pinch of concern crossing her face, but Andrea answered my question. “You can interrogate us after feeding us.”
I heard Andrea’s voice before I saw the cab pull to a stop in front of the villa. Half opening the cab door, she barrelled out into the dropping bay, inhaling a lungful of air, then waved at me. Candice slid out of the car after Andrea, shaking her head at our extra- energetic friend.
Both of them were dressed casually in shorts and colorful tank tops. Candice’s brunette hair was tied in a messy bun, while Andrea’s scarlet hair was in a half ponytail with a yellow ribbon matching her top.
Candice and I shared a look. Last I saw her, which was only last Friday, Andrea was still in a gloomy mood because of Nick.
‘Must be some good dick she got, huh?‘ I crossed my arms in my middle, glad to see my friends,
nonetheless.
Candice answered with an eye roll.
While the two settled in their accommodations, I left instructions to the decorating team at the function then joined Andrea and Candice for breakfast. Since we sat at our table, Andrea dominated the
conversation about how hot this mystery one–night stand guy she had in town.
“That good, huh?” I asked, picking a fry from the red basket in the middle of our table. I already had
breakfast with mom and dad, so I settled for having my second cup of coffee.
Andrea moaned through a mouthful of her eggs benedict. “He manhandled me in the best possible way. Did I mention there was spanking and handcuffs involved?
I snickered. “What? Where did he even get the handcuffs?”
Andre shrugged. “He said he had cuffs on his bike. That he wanted to cuff me to a bed, then ravish me
like I was his last meal.”
“Wait…” I raised an eyebrow. “Did he say this before or after you agreed to have a one–night stand with him?”
“Before! It was actually the selling part of his. invitation.”
Laughing, I followed up. “I’d like to hear this conversation, Andrea.”
Candice groaned, stabbing me with a pained glare. “Can I please be excused? She’d been blowing up my ears since coming back to our room this morning!”
Ignoring her, Andrea’s eyes were dreamy as she said, “So… I just got bored and went to the bar across from our hotel for a drink. Since Miss Sunshine here couldn’t drink, bun in her oven and all, I decided to go alone. He was there, alone and brooding in the corner, a storm cloud brewing above him. I got curious.”
“She was his type, Mr. Dark and Stormy, and oh, did she mention that he also rides a monster bike?” Candice butted in, sipping her orange juice.
Andrea glared at her, annoyed by her interruption. “Anyway, he’d been staring at me since I walked in. It was kind of hot and creepy at the same time. After three glasses of margarita, I finally decided to save him from his misery and asked him if he wanted to f**k me.”
“You what?” I laughed so loud, the guest on our table threw a curious gaze in our direction. “Please tell me you are sugarcoating this story.”
“No, I’m not. But that wasn’t my opening line. It goes like this. ‘You’ve been staring at me since I walked in. Do you want to f**k me?“” Andrea stabbed a bacon on her plate. “What?” she disregarded my surprise at her boldness to a total stranger. “I’m single, and I’m finally ready to mingle. I won’t miss out on life just because I’m broken–hearted.”
Candice locked eyes with me, mirroring the concern shining in mine. “Just be careful.”
“Gee…” Andrea grumbled. “It’s not like I’m dating Mr. Dark and Stormy. It’s called a one–night stand for a reason.”
I nodded, trusting Andrea knew what she was doing. “Is there another reason you guys flew early?” They were supposed to come with Nancy, Erik, and Aaron later in the afternoon.
“Uhm…” Candice chewed on her lower lip, slicing through her pancakes. “I might have mentioned to a certain guy that you are here in Clarke Bay.”
Emergency calls only G
I narrowed my eyes at Candice. “I knew Mom wouldn’t invite Damian without asking me.”
Candice shrugged, lifting a forked pancake to her mouth. “So, how did it go?”
I leaned back in my chair, resigning from this conversation. “How do you think? He asked for a
Candice opened her mouth to fire up another Damian–inspired question, pursing her lips when I cut her off. “I had a very interesting conversation with Dad. He wanted to up Summerfield Acres and start. accepting events, and he would like to partner with Effortless Events.”
Grateful for the distraction, I hummed a yes. “It’s gonna benefit both Summerfield and Effortless Events. We’re gonna market this place, and we will have our own place for our events.”
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