A purple flower floated down. I attempted to catch it on my palm, but it was just as elusive as a snowflake. “Let’s just say that Jude will be searching for a different muse to inspire him.” It took some effort but I kept my tone completely non-committal. But deep down, I was still feeling the pain of Jude’s cold dismissal.

“You’re better off. Sitting there in the same position for hours is pure drudgery. I hope he was at least polite about it.” She searched my face for a reaction, but I kept my expression plain and clear like my voice.

“As polite as one can expect from Jude.”

“Oh well, forget about it. Tonight should be fun. Cole is picking up some marshmallows and chocolate for s’mores.” She spun around with her arms straight out. “I’m standing under the jacarandas again. It feels amazing.”

***

Finley’s fourth clothing change was her final one. Her tattoo was still sore, which limited her choices and her patience for trying on clothes.

“There’s hope for you yet,” I said.

She twisted her mouth as she looked at the button down blouse I’d thrown on. “Yes, but what about you?”

“I don’t want to be stuck wearing a sweatshirt, and it’s the only long sleeve shirt I have.” I held out the arms. “Too dowdy?”

“A touch. Although it would take an awful lot to make you look dowdy.” She stepped in front of me and assessed the situation. “I know who to make this work.” She unbuttoned the sleeves and rolled them halfway up my forearms and then unbuttoned the bottom two buttons and tied the shirt ends together exposing several inches of skin. She leaned back to admire her handiwork. “Not spectacular, but definitely better.”

We headed downstairs. The smell of smoke from the fire pit had already carried up to the house and it smelled like a summer barbecue in the kitchen. I had not seen Jude for the rest of the day and was both relieved and bummed about it. I had no idea what to say to him or if I even wanted to talk to him. Or if he even wanted to talk to me, for that matter.

The ornately tiled fire pit was in a sitting area just past the pool area. The pool house looked dark and empty as we passed it. Voices and laughter rolled across the yard as we approached the thin plume of smoke that crawled up into the dusk colored sky.

Cole had placed a circle of beach chairs around the pit. Aside from Cole and Max, there were two other guys who I may or may not have glimpsed at the party. I’d blotted most of the wretched evening from my mind. Two unfamiliar girls were also sitting by the fire.

Max had a nice smile, and he immediately stood and moved over so both Finley and I could sit together. “Hey, everyone, this is my friend, Eden. She’s staying with us this summer.”

I waved quickly and sat down in between Cole and Finley. Cole smiled down at me. “Tonight’s party should be more fun than last night’s. But I guess that isn’t saying much. Sorry about that whole thing last night.”

Max leaned forward. “Speaking of last night, where’s Jude?”

Cole pushed a marshmallow onto a stick and handed it to me. “Last time I saw him he was in the gym beating the shit out of the punching bag.”

“I wished I’d seen him making a punching bag out of Mike, the douche bag,” the guy across the way commented.

Finley must have sensed my discomfort with the topic. “Hey, guys, new subject.” She reached across for a marshmallow stick.

Cole elbowed me. “Hey, your marshmallow just took a dive.” He reached into the marshmallow bag.

“I’m all right. I don’t need one. I never have good luck toasting them.” I handed him back the stick. The topic of Jude had reduced my appetite for marshmallows.

“I thought Jude might join us tonight to celebrate his new freedom,” Cole said.

Finley and I both turned to him. “What do you mean?” Finley asked.

“They took the ankle monitor off today. Jude’s a free man.”

I was not prepared for how profoundly that comment would affect me.

Max laughed. “I guess that means he’ll be out of here soon. Four months of being cooped up in this house would be torture.”

Max had, of course, no idea that his comment was significant, but Cole and I both peeked over at Finley to gage her reaction. She bit her lip as she stared down at her marshmallow.

“Hey, Finley,” Max said, “watch that all those bracelets of yours don’t get too hot by the fire. You’ll burn your skin.”

I thought it was sweet of him to worry about it, but Finley didn’t respond. I knew she was still dwelling on the earlier comment.

“Is Jude still seeing that stuck-up girl, Remi, or whatever the heck her name was?” one of the girls asked.

“Remi?” Max asked. “Is that the chick who plays in all those zombie flicks?”

“Yeah, that’s her,” Cole said. “The whole house arrest thing put an end to that relationship. But truthfully, I think Jude was glad to see her go.”

“So he’s not seeing anyone?” the same girl asked. Even through the dancing flames, I could see the gleam in her eye.

Cole looked over at Max. “I love inviting chicks over and then spending the entire night answering questions about my brother.”

“Sorry, Coley” the girl said. “You know how much I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He stabbed a marshmallow onto a stick and pushed it into the flames.

“Where are you from, Eden?” Max asked.

“I’m from the valley,” I answered, and decided no elaboration was necessary.

“Are you a cousin?” the girl across the pit asked, and it seemed all eyes were on me.

“She’s a long time friend,” Finley said sharply. Her mood had definitely disintegrated since Max’s comment, and I truly hoped she would snap out of it. She looked over at me. “I feel like I’ve known her a lifetime.”

I smiled back at her. “We’re really close. Like sisters.”

Finley reached over and grabbed my hand. A large splash in the pool made everyone sit forward.

“Who’s swimming?” Max asked.

Cole shrugged and sat back. “Well Butch and Sundance would rather become vegetarian than go anywhere near that pool, so it must be Jude. I guess he decided to cool off after his workout.”

The girls popped out of their chairs. “We’re going to go visit him at the pool.”

“Oh, and I thought you loved me,” Cole said.

“We do,” the girl answered. “But we’re talking about Jude King in a bathing suit.”

They stepped onto the brick path that led them back to the pool yard but stopped as Jude came around the corner, dripping wet. He walked past them without as much as a nod. The entire circle watched as he plunked his massive frame down onto a beach chair directly across from me. The wall of flames was glowing hot, but they were no match for the heated gaze he shot my way. He stared at me openly, not giving a damn that everyone was watching him.

The girls looked dejected as they took their seats again.

“Jude,” Max called across the fire, breaking the tense silence. “I see you’re a free man again.”

“Yeah,” Jude answered without pulling his gaze from me.

“Christ, Jude, you’re such an ass.” Obviously sensing what was truly happening across the flames, Finley finally spoke.

Jude stood and looked over at his sister. “I’m sorry, Fin, but I’ve got to talk to her.”

She sighed. “Yeah, I know. Just go.”

Jude walked around the pit and lowered his hand in front of me. It took me all of a second to decide to place my hand in his. He pulled me from the chair, and I half-stumbled behind him as he yanked me along to the dimly lit pool area. Once out of view of the others, he hauled me against his hard body.

“You’re wet,” I said.

“You don’t know the half of it, Valley.” He dragged me behind him once again, and we entered the pool house.

The flickering light from the fire created dancing shadows in the dark room.

He held me in his arms, and his cold, wet skin seemed to warm instantly. I pressed my face against his chest, and his hand came up and held my head tightly against him. “You know why I couldn’t paint you, Eden.”