Breaking Down (Breaking #4) - Juliana Haygert Page 0,3

said. “When the guys are practicing and you don’t have much to do, come have a chimarrão with me.”

I smiled at her. “I sure will.”

I greeted Leo, Hannah, and Ri—I embraced them like I hadn’t seen them in an entire year.

“I heard you’re starting college soon,” Hannah said with a smile. “Decided to settle down, hm?”

“Decided? More like was obligated.”

“I know it’s not what you wanted, but you should give it a chance,” Ri said. “College is a good thing.”

I scrunched my nose. I knew what they were trying to do—sounding all cheerful and happy, like college was a great thing, to make me feel better—but it wasn’t working.

“Not good, apparently,” Hannah said.

“Sorry, guys. I know college is a good thing and there are a lot of people who would do anything to be accepted and can’t, but … it’s not exactly what I want.” I felt and sounded like a broken record. They all knew what I wanted.

Gui changed subjects and asked Ri about his latest girlfriend. Or whatever he was calling the girls he spent time with. He had been Gui’s wingman when both of them were single and my brother was the one with all the girlfriends, but since Gui started dating Hil, that had changed. Ri now was out all the time and with a different girl every weekend.

At least that was probably the only topic that didn’t involve horses or riding or ranching or polo. Living with this family wasn’t easy.

Hannah’s phoned beeped and she glanced at the screen. “They're coming,” she said to us. Then, she turned around. “Everyone, Bia is bringing Garrett now. Get ready.”

Excitement made its way through my chest. I loved a good party, and even though I didn't know Garrett well, he seemed like a good guy.

Someone turned off a couple of lights, making the room darker than it already was, and we all stayed out of the main door’s line of sight.

“Just a second. I need to check on something,” Bia’s voice was low. The sound of boot heels clicked across the tile flooring.

“What is it?” Garrett asked, his voice just outside.

Bia stepped into the room, pulling Garrett by his hand.

“Surprise!” we yelled together.

The lights came back on, casting the place into its previous dim mood.

With wide eyes, Garrett stared at Bia, then at the guests, then at Bia again. “You’re sneaky.” He smiled at her. “You did all this?”

Bia shrugged. “Not alone.”

Still stunned, Garrett went around, greeting the guests.

Our group was the last.

After I embraced Garrett and congratulated him, Bia wound her arms tight around me. “Guria, so glad you’re here!”

“Me too,” I whispered in her ear.

Our circle grew with Bia and Garrett added to the mix. Then, Malcolm joined us and suddenly the subject switched back to polo. The practices, the next tournaments, their rankings … It was all too much for me.

“I’m gonna go get a drink,” I muttered to no one before weaving through the crowd to the bar.

“Here.” A hand closed around my arm and pulled me to the side. “Gabi will decide for us,” Megan said.

I stared at her, then at the smiling faces of Blaire and Andrea. “What did I do?”

Megan chuckled. “Nothing, silly. We just need another opinion.”

I frowned. I couldn’t say Megan and the others were friends of mine, but they were people from the polo world. Their families belonged to the club where the guys played. Despite myself, I felt a little jealous they had been born amid it all. I had, too, but in another country.

I straightened. “Okay.”

Blaire hooked her arm on mine and leaned in close. “See that couple standing with Reese and Lucas over there?” She jutted her chin out and I followed the line until my eyes landed on a couple talking to Reese and Lucas. I was used to overhearing Megan, Blaire, and Andrea gossiping about guys like they were on the runway, and most of the time, they were model material, but this guy wasn’t. The young man was tall and looked regal in slacks and a dress shirt. What the guy was lacking in looks, the girl had in spades. She was stunning, and she wore a red dress that had been molded to her body.

“Sim. What about them?”

“Their names are Bryce and Alyssa, and they are new members at the club,” Andrea said. “Since they joined a couple of weeks ago, a rumor has been going around.”

Megan showed a sly smile. “They say that Alyssa is poor, like almost the homeless