Max chuckles, shaking his head. "It’s not white!"
"No, it’s just the same color as my grandfather’s hair. Totally different," Vincent teases, opening the passenger door to help Aurora out.
She’s radiant in a pastel yellow sarong, her light pink swimsuit peeking out beneath it. A canvas bag hangs on her shoulder, and a gift package rests under her arm. I pull away from Max to wrap her in a hug.
"It’s Nova," I whisper, pressing her hand to my cheek so she knows it’s me. I scoop her up and twirl us in a dizzy spin.
She lets out a startled shriek before wrapping herself tighter around me, laughter spilling free. "Happy birthday!"
"Who’s that Ken doll?" Sam calls as he, Maggie, and Will head back toward us to grab the last of the bags.
Maggie sticks out her foot and trips him, sending him sprawling into the sand. He catches her ankle and yanks, making her topple onto him.
"Not so fast, Evangeline," he taunts, sliding his hands to her hips. He whispers something in her ear that makes her blush, and the next moment they’re rolling around in the sand—Maggie pelting him with insults and trying to bury him alive.
Meanwhile, Will has already pulled out his phone, recording the entire scene for his growing compilation of funny clips to post on YouTube.
"Who’s that asshole?" Max asks, jerking his chin toward Sam, and slips an arm around Aurora’s shoulders protectively.
She melts at his touch, instantly leaning into him. I smile without thinking, and when my gaze flicks to Vincent, he’s already looking back. It’s only a matter of time before Aurora and Max find their way back to each other because they’re meant to be together.
Steven’s arm circles my waist, tugging me closer. "Figures—assholes always find each other," he mutters. "You two would be a match made in hell."
His words make Aurora’s face fall, her sigh soft but unmistakable.
I know Max doesn’t care about Steven hating him, but Aurora does.
Steven’s supposed to be her best friend—why can’t he at least try to get along with him? This hostility has been dragging on since high school. Max never even starts the arguments, and though he shrugs it off, I know it stings her.
"Steve..." I whisper, a quiet warning.
He rolls his eyes. "I was just kidding, babe," he lies smoothly, and I just let it go, not wanting to start a fight in front of everyone.
Sam and Maggie rejoin us, both dusted in sand, while Will’s doubled over laughing at something on his phone.
"Is that the video? Can I see?" I ask, hurrying to his side.
He nods, and I drop down beside him. Together we watch the recording under everyone’s curious eyes.
"Don’t you dare post that, Matthews," Maggie threatens, taking the water bottle Vincent hands her—the one with mineral salts I’d prepared for her this morning.
Sam slides a hand onto her hip, earning a sharp slap from her. "I think we came out pretty good. You should send me a copy so I can set it as my lock screen," he smirks, sipping his orange soda.
Aurora leans toward Max and murmurs, a little too loudly, “He really is an asshole.”
We all burst out laughing and Sam fires back with his trademark smirk. “Guess you’re right, lady.”
"See? He admits it himself!" Maggie mutters, gulping from her bottle.
-*?? . ??? ? ?.-*??
The beach is deserted, thanks to the little-known spot Vincent and I used to go with his aunt and parents.
Sam and I are competing to see who can make the biggest splash during our dives, while Maggie and Will swim nearby, playing the role of judges and giving us scores.
Occasionally Maggie’s “hatred” of Sam works to my advantage, because she and Will keep putting me in the lead.
Aurora and Steven sit under the umbrellas, deep in conversation. The sight makes me happy; ever since graduation, Aurora had distanced herself from both of us, and her absence nearly destroyed him.
