The girls accepted the invitation to dinner eagerly, saying they'd head home to shower and change since their place was so close. They promised to be back by eight, leaving us with just enough time to get everything ready.

Once they left, the boys and I split into teams to prepare for the night. Luke and Cameron headed upstairs to use the two bathrooms there, while Mason and Aiden took charge of prepping the meat. Meanwhile, I was tasked with making rice, my go-to dish in any situation. Jaden claimed the downstairs bathroom, leaving the kitchen filled with the chaotic energy of cooking and last-minute plans.

"Hey, the rice is done," I announced, stepping back from the stove. I grabbed a towel to wipe my hands, watching as Aiden and Mason worked together on the appetizers: olives, toasted bread, peanuts, and some store-bought dips.

"Got it," Aiden replied, focused on sprinkling salt over the steaks.

"I'm going to take a shower now," I said, eager to rinse off the sticky feeling of saltwater from earlier. He nodded, and I caught a glimpse of Luke descending the stairs in high spirits.

"Let's pamper this up, boys! My summer romance depends on you!" Luke clapped his hands dramatically, earning a laugh from Cameron. Shaking my head, I left them to their theatrics and headed to my room to grab my shower essentials.

The hot water hit my skin, washing away the day's sun, sand, and sweat. There was something therapeutic about it, the warmth relaxing my muscles as I let myself unwind. After drying off, I wrapped myself in a robe and went back to my room to get dressed.

I slipped into a light sundress and began my four-step skincare routine: toner, serum, moisturizer. Nothing too fancy, just the basics to keep my skin glowing. It wasn't an obsession, despite what the guys teased-it was self-care, plain and simple. Once I was done with my face, I moved on to my hair, brushing through the damp strands and reaching for my keratin spray.

Except... it wasn't there.

"Ugh," I groaned, realizing I must've left it in the bathroom. No big deal, I thought. I was already dressed, and it would only take a second to grab it.

The bathroom door creaked slightly as I opened it, the leftover steam from my shower fogging up the mirror. I stepped in and went straight to the counter, rummaging through my things until I found the keratin spray. I was so focused on my task that I didn't notice anything-or anyone-else until I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

Startled, I froze, my heart skipping a beat. Slowly, I turned toward the fogged-up mirror and wiped it with my hand. My stomach dropped when I saw Mason standing there, leaning casually against the doorframe. His damp hair clung to his forehead, and a towel hung low on his hips, water still dripping from his muscled chest.

"Can I help you with something, shortcake?" he asked, his voice low and laced with amusement. His eyes met mine through the reflection, a mischievous glint in them.

My brain stalled as I tried to process the situation. Mason. Half-naked. Bathroom. Me.

"I-I'm sorry!" I stammered, spinning around to face him and clutching the spray to my chest like a lifeline. "I just needed this."

"Couldn't it wait until I finished my shower?" he asked, his lips curving into a lazy grin.

"I didn't know you were here," I defended, my voice barely above a whisper. The air felt impossibly heavy, a mix of lingering steam and something far more overwhelming.

"Yeah... I see that," he said, taking a deliberate step forward. The grin on his face wasn't helping my rapidly increasing heart rate.

The tension was suffocating, and I was painfully aware of how close we were. I wasn't sure if it was the heat from the shower or my own embarrassment, but my skin felt like it was on fire.

"Should I consider this... non-intentional?" Mason asked, his tone teasing as he tilted his head, his eyes flickering over me. "Or voluntary?"

"Definitely non-intentional," I muttered quickly, trying to focus on anything but the way water droplets trailed down his chest. "As you should also consider getting dressed."

"Oh, should I?" he asked, his voice dropping slightly as he took another step closer. His smirk grew wider, and I felt my stomach twist in a way I couldn't quite explain. What the hell is happening? Was he flirting? With me?

This wasn't normal. Mason was my brother's best friend, practically family. And yet, here he was, standing far too close, looking far too... confident.

"You should," I said firmly, though my voice wavered just enough to betray me. "And I'm leaving now. Bye!"

Before he could say anything else, I darted past him, clutching the keratin spray like it was a shield. I slammed my bedroom door shut behind me, leaning against it as I tried to catch my breath. My heart was pounding in my chest like I'd just run a marathon.

"What the hell just happened?" I whispered to myself, pressing a hand to my forehead. My skin felt warm, and I didn't need a mirror to know my face was flushed.

I paced the room, trying to shake off the lingering heat of the moment. It was probably just the steam from the bathroom, I told myself. Yeah, that had to be it.

But no matter how much I tried to rationalize it, the memory of Mason's smirk and the look in his eyes refused to leave my mind.

I left my bedroom minutes later, still trying to compose myself after the... encounter. My cheeks were no longer flushed, but the memory of Mason's smirk lingered annoyingly in my mind. I shook my head, determined to let it go. This was supposed to be a fun dinner, not a mental spiral.

