One step inside The White House and I understand why my roommates were so excited about coming. The house itself is huge and white… hence the name, I suppose. I try and act casual and like I’ve been here before as we step through the front door into a huge entryway.

The living room and kitchen are open concept and extend into one huge space. To the right is a staircase, and I’m guessing that’s where the bedrooms are. We pass by a theater room and a bathroom that already has a line of girls waiting their turn.

This place is extravagant. And I know extravagant.

“Who took Zeke and Wes’ spots in the house?” Sydney asks and they all look to me.

Emily and Sydney have dropped all pretenses of freezing me out now that they know my White House connection, but Bri is watching me like she’s waiting for me to screw up. I wish I didn’t feel like that’s exactly what I’m about to do. I don’t even know for sure if Nathan is here. He still hasn’t responded to my texts.

“I’m not sure,” I answer and keep moving. The place is packed just like Sydney said it would be. I need to find Nathan so I can… crap, what am I going to do when I find him?

“Ladies.” A guy with dark hair sticking out around a red beer helmet steps in front of us with cups. “Welcome. Keg and liquor are in the kitchen.”

The girls all take a cup and head in the direction of the booze and I hang back.

“Hey, have you seen Nathan?” I ask him quietly.

“Pool,” he offers as he places a cup in my hand.

“Thanks.” I exhale a sigh of relief that Nathan is here, but then that starts off a whole new set of emotions—namely excitement at seeing him again. And crap, I need to reel it in. Friends… we’re just going to be friends.

I slip past Bri and Emily without them noticing. Sydney and I make eye contact and I mouth, “Be right back.”

The outside is as nice as the rest of the house. The yard is bigger than I expected with a large patio that is partially covered. The pool is the real showstopper, though. There are a dozen cushioned lounge chairs placed around it, all filled with people.

Quite a few people are in the pool, too, and my gaze flits over the girls lying in neon light-up floaties and snags on a couple in the shallow end coming out of the pool fully dressed. The girl is giggling at the state of them. Her dress is molded to her skin, leaving very little to the imagination, but she doesn’t care. She’s holding on to the guy and he’s… breathtaking.