Sawyer shakes his head, pulling onto the grassy side of the road and parking. “Hurry up, or we’ll be late.”
“First, you didn’t want to do this, and nowI’mthe one holding things up? Pick a position.” I roll my eyes, opening the door and jumpingout of the cab.
I abandon my phone on the seat and toss my sandals in the footwell before slamming the truck door shut. Jog across the asphalt to the start of the trail, smiling when I hear his footsteps right behind me.
“Race you!” I shout, then take off.
Sawyer flashes me a cocky smirk as he passes by, reaching the clearing ahead about five seconds before I do.
I have to stop once I do because most of my hair has fallen out of the hasty ponytail I pulled it into on the drive here. I give up on fixing it, snapping the elastic on my wrist and then pulling off my shirt and stepping out of my shorts.
“Got anything to say?” he teases, watching me pile my clothes. His eyes are focused lower than my face, I notice.
“That you’re the one slowing us down now. Unless you’re planning to jump with your shirt on.”
Sawyer scoffs, mumbling something under his breath as he tugs his T-shirt off. My brain immediately short-circuits. This happens occasionally. I’ll spot him doing something ordinary, like driving or texting or brushing his teeth, and be seized by the surreal certainty that he’s mine. That I never have to wonder where he is or who he’s with, that he isn’t a what-if who haunts my dreams and nightmares and fantasies.
“C’mon.” He takes my hand, the warmth of his palm countering some of the chill in the air.
It’s early, and we’re not that far into June. The air temperature is probably hovering in the mid-sixties, and I’d guess the water is about the same.
We reach the edge of the rock face. I peer over the edge of the cliff, down at the churning blue water below. It looks cold.
“Ready?”
“Yeah,” I say reluctantly.
He laughs. “This was your idea!”
I glance at him. “This is where we met.”
“I’m aware,” he drawls.
“It’s a good memory.”
“Agreed.”
“Last time we were here … not so great.”
Sawyer sobers, glancing down at the ocean once before meeting my gaze again. He swallows once, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion. “I remember.”
“Before we get banished from this ‘teenager spot,’ I thought we should come here a third time. So, it’s two to one. Good outweighs the bad, you know?”
The left corner of his mouth curves up. “I’ve been here about a hundred times without you, you know.”
“Those don’t count,” I reply airily.
He chuckles, glancing at the water again. “They were a lot less memorable—that’s for sure.”
“So?”
“Yeah, let’s do it. If I beat you back to the shore a third time, is there a prize?”
I sniff. If we weren’t literally standing at the edge of a cliff, I’d shove him. “We tied the first time. And you had a head start both times since you took off without waiting for me. But, sure, I will buy you a drink at Lucky’s tonight if you beat me back to the shore without cheating.”
“You’re so generous for a billionaire.”
“Wearegoing to be late if you keep begging for rewards. And you’re not the one who has to do her hair and makeup.”