When I stepped into the living room, I was greeted by the lively buzz of conversation and activity. The girls were already there, seamlessly integrating with the boys. Taylor and Hailey were helping slice bread and arrange appetizers, while Zoe was pouring drinks into plastic cups. The scent of grilled meat and freshly toasted bread wafted through the air, mingling with the salty ocean breeze coming in through the open patio door.

Luke was already outside, beer in hand, setting more cans on the long wooden table we'd set up for dinner. He looked like he was living his best life, loudly announcing that tonight's dinner was the most important meal of his summer romance plan.

"Took you long enough," Aiden said as he noticed me entering. "What were you doing in there? Meditating or something?"

"I was just-" I began, only to freeze when my eyes inadvertently landed on Mason. He was standing near the counter, leaning casually against it as he sliced some bread. His gaze flicked up to mine, and for a split second, our eyes met. His lips curved into a soft, knowing smirk.

I quickly looked away, swallowing hard. "...doing my skincare," I finished, my voice as nonchalant as I could manage.

Aiden gave me an unimpressed look. "I don't get why you even bother with that stuff," he said, grabbing the tray of marinated meat. "Come on, let's get this on the grill."

I followed him outside, happy for an excuse to leave the room and avoid Mason's gaze.

"It makes my skin look good," I replied, taking a deep breath of fresh air to ground myself. "You should try it sometime."

"Not happening," Aiden said flatly, already focused on the grill.

"Not even if you had a girlfriend who was obsessed with skincare?" I teased, folding my arms and watching as he laid the meat on the sizzling grill.

"Still not happening," he said without even looking at me.

"You say that now, but trust me," I said with a knowing grin. "Girls love making their boyfriends do skincare with them. It's like a bonding ritual."

"Oh, 100 percent," Taylor chimed in from the table nearby, where she and Hailey were setting out plates.

"We absolutely do," Zoe added with a playful shrug.

Luke, overhearing the conversation as he walked past with another beer, raised his hand. "I'd totally do it. No problem. If it makes her happy, I'm in."

The girls laughed, clearly amused by his enthusiasm.

"See? Luke gets it," I said, raising an eyebrow at Aiden.

"Still not happening," Aiden repeated, flipping the meat with a pair of tongs.

"Ugh, so lame," I mumbled, rolling my eyes as I grabbed a handful of chips from the bowl on the table and popped one into my mouth.

As the night unfolded, the lively energy only grew. Plates piled with grilled meat, rice, and salad were passed around as everyone dug in, chatting and laughing over the delicious spread. The warm glow of string lights overhead gave the patio a cozy, intimate vibe, and the soft sound of waves crashing in the distance was the perfect background music.

Luke was the loudest of the group, unsurprisingly. A few beers in, he was gesturing wildly as he told some ridiculous story about a failed attempt to impress a girl last summer. His words slurred slightly as he mimicked his younger self tripping over a bench, and the exaggerated reenactment had everyone in stitches. Even Zoe, who had been relatively quiet up until now, was laughing so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

It didn't take a genius to see that Zoe was thoroughly smitten with Luke. Her eyes never strayed far from him, and she laughed just a little too hard at his jokes. If Luke stood up from his chair, though, I was pretty sure he'd fall flat on his face-which only made her devotion even more entertaining.

Meanwhile, Taylor and Hailey were perfectly at ease, chatting with Cameron and Jaden like they'd known them for years. Hailey was particularly focused on teasing Cameron about his volleyball skills (or lack thereof) from earlier in the day, while Taylor kept dropping subtle compliments about everything from the string lights to the perfectly cooked meat.

Then there was Mason.

He wasn't loud like Luke or relentlessly teasing like Cameron. Instead, he was quieter, though not disengaged. He laughed along with the group and made a few sarcastic remarks, but every so often, I caught him glancing at me. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to make my skin tingle with awareness.

Each time, I forced myself to look away, pretending to be completely engrossed in my plate or the conversation around me. But the memory of earlier kept sneaking back, his smirk replaying in my mind like a loop I couldn't turn off.

The night eventually spilled into a chaotic mix of laughter, teasing, and-inevitably-drunken antics. Luke attempted to show Zoe a "cool dance move," only to nearly topple over, and Cameron broke into a surprisingly good imitation of a stand-up comedian, making Hailey laugh so hard she nearly fell out of her chair.

As I sat back, nursing a small glass of wine and watching the chaos unfold, I felt myself relax for the first time that night. The earlier tension with Mason began to fade, replaced by the easy comfort of being surrounded by friends and family.

But every now and then, I'd glance toward him-and find his eyes already on me. His gaze wasn't teasing or mischievous like before. It was softer, more thoughtful, and it made my heart race all over again.

What was happening? I wasn't sure, but I couldn't deny that tonight felt... different. And I wasn't sure if that scared me or thrilled me.