Flirting with Boys by Abbott, Hailey (freda ebook reader TXT) 📗

relax and chill out, like he should have been doing all along.

With these comforting thoughts firmly in place,

Celeste pulled off her tank top and boy shorts and stepped into the steaming shower, letting the water drum on top of her long hair and fall over her face. She’d go talk to Nick as soon as she was dressed.

✦ ✦ ✦

Celeste banged out of the house and headed for the

Saunders villa. She wanted to talk to Nick about the situation before he heard it from someone else—and got any ideas about what this meant for their “relationship.”

Outside, the morning was fresh and a little dewy with that crisp air you find only in the desert. The resort sparkled like a jewel, waiting for the day to begin. The pool lay still and smooth as glass, and a crisp white towel lay on every chaise lounge, which were lined up in perfect rows around the pool. Inside the lobby, Celeste could see the floors still glistening from mopping. A housekeeper was placing vases of fresh lilies on the reception and concierge desks.

But Celeste barely noticed any of this. She was so intent on her mission that she didn’t even notice her father coming toward her on the path.

“Oof!” Mr. Tippen said, as Celeste barreled right into him. “Good morning to you too.”

Celeste straightened up. “Sorry, Daddy. Hi. Good morning.”

“I was just coming to find you. I have to talk with you, Celeste,” her father said.

Celeste groaned inwardly. She really wanted to talk to Nick as soon as she could, but she couldn’t really say that to her father. “Okay, Dad,” she responded meekly and followed him to his office.

Her father sank into his creaky leather chair and leaned forward on the peeling laminate desk. Celeste plopped down in her usual place in the corner of the plaid sofa. She pulled one of the throw pillows onto her lap and tucked her legs underneath her.

“Devon told me that she’s leaving for Scotland

tomorrow morning,” Dad said.

Celeste nodded. “I know. She woke me up at the

crack of dawn to tell me the news.”

“So that leaves us with the problem of who will take over the planning for the Saunders party. Now, Maria is going on maternity leave any day. We can’t depend on her to take over a major project right now. Simon is tied up with the Hargrove wedding. Your mother and I are going to be overseeing the entire festival—we can’t take the time to focus on only one event. So that leaves you, Celeste.”

Celeste nodded. “No problem. In fact, I was just on my way over to talk to Nick about the party.”

Her father leaned forward and clasped his hands, his craggy face serious. He was tanned red-brown from the sun, but the lines around his eyes were white from squinting. “I know I don’t need to remind you what happened the other day at the pool, Celeste.”

She gulped. She’d thought maybe the whole Travis-Nick mess could fade quietly into the background.

Obviously, she’d thought wrong. Her father went on.

“Your boyfriend has put the family in a potentially tenuous position with regard to our guests.”

Celeste opened her mouth to protest, but her father glared at her.

“I should have fired him, but I didn’t,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “So what I need from you, Celeste, is even more commitment to making this festival, and the Saunders party, truly memorable. It’s your duty to the family.” Dad suddenly cracked a smile. “I wouldn’t give you this kind of responsibility if I didn’t think you could handle it. You’re a smart girl, Celeste, and a hard worker.”

“Thanks, Dad,” she replied, breathing a little easier.

Making the party a success—she could do that.

Dad shuffled through some papers on his desk and chose a printout of an Excel spreadsheet. “This is a big deal, Celeste,” he said. He ran his finger down a column.

“We’re booked to capacity for that weekend—all with film-festival attendees. And these aren’t just any guests.

A group from Miramax has taken three guesthouses. The studio head of Searchlight is coming in and bringing several top directors.”

“Wow,” Celeste said, honestly impressed. She’d

known Mr. and Mrs. Saunders were successful, but she’d had no idea they had so much influence.

“Wow is right,” her father replied. “We want these people to love Pinyon. If they have a good time, they’ll tell their friends. It’ll be like building a billboard in L.A.—but without bankrupting us.”

“That’s awesome, Dad.” She knew how much this

meant to him—to her whole family. Even though they’d always been successful, her dad had been waiting for this kind of publicity for the resort for years.

“So, we need to make this festival the best event the resort has ever seen. If you’re going to be in charge of one of the showpiece parties, I’m counting on you to plan the highlight of the festival.” He fixed her with a piercing gaze. “Do you understand?”

Celeste straightened up. This was her chance to really impress her father. All the mess with Nick and Travis, all his doubts about her judgment in choosing Travis as her boyfriend—she could erase all of that by making the Saunders party unforgettable. She’d be on her way to help Travis move into the dorms in Tempe at the end of summer with no problem. And maybe, just maybe, if he was really impressed, he’d let her go to the Berkshires next summer instead of working. Her heart leaped at the thought. “Dad,” she said in her most mature voice, “I’m going to work incredibly hard on this party, and when I’m done, I swear, it will be amazing. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

Her father smiled. “Good. I’m glad to hear you taking this so seriously. I have a lot of confidence in you, Celeste.”

She sprang up from the sofa. “Okay, well, I better go get started, right?” Dad nodded as she slipped from the room, her heart beating fast in anticipation. She could do this—after all, hadn’t she had