Chapter 1

Pink.

The room that I was staying in was covered in pink.

Ugly, bright, happy, sickening pink.

I sat on the bed, cross legged and facing the wall, scowling.

This was hell.

How did dad think he could get away with sending Mark and I to North Carolina for the summer? Without our brothers? Without our friends? Was he out of his mind?

The floors were wooden and creaked when I stepped on them. The old house was right on the beach. It was a two bedroom house with a tiny kitchen and one bathroom. Aunt Audrey, my dad's older sister, got one of the bedrooms and I got the other.

Mark had the couch, which I teased him about endlessly when we first got here an hour ago.

There was a bay window facing the beach. It was beautiful. But the flowery pink cushions and curtains that surrounded the window were awful.

There was a fluffy pink rug underneath the white, wire frame bed. It was like moving in to Jane's house all over again. Too much damn pink.

My frown grew deeper and I balled my hands into fists on my knees, wishing I was back home.

Mark and I didn't even have our phones. Dad had made us leave everything at home.

Not even music. It's like he was purposely trying to kill us.

"You're all good in here? I'm just going to have a word with Marley and then we'll head to dinner." I heard Aunt Audrey say to mark in the living room. I heard her footsteps coming down the creaky floors until a soft knock sounded on my door.

"Have you settled in okay?" Aunt Audrey asked softly as she walked into the room.

"Just fine." I mumbled, glaring at the pink wall.

"I know pink isn't really your color... It's been like this since Peyton stayed here." Aunt Audrey explained, referring to the youngest sibling of my father. Audrey was the oldest, then my dad, then Uncle Lewis, and then Peyton.

"That sounds great." I nodded, finally pulling my glance away from the wall.

"Do you need time to freshen up or do you want to head to the beach cookout now?" Aunt Audrey asked with a smile.

"We can go now." I said, scooting off of the bed. I stepped into my flip flops and tucked some lost bits of my hair behind my ears.

"Mark let's go." I said, hitting the back of my brother's head as we walked past the couch.

Mark shot my a glare, shoving my shoulder as we walked out of the back door.

"Aren't you going to lock the door?" Mark asked Aunt Audrey as we walked off of the back porch onto the warm sand.

Aunt Audrey just laughed, shaking her head. "What good would that do? We never lock doors here." She laughed, walking slightly ahead of us.

Mark and I exchanged glances. What the hell did that mean?

"It's just beautiful tonight." Aunt Audrey said with a sigh in front of us. "Oh, by the way, I have a friend who owns the smoothie shop on the beach, you two are working there." She added, turning around to face us.

My jaw dropped. "Working?" I asked in shock.

"A job? What the hell!" Mark exclaimed.

Aunt Audrey narrowed her eyes at us.

"Your dad was right about the two of you. Too damn ungrateful." She shook her head before turning back around to walk away.

Mark and I exchanged glances, glaring at each other.

"Hotdog or Hamburger?" Aunt Audrey asked once we'd reached the thickness of action on the beach.

"Hotdog." I replied while Mark said he'd like a hamburger. Another glare was exchanged between the two of us.

Aunt Audrey got a hotdog like me, but all three of us put some watermelon and corn on the cob on our plates. Mark and I kept it simple with just some ketchup on our meat, but Aunt Audrey went for it all with ketchup, mustard, relish, and mayonnaise.

"Mm. Hits the spot." Aunt Audrey moaned, chewing a bite of her hotdog as she led us over to a picnic table.

Mark and I exchanged yet another look.

Once we sat down, I let my gaze wander while Aunt Audrey asked Mark about football.

Only 72 days before I'd be home and back at school with my friends.

Just 72.

My eyes landed on a group of boys standing around the drinks stand. They all looked similar. Shirtless, muscly, tan, tall, hot. But the one in the middle was intriguing to watch. He was the tallest, and definitely the best looking. His muscles were clearly defined, and he was wearing just a pair of blue swim trunks. He had light brown hair that was held back from his face with a baseball cap. I couldn't see him close enough to clearly see his face, but from a far, he was wonderful.

A smile crossed his features as a little boy came up to the table to get a bottle of water, and my heart melted at the adorableness in his face. A guy who loves kids is a major turn on.

"So I see you've seen the boys." Aunt Audrey gave me a look.

I felt my cheeks turn pink as I quickly looked down at the plate.

"Don't worry, everybody stares at those boys. They've been the center of attention since they were 6 years old." Aunt Audrey laughed.

"Stop staring you have a boyfriend." Mark snapped, nudging my shoulder.

"For your information, we broke up." I rolled my eyes, taking a bite of my hotdog.

"You what?" Mark gasped, his eyes widening. "Oh shit no that's not good."

"Why?" I laughed. "It's my relationship, my decision."

"Because I broke up with Nicole." Mark replied.

"Oh poor Wesley." I caught on to what my brother was saying.

It was already enough that two of the Ryders were disappearing for the entire summer, let alone both of them fresh out of relationships with only Wesley left to answer all the questions.

"So, how are all of your brothers?" Aunt Audrey asked curiously.

Mark and I launched in the usual act of going through each one of our brothers and listing their latest accomplishments. It was the same whenever we saw a relative.

"Well, I'm going to head back to the house, I'm sure the two of you can find your way around just fine." Aunt Audrey said once we were finished eating.

"But you-"

"Have fun. Don't do anything stupid." She warned, taking all of our plates.
And she walked away, greeting almost everyone she passed.

Mark and I exchanged looks.

"This actually isn't going to be that bad." Mark shook his head.

"Agreed. Nice weather, job on the beach, shirtless guys." I grinned, glancing over at the group of boys again.

"Uh, try hot girls and bikinis." Mark raised his eyebrows as we stood up.

"For you." I rolled my eyes with a laugh. I glanced over at the guys again.

There were only two left. The tall one that had caught my eye, and a short blonde one.

I bit my lip, making a quick decision in my mind.

"I'm going to-"

I stopped before walking up to them, as two blonde girls ran up to them, giggling. They each were wearing jean shorts and bikini tops, their hair pushed back by matching sunglasses. Twins?

I quickly turned back around to face Mark.

"You were going to say hi?" Mark laughed. "And go flirt? You've been single what, for a day?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Oh like you aren't going to find a girl this summer?" I raised my eyebrows.

"You are so right, Marley, so right." Mark laughed, bumping his shoulder against mine as we started walking back in the direction of the house. It wasn't a good idea to do anything dumb tonight.

"I'm going to turn in early tonight. There's fresh linens and towels in the closet to the right of the bathroom. I'll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast." Aunt Audrey said, disappearing into her room as Mark and I got back to the house.

The door shut, and I looked at Mark.

"Can I please have the shower in the morning?" I asked softly, giving him a pleading look.

"Yea I guess." Mark shrugged. "I'll shower tonight."

I'd expected him to put up a fuss, but apparently not.

"Thank you!" I grinned, giving him a hug. "I'm going to bed then, I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked as I walked towards my room.

"Goodnight Marley." Mark nodded, opening the door to the bathroom.

"Night Mark." I said over my shoulder, slipping into my bedroom.

I spent about 20 minutes fixing the pink disaster in the room.

By the time I went to bed, the sheets on the bed were plain white, the curtains off of the window, and the carpet was rolled up and pushed to the corner.

I didn't unpack my clothes, just left my suitcase on the floor by the window.

I got into bed wearing some old sweatpants and a white tank top, my hair in a messy bun.