“It’s not beenbad.” He shrugs. “Summer is coming, so surf lessons are about to go crazy.”
“And they’re learning from the best.” The corner of my lip tugs up. I drop my bag on the couch, but a click of Everett’s tongue stops me before I can settle in.
“Oh, no. You’re not sleeping there.”
I lift a brow. “I’m not?”
“Hell no. You think I want you crashing on my couch for an undetermined length of time? Come on.”
He leads. I follow. That’s another thing that hasn’t changed, I guess. It feels like I’m young again, with my teenage brother leading me through the convenience store, a theme park, or a crowded family party.
But it’s not like that at all. We aren’t saving quarters to buy slushies anymore.
Hereallystepped it up with this home. Everett has always been a one-bedroom kind of guy—a testament to his bachelor lifestyle—but things change. Everyone is changing, and I’m the same.
He has a guest room now. I wouldn’t believe it if I weren’t witnessing it. Even the hallways speak of his success, with medals and trophies hung for all to see.
I step into the little bedroom, which is more sparsely decorated than the rest of the house. It smells like fresh laundry, and the queen-sized bed is perfectly made up with pristine, white bed sheets. I dig my toes into the salmon-pink carpet. Even with the window closed, I can hear the ocean crashing against the sand.
It’s better than my little apartment, but I’m giving up my hopes and dreams to be here.
“Do you have a secret girlfriend?” I ask bluntly, narrowing my eyes.
“What?” He laughs aloud. “No! Jesus.”
I poke him in the side. “Liar! Why are you lying to me?”
“Why areyougrilling me? You just got here. Shouldn’t we pretend to like each other before we start fighting?”
“I don’t understand how this place is so clean. Where are they?”
His secret partnermustbe around here somewhere.
“I know how to clean,” he mutters under his breath.
I place my hands on my hips and stare him down. “No. You don’t.”
“Fine!” He throws his hands in the air, giving in. “I pay a housekeeper—and I pay her well, thank you very much. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
This news is as strange as hearing that he has a secret girlfriend. It’s not that he didn’t have the means for a housekeeper before, but he never cared enough.
I sit on the edge of the bed and bounce, testing the mattress. “I didn’t know you were living so large.”
“I’m not living large—living medium, maybe. You haven’t seen the houses down the street.”
“Don’t undermine yourself. It’s ten times better than where I was living before.”
He leans in the doorway, crossing his arms. “What happened with that place, anyway? Black mold?”
So much for running away from my problems. My smile drops. “Close. Eviction.”
His mouth falls open. “What? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I would have helped.”
Of course, Everett doesn’t understand. I shake my head. “How was I supposed to tell you over the phone?”
“The same way you said it right now.”
“It’s not a big deal. Like, I had to make it through the semester. Now, I have all summer to decide what comes next.” I shrug, playing off the stress that’s been following me around like a dreaded raincloud.
