Into You Series: The Complete Collection

20. Ian

CHAPTER 20

IAN

I like Harry. The first thing he says to me when we leave to find Cameron and Wes is, “You’re the dude who crashed our dinner a few years ago.”

“Bingo.”

“And how long have you liked my sister?”

“How long ago was that dinner?”

We exchange grins and continue down the elevator.

As it turns out, we catch Cameron while he’s pregaming with a flask down by the beach. He and Wes are already tipsy, and although Wes mentions something about picking up strays again, which I happily ignore, they both seem pretty excited about the addition of two new people. Lucky for me, they are also too tipsy to even ask who these men are after my haphazard lie stating that I met them at a bar.

Perfect.

Grant eventually wakes up, and he seems a bit more stable. His eyes are red and he is less than thrilled to see me, but Harry knows the right things to say to calm him down. I think the news that he is about to go to a bona fide bachelor party makes him more excited than able to muster up hatred for me. Although, the mention of us skipping the strip club causes the return of irritation once more. He’s a yo-yo that will be hard to “walk the dog” with tonight, but I’m always up for a challenge. Plus, they didn’t make me a yo-yo champion for nothing.

Man, summer camp was awesome.

I take one last look at Nia before leaving. Her eyebrows are pulled tight in the center. I throw her a smile, and surprisingly, she returns it.

“Here’s my phone number,” she says, handing me a piece of paper. “In case you need it. Just keep me updated.”

“You’re giving me your number?” I wiggle my eyebrows and she blushes.

“Don’t abuse it, Ian.”

I type the number into my phone and shoot out a quick text. She looks down at her screen and scoffs. I’d kill to see that smirk every day.

“You sent me, ‘ Hey girl ’?” she says, holding up her phone.

“Entrancing, I know.”

“Good lord, just go.”

The bar is nearly empty when we arrive, but the groom insists on starting the party immediately, so it’s shots all around. Grant takes both his and mine. I almost protest, but whatever. I’ll just keep on eye on the old bastard.

Ian: Just arrived.

Nia: Cool.

Ian: Crowded bar.

Nia: No need for constant updates.

Ian: Ordering drinks.

Nia: Why are you like this?

It takes Grant a total of thirty minutes to finally talk to me again.

“You like little Apollonia?” Grant’s slurred voice rings over the music. Already drunk—what a surprise. Did the bartender seriously not card him? I suppose he is looking a little worse for wear and even older than he actually is.

“She’s not too fond of me, but I pride myself on the fact that I can eventually wear anyone down.” There’s a moment of quiet before Grant bursts out into laughter. It must have taken him a second to get the joke.

“There we go,” Harry says, patting Grant on the back.

“Ian!” Another familiar voice rises over the crowd and holy shit here comes the motherfucking goat man, barreling toward us with open arms. He attempts to hug both myself and Harry, but thankfully his reach isn’t long enough.

“Surprised you remember me,” I say, taking out my phone.

Ian: Goat man.

Nia: Goat man?

“How could I forget you?” he says, squeezing my cheeks between his thumb and forefinger. I twist out of his grip, causing his fisherman’s hat to topple over. Harry picks it up and hands it back.

“Who are your friends?” the goat man asks.

Ian: Hey, do you remember his name?

Nia: Who?

Ian: Goat man.

Nia: Is it Billy?

Ian: Are you telling a joke?

Nia: Maybe.

Harry waves, but Grant stares at him with eyes glazed over.

The man squints. “What’s with your pal?” he asks.

“Uh, watch out, he’s had a rough day,” Harry says, but Grant seems less than concerned about the local wonder coming toward him.

“Not your fault, eh?”

“No, it was,” he admits. I shake my head and am surprised to see that Grant catches the motion. “What, are you going to judge me, pretty boy? What makes you think you’re any better?”

“I’m not,” I say. “We all have our demons. Hey, I won’t judge yours if you won’t judge mine.”

“I don’t believe you,” he says with narrowed eyes.

“I don’t care.” I shrug. Grant seems like he’s getting angry again, but the goat man puts a hand on his shoulder and hops onto the bar stool next to him.

“Why don’t we all share?”

Ian: I think this bachelor party just turned into a therapy session. Or a teenage girls’ slumber party.

Nia: What color are you painting your nails?

Ian: Bright pink.

Nia: So, what are some of their secrets in this so-called therapy session?

I lift my head, tuning in to the conversation I’ve been too distracted to hear.

Ian: Cam went to circus school for a semester before dropping out.

Nia: Get real.

Ian: Wes says he regrets a tattoo on his butt. He tried to show us. I think it might be Ramona’s name.

Nia: Is it in a heart with an arrow through it?

Ian: Absolutely.

Nia: Should you be sharing all of their secrets?

Ian: Harry steals your cookies.

Nia: Knew it.

Ian: And what’s your secret?

At that, the texts stop. Damn it.

We all gallivant from one bar to the next, eventually ending at the pier as planned. My feet hang over the side of the dock with Grant seated next to me. Harry and Cam wade through the water, and Wes and the goat man bury themselves in sand, making sandcastles that look like more penises.

“Sorry for earlier,” Grant says.

“You shouldn’t have driven,” is all I can get out.

“You aren’t going to accept my apology?” he asks, narrowing his eyes.

“Temper, temper,” I respond, lifting my eyebrow to him but ignoring his comment altogether. “You might want to quell that.”

“You’re an ass.”

“Tell me, do you feel bad about anything?” I ask. “Anything at all?”

His eyes shift to me and he swallows before looking out at the ocean. For a moment we only hear the waves and the laughing of the men below. Looks like Cameron has buried Wes with makeshift sand boobs over his chest.

“You’re bold,” Grant says.

“I like to think I’m charming.”

He scoffs. “I hate you.”

“So, do you?” I ask again. “Regret anything, I mean?”

“I hate myself a little more every day.”

I remember being that person. I remember feeling like the world is on your shoulders and you can’t shove it off. Every day gets harder and the guilt pushes you so far into the ground until you’re burying yourself in it, slowly letting yourself drown under the weight.

“Eventually, you won’t,” I say. “You’ll rediscover what life is and then you’ll grab it by the balls and never let it pass you by again.”

Grant stares at me. He’s swaying under the influence of who knows how many shots, and he’s blinking slowly. I wonder for a moment if he’s going to fall off the pier, readying my reflexes just in case, but he smiles and nods.

“I hope you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” I say, and he rolls his eyes.

Ian: Your brother isn’t half bad.

Nia: You guys are getting along? Cute.

Cute.

“You’re a menace,” he grunts.

“I get that a lot.”

Grant grins, and I think we may have just become friends. Imagine that.

Ian: I miss you, Polly.