Free A Complicated Summer of Love (Complicated Love Series #3) by D M Midgley Page B

I’m not feeling it at all. The music is loud and the drinks are flowing freely. Annabelle wanted to be the host, so we’re all outside their bungalow on the decking. Annabelle keeps serving food consisting of sandwiches, crisps, and dips. She’s acting like a waitress and Joshua has repeatedly told her to calm down and stop waiting on everyone, but she seems to be enjoying it. Karl and Tracy are snuggled up on the love seat. They haven’t really spoken much to anyone because they’re so wrapped up in each other. No one can blame them really. It’s taken them a long time to get to where they are. I’m so pleased for them and you can see, just from looking at them, that they’re madly in love. I can’t wait to feel that for myself. Glancing to my right, I spot Lily talking with Joshua. She hasn’t even looked in my direction since she arrived after everyone else. She’s always late to arrive and it’s one of the things I find so amusing about her. I’m not sure why she hasn’t talked to me yet, and I notice that she’s drinking a lot again. If she keeps going like this, then there won’t be any left for the rest of us.
    “Stop watching her Brandon. You’re beginning to look like a stalker.” I don’t see Annabelle walk up and stand beside me. Glancing out the corner of my eye I see her smirk.
    “Whatever. I’m not watching her.”
    “Yeah, whatever you say. Did you enjoy your dip in the hot tub?” She chuckles.
    “Don’t, okay.” I hope I’m not blushing. It’s not exactly manly to blush and my face feels incredibly warm. “We kissed. That was all. There’s nothing between us.”
    “You can keep trying to make me believe that, but I know what I saw. That was definitely not just a kiss and I see it in your eyes that you like her. Why don’t you just tell her?” I scoff.
    “No way. She’s hot and cold with me, and she hasn’t even talked to me this evening yet.”
    “Oh for God’s sake, Brandon, stop being a baby and get over there! Don’t wait for her. If you like her, then go and talk to her.”
    She’s right maybe I should be the one to go over there? I take a swig of my beer, the one I’ve been holding since the party started.
    “Right, I’m going to go and get the cake for the table.” She walks away toward the kitchen, leaving me on my own. I start walking toward her, but I’m cut off from getting to her by Maddison. She looks like she’s ready to go out clubbing in her short, black dress and red high heels. Everyone else has dressed casually because it’s only an informal get together.
    “Hey, baby. Have you missed me?” This is an entirely different women to the one I first met. I thought she was shy and uncomfortable around people, but this woman is the total opposite.
    “How can I miss you when I see you every day?” I shake my head. She closes the distance between us and I can smell the alcohol on her breath.
    When the hell did she start drinking?
    “Oh, yeah.” She starts giggling and I see Lily and Joshua looking over at us. I can’t stop looking at Lily and she’s beginning to look angry as she’s glaring at Maddison. She hasn’t even looked at me yet. “Let’s do something tomorrow. Just the two of us.” She wraps her arms around my neck in a tight grip.
    “Uh, Maddison, I’m not sure what I’m doing tomorrow.” I try to untangle her arms from around my neck.
    “Oh, come on baby. We can do anything you want to do.” She’s trying to be seductive and flirty, but she’s failing miserably.
    “Okay, but I have something to do now, so I will talk to you tomorrow.” I manage to get her arms off of me and leave her standing there while I make my way over to Lily. I notice that Joshua isn’t with her now and she’s all by herself, leaning against the railing looking out to sea.
    “Hi.”
    She looks at me and turns quickly away and she doesn’t seem pleased that I’m talking to her.
    “Are you okay?”
    She doesn’t say anything for a while, then