Filed to story: Once Upon a One Night Mistake Book PDF Free by Simone Shirazi
The Hamptons (I)
Taliana Avilla had never considered herself a forgiving person. In all honesty, she’d always been prone to holding grudges.
Her father’s favorite story to tell, which was a true testament to her personality, was of the first grudge she’d ever held-and she’d only been six months old at the time.
“There was this one time when I was putting you down for a nap,” Charles had told her, as he had done so many times before. “We’d been out all day and you were exhausted, but the last thing you wanted to do was sleep. You glared and wriggled and whined, completely refusing to settle down. Eventually you ended up drifting off, but when you woke up… Oh boy, you were furious.”
At that point, he would always grin down at his terror of a daughter and wrap an arm around her shoulders.
“Every time you looked at me for the rest of the day, you would get all red in the face and glare like I was the enemy. Best part is, you still make that face today.”
Taliana knew she certainly did. Only it wasn’t her father who was on the receiving end of it these days.
“Sebastian, I swear, if you don’t shut up about her coming along, I will lock you in the basement for the rest of this damn trip.”
“But I just don’t get it,” he hissed, careful to keep his voice low so the subject of their conversation, who was standing just a few feet away in the foyer of the Phillips’ Hamptons manor, wouldn’t hear him. “You hate Blair. I hate Blair. We? all hate Blair.”
Taliana rolled her eyes, trying to keep a lid on her temper. If there was one thing that this entire situation with Blair and Sebastian had taught to her, it was that she was ready to turn over a new leaf, because there was no way she could continue on the way she had been. She was tired of the anger and resentment that constantly soured her stomach and the migraines that came along with all the worry. If she continued down this path, she was just going to keep making herself sick.
So it was time to put her health-physical and mental-first, and that started with ridding herself of the anger and grudges holding her back.
“Hating people is just a waste of energy,” she answered, trying to repeat the mantra for her own sake. So far, it wasn’t working.
“Then how much energy did you waste hating me for twelve years?”
Too much, she thought, but was interrupted before she could say it aloud.
“Are we going out or what?” Michael asked, checking his watch. “It’s already ten, and I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to get shit faced.”
Marcus, who’d rejoined the group just a couple hours earlier, nodded enthusiastically. “I don’t want to remember anything from today.”
Though he was clearly trying not to laugh, Michael wrapped an arm around Marcus’s shoulders and pulled the boy into his side. “Aw, sweetheart, sorry we weren’t there to see your speech get interrupted by the two brawling senators in the audience. And then to have a streaker run across the stage, too? You just have some terrible luck.”
“Believe me, I’m glad you guys weren’t there,” Marcus grumbled. “It would’ve been another thing you’d never let me live down.”
“Good, because none of us are going to forget your ‘I’m shy, but I’ve got a big dick’ moment, that’s for sure.”
Marcus’s face quickly turned tomato red as he shoved away from his grinning friend. “Just let me die.”
“Never.” Michael then turned his attention back to the rest of the group, picking a new victim to grab. “Come on, Jude, looks like we’re gonna have to be the team leaders.”
Jude went along willingly, laughing and motioning for the others to follow them out of the house. Jacob and Marcus trailed behind without protest, but Sebastian paused briefly to see if Taliana was coming before stepping out of the door himself.
But when Taliana didn’t hear the telltale sound of high heels clicking behind her, she glanced over her shoulder and found Blair still standing off to the side.
“You coming?” Taliana asked but was sure she knew the answer already.
Though Blair had decided to come along with them, and had even been generous enough to let them all use her father’s jet, there had been a clear divide between her and the rest of the group. Sebastian had outright refused to look in her direction during the two-hour flight, and even Jude-who’d joined forces with her to help push Sebastian and Taliana back together-seemed wary of Blair’s presence. Not a single person had bothered to even give her more than a brief hello.
Well, no one other than Michael. He’d greeted her with a sharp grin and a glint in his eyes that told everyone she’d never be forgiven, even if his purred
“Hi, baby” and inquiry into her current well-being seemed innocent enough.
But in this moment, Blair hesitated before shaking her head. “No, I don’t think so. I’m just going to call it an early night.”
“You’re really going to pass up a chance to drink and flirt with hot guys you’ll probably never see again?” Taliana asked, only half joking.
“Yeah, I am. I know when I’m not wanted, and I don’t want to ruin everyone’s night.”
With that, Blair shrugged and started down the hall, rounding a corner and disappearing soon after.
Taliana blew out a sigh, torn between following her actual friends outside or searching after the girl who had made her life miserable for months. But if she were being completely honest with herself, the last thing she wanted to do was go out to some packed nightclub.
“Talia?” Sebastian called from the porch, peeking around the doorframe a moment later when Taliana didn’t respond. “Everything okay?”
Quickly making up her mind, she shook her head. “Actually, I’m not feeling so great. You boys go on without me, I’m going to stay in tonight.”
Sebastian’s gaze narrowed, able to see straight through her white lie. “Stay in with Blair, you mean?”
“Well, yeah, she’s here too.”
He looked like he wanted to protest but instead heaved a sigh and dragged a hand through his hair. “Fine, if that’s what you want. But please, if there’s going to be any bloodshed, at least do it in the kitchen so it can be easily cleaned up.”
“Wow, your faith in me is admirable.”
“No, I just know your tendencies.” He pushed away from the doorframe. “Just make sure you’re alive when we get back, all right? I like you better that way.”
She scoffed, but her heart rate picked up in speed. “Glad to know you care.”
“Always, Stick Girl.”
She didn’t leave the foyer until the door closed firmly behind him and the roar of expensive cars finally faded into the distance. Only then did she dare step into the hallway, not exactly sure where she was going or what she was looking for.
But she certainly knew when she found it.
Blair was curled up on one of the couches in the lounge, a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders as she watched a movie. Her attention didn’t shift when Taliana joined her on the other end of the couch but judging from the way she tugged the blanket slightly closer, it was clear Blair was more than a little uncomfortable with the situation.