garage.”
Alexa waited a minute before releasing the button on the intercom and turning around to grin at Holly.
“Well,” Holly said, putting her hands on her hips and feeling a spark of genuine excitement for her friend. Finally, Alexa had fallen for a boy who was equal parts hot and sweet. “I guess your movie star crush may be more serious than you think.”
Alexa ignored the pulse-fluttering comment. “You know what this means, right?” she said, starting in the direction of the bathroom to wash up. “The need for serious shopping has just been increased to, like, the tenth power.” Alexa felt the familiar sense of pre-shopping elation begin to build in her. “I didn’t pack with a celebrity date in mind, and that must be remedied,” she explained, ticking the reasons off on her fingers while Holly watched her with one brow raised. “We have to get our wedding dresses squared away pronto—”
“I’m wearing my prom dress,” Holly protested, annoyed that Alexa wanted to bully her into an unnecessary purchase.
“You can still revel in Rodeo Drive,” Alexa reasoned, giving Holly a huge smile and then humming the chorus to the song “Pretty Woman.”
“I know,” Holly laughed, and she felt a tremor of anticipation at the thought. “On one condition,” she added, peering out the window at the flawless day. Now that she was more awake, she was glad to be up so early, and was eager to get outside and breathe in the fresh California air. “That we build in time for some sun-worshipping.”
Alexa never needed convincing when it came to the beach, so, a half hour later, after checking MapQuest and zipping up PCH in Jonah’s neat little Hybrid (“Of course he didn’t give us the Aston Martin,” Alexa complained), the girls were stretched out on white loungers on Zuma Beach. The deep blue Pacific soared and dipped before them, and they sipped the iced blendeds they’d picked up from Coffee Bean as the sun toasted their limbs.
“Remember the last time we were together on a beach?” Alexa asked Holly, once she’d finished rubbing Dior Sun Cream along her arms. She leaned back, adjusted the keyhole of her strapless paisley maillot, and let herself soak in one of her favoriteviews in the world: a gleaming blue ocean decorated with hot surfer boys.
“South Beach.” Holly sighed with nostalgia, pushing her wraparound shades up on her head. “But don’t you feel like LA’s even better?” she mused, her eyes lingering on one of the surfers, a slender, fair-skinned boy with curly hair the color of oak. He was clearly the daredevil of the bunch; Holly watched him zigzag along a giant wave, riding it out until he tumbled off his dark blue board, laughing.
“That dude’s, like, bananas ,” Holly heard a girl comment, and another reply: “Let him do his thing; I’m all about Zen philosophy now.” The girls, wearing loose sarongs, flip-flopped lazily by Holly’s towel and waved to the friendly-looking lifeguard. That was what she liked better about LA, Holly realized: the mellowness of a life lived under constant sunshine. South Beach had been high energy 24/7, but even at the upscale bash last night, Holly had picked up on a more laid-back vibe.
“Well, we’re certainly behaving better here,” Alexa replied, lowering her sunglasses and shooting Holly a knowing smile. “So far.”
Holly smiled back and held Alexa’s gaze, thinking about how much their friendship had changed since that trip. She felt as if they’d come full circle, from one beach to another. “Hey,” Holly said softly. “Thanksfor convincing me to come out here, Little Miss Bossy.” What would she do without Alexa there to bring adventure into her life?
“Anytime,” Alexa replied truthfully, reaching out to squeeze Holly’s hand. Just chilling with her friend was helping Alexa keep a healthy perspective on the Jonah sitch; she was excited about tonight, of course, but she wasn’t letting it consume her.
Alexa waited a minute before releasing the button on the intercom and turning around to grin at Holly.
“Well,” Holly said, putting her hands on her hips and feeling a spark of genuine excitement for her friend. Finally, Alexa had fallen for a boy who was equal parts hot and sweet. “I guess your movie star crush may be more serious than you think.”
Alexa ignored the pulse-fluttering comment. “You know what this means, right?” she said, starting in the direction of the bathroom to wash up. “The need for serious shopping has just been increased to, like, the tenth power.” Alexa felt the familiar sense of pre-shopping elation begin to build in her. “I didn’t pack with a celebrity date in mind, and that must be remedied,” she explained, ticking the reasons off on her fingers while Holly watched her with one brow raised. “We have to get our wedding dresses squared away pronto—”
“I’m wearing my prom dress,” Holly protested, annoyed that Alexa wanted to bully her into an unnecessary purchase.
“You can still revel in Rodeo Drive,” Alexa reasoned, giving Holly a huge smile and then humming the chorus to the song “Pretty Woman.”
“I know,” Holly laughed, and she felt a tremor of anticipation at the thought. “On one condition,” she added, peering out the window at the flawless day. Now that she was more awake, she was glad to be up so early, and was eager to get outside and breathe in the fresh California air. “That we build in time for some sun-worshipping.”
Alexa never needed convincing when it came to the beach, so, a half hour later, after checking MapQuest and zipping up PCH in Jonah’s neat little Hybrid (“Of course he didn’t give us the Aston Martin,” Alexa complained), the girls were stretched out on white loungers on Zuma Beach. The deep blue Pacific soared and dipped before them, and they sipped the iced blendeds they’d picked up from Coffee Bean as the sun toasted their limbs.
“Remember the last time we were together on a beach?” Alexa asked Holly, once she’d finished rubbing Dior Sun Cream along her arms. She leaned back, adjusted the keyhole of her strapless paisley maillot, and let herself soak in one of her favoriteviews in the world: a gleaming blue ocean decorated with hot surfer boys.
“South Beach.” Holly sighed with nostalgia, pushing her wraparound shades up on her head. “But don’t you feel like LA’s even better?” she mused, her eyes lingering on one of the surfers, a slender, fair-skinned boy with curly hair the color of oak. He was clearly the daredevil of the bunch; Holly watched him zigzag along a giant wave, riding it out until he tumbled off his dark blue board, laughing.
“That dude’s, like, bananas ,” Holly heard a girl comment, and another reply: “Let him do his thing; I’m all about Zen philosophy now.” The girls, wearing loose sarongs, flip-flopped lazily by Holly’s towel and waved to the friendly-looking lifeguard. That was what she liked better about LA, Holly realized: the mellowness of a life lived under constant sunshine. South Beach had been high energy 24/7, but even at the upscale bash last night, Holly had picked up on a more laid-back vibe.
“Well, we’re certainly behaving better here,” Alexa replied, lowering her sunglasses and shooting Holly a knowing smile. “So far.”
Holly smiled back and held Alexa’s gaze, thinking about how much their friendship had changed since that trip. She felt as if they’d come full circle, from one beach to another. “Hey,” Holly said softly. “Thanksfor convincing me to come out here, Little Miss Bossy.” What would she do without Alexa there to bring adventure into her life?
“Anytime,” Alexa replied truthfully, reaching out to squeeze Holly’s hand. Just chilling with her friend was helping Alexa keep a healthy perspective on the Jonah sitch; she was excited about tonight, of course, but she wasn’t letting it consume her.
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