Tripp shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Or not. I’m sure Jacob and I can come up with something else to do this week?—”
“Fine,” she muttered, exasperated. “I’ll plan something.”
He grinned. “Great. I’ll make sure we’re all available Friday.”
Tripp knewthe second Wendy arrived. It was like his soul had a connection to hers. He’d never had this with anyone before, which was the reason he knew he couldn’t let her go. For now, she wanted no strings. It gutted him, but he’d be respectful of her wishes.
It didn’t matter that the agreement was one-sided. He had no intention of spending time with any other girl. Wendy was it for him. He’d just keep that truth to himself.
His eyes followed her as she wandered toward the truck that had the coolers full of sodas and water. He was far enough away and hovering in the shadows that the fire couldn’t reach so he could watch her without being caught.
“Stop staring. You’re acting like a creep.”
Okay, he wasn’t going to be caught by Wendy.
Tripp shot his brother a dark look. “How about you go wander off and find someone else to pester. I saw Jacob head over that way.”
Brent snorted. “And get on Hallie’s bad side? I think not.”
“I’m already on her bad side,” Tripp mused.
His brother’s laughter all but confirmed Tripp’s suspicions.
“Will you just… mock me somewhere else?”
This time his brother actually listened. He chuckled, took a long sip of his soda, and wandered off.
Wendy hovered by the truck, her eyes darting around the crowd of people who had arrived. Then her focus locked on him. For a split-second, everything between them sizzled and sparked. Then her lips quirked upward and she held up her bottle of water as if to toast him.
He did the same.
She shook her head and her shoulders shook with a little bit of laughter before she made her way toward him. He met her halfway.
“This seems fun,” Wendy nodded around them. “I haven’t been to one of these in a long time. Hallie insisted I had to come though.” She cut him a glance out of the corner of her eye. “That wouldn’t have anything to do with you, would it?”
Tripp lifted a shoulder. “I may or may not have offered her something she couldn’t refuse.”
Her laughter was a balm to his soul. “And what exactly was that?”
He lifted his bottle and gestured toward the other side of their group. “See for yourself.”
Wendy followed the movement and frowned. “What am I…” Her voice trailed off. She didn’t gasp. In fact, she didn’t seem all that surprised to see that Hallie and Jacob were speaking to each other. Instead, she turned a knowing smirk toward him. “You made sure he’d come.”
“He doesn’t really do these things either, apparently.”
She laughed again, nudging him with her shoulder. “I think you’re right. That would be something she wouldn’t refuse.”
“So you see it, too, huh? That connection they have?”
Her eyes locked on the couple and she rolled her lips between her teeth. “Yeah, she likes him. But a connection? How can a connection be one-sided?”
Tripp frowned and glanced down at her, studying her profile. Is that how she felt about what he sensed was developing between them?
One-sided.
He cringed. Then he sent a little prayer heavenward that was not what went through her head.
Wendy nudged him. “What do you think?”
