mouth. âAnd what are we going to do on this stroll?â
âThatâs up to you and her,â Carson said, patting him on the back.
âWeâre not going to do anything,â Evian said, although she did stand up. âIâll take the stupid stroll, but thatâs it.â
The guy grinned like he couldnât believe his luck. âAre you going to at least talk to me?â he asked.
âJust come on,â she said, taking his hand and pulling him away. She stopped and turned to Carson. âWhere are we supposed to stroll anyway?â
âYou have to at least walk to the gazebo on the next hotelâs property and back,â Carson announced.
âThatâs a long way,â Evian moaned. âThis game is so stupid.â
âHey, my game, my rules.â Carson threw his hands up.
âFine, whatever.â Evian rolled her eyes as she stomped away.
âThanks, man,â the guy said, scurrying after Evian. He fell in the sand as he tried to catch up with her. But he quickly pulled himself up and scrambled to catch up. We all laughed like crazy. We would never let Evian live this down.
We did a few more dares, but after a while, most of us were getting bored.
âThis game is dumb,â Sheridan declared.
âYeah, Iâm bored with it, too,â someone else said.
âLetâs get out of here,â Princeton told Shay.
âI need to wait on Evian,â she replied.
âWell, at least letâs go up to the bar,â he pleaded. Shay shrugged, then let him help her up to go to the bar.
Carsonâs other friend, Damien, turned to Kennedi. âHey, pretty lady, can me and my friend buy you and your girl some drinks, too?â he asked, motioning toward Sheridan.
Both of them looked at me. Then Sheridan said, âWhy donât we all go up to the bar.â
âNaw, you guys go on,â Carson said, pulling me closer. âI have something Iâd rather be doing anyway.â
He looked at me, licking his lips. He just didnât know. That little dollar-bill trick had just cost him the chance to get to know Maya Morgan.
âNo, Iâm coming, too.â I tried to break free from his grip.
Carson wouldnât let go of my hand. âThen, weâre all going to the bar.â He flashed a smile at me. âI see I rubbed someone the wrong way and Iâve got some making up to do.â
Damien didnât wait for them to reply as he grabbed Kennediâs hand and pulled her. âCome on, ladies. Drinks are on me!â
Chapter 5
S o, Carson had redeemed himself and I was actually having a good time. Damien was keeping us entertained at the bar with his impressions of the hottest movie stars. This boy was good, and I definitely could see him on the big screen one day.
Shay had even been cool, laughing and cracking up at Damienâs impressions. Finally, she glanced at her watch. âHey, shouldnât Evian be back by now?â
I looked at my cell phone as well, since no one else seemed concerned. The guys were taking shots. And a couple of girls were hanging right along with them. I was the only one not really drinking. I wasnât a prude, but I couldnât stand the yucky way liquor made me feel so I stuck to my Shirley Temple. Besides, I never needed anything taking me off my A game. Everyone else, though, was getting hammered. Even Kennedi was giggling like some second-grader and Sheridan was asleep with her head on the bar, after only one drink.
âTheyâve only been gone about an hour,â I said.
âYeah, but . . .â Shay shook her head like she was seriously worried. I couldnât understand how she and Evian had gotten to be so close. They couldnât be more different. Shay was an around-the-way, new-money girl, and Evian was an old-money princess type.
âBut nothing. Yâall are forgetting where you are,â Carson said, sliding back over to me. He was