“We finally get to meet the legendary Lilly. Are her hot boy toys coming with her?”
“I promised them surfing, so yeah, I think they all are. They tend to run as a unit anyway.”
Lennon rubs her hands together and arches her brows at her sister.
I deadpan, “You know you can’t hit on them, right?”
They hold their right hands up in a mock scout salute at the exact same time.
“Creepy.” My comment sends them into a fit of giggles. “You guys really get off on this twin telepathy thing, don’t you?”
“It takes more than that to get me off, but maybe Tatum.” Lennon sidesteps her sister’s shove. Tatum’s face turns crimson, the shier of the two and younger by six minutes.
“Lennon, not all of us are ferally thirsty.” Tatum rallies from her embarrassment quickly.
Lennon shrugs shamelessly.
I raise my hand. “Can I leave the sister slug match? Thank God Via lives five hours away. Still, we were never as bad as you two.
“Twin thing,” they say in unison.
I roll my eyes. “I’m out. Gotta see what last-minute help they still need anyway.”
“Wait,” Lennon calls as I reach for the door. “We didn’t finish the Julian discussion.”
Hearing his name doesn’t pierce like it used to. Still, I avoid it as much as possible. “Nothing to discuss. It’s in the past. We’ve moved on.”
“Uh-huh. Totally. That why you blew off Bronson when he asked you out? Because it’ssoin the past?”
“Fuck, Lennon, is this a roast? I blew off Bronson because he’s a fuck boy and I don’t want to be his next conquest.”
“I think he’s a recovering fuck boy,” Tatum chimes in but doesn’t look up from her fidgeting fingernails.
“Sounds like Tatum wants to be his next conquest,” Lennon quips.
“Nah, she wants to shrink him. It’s a psych major thing. I get it. And he’s a perfect specimen.” I toss her a lifeline because I see the way she looks at Bronson. That’s another reason I ignore his attention. Girl code. “Girls, I’m out. Gonna have to save the Ever saga for another time. Come early and have a drink with me.”
“You mean be your airbags?” Lennon’s voice follows me out the door.
I ignore the question—it was rhetorical anyway—and their tinkling laughter that trails me out the door. I stayed over at their house last night because their kickback went late. Now I’ve gotta book it back to Ashley’s to help set up for the ASH anniversary party tomorrow.
With all the windows down and my hair twisted into a messy knot on top of my head, I cruise down PCH to Ashley’s as the rising sun glimmers on the ocean. The salty air and the volume of GNR drown out the thoughts, if not the images, in my head. Still, my heart pounds in my chest and my pulse jumps in my wrists. I ignore the white knuckles gripping the steering wheel.I can do this. God, I miss his face.
The urge to pull into the beach parking lot and catch a wave is strong. My dad’s old-school playlist used to be my foolproof distraction. Now it’s surfing. It still requires too much of my concentration to allow for anything else, like worry and stress or blue-eyed boys that shatter your heart.
As I pull through the gates of Ashley’s property, I continue around the back of the main house to my private drive that leads to the remodeled cottage I now rent. I insist on paying rent, though it’s the same conversation every month.Just keep it in case you need it for books or something.I’ve resorted to dropping it to his Venmo so I don’t have to hear about it. He really gives the cutestdadvibes though, and I love him for it.
Slamming my foot on the brake, I gasp at the sight of the white Jeep in my spot.Nooo. Fuck.I crank the wheel and squeeze my 4Runner in beside the Jeep and the hedge that separates my little driveway from the backyard. Pressing the button to cut my engine floods my worldinto deafening silence. Slowly the sounds of the property trickle in: birds, the pool sweep, the buzz of a distant hedge trimmer. I want to tiptoe out of my car and into the cottage to hide. Why do I feel like a little kid caught doing something wrong? The adrenaline rush lands like too many espressos. My fingers flounder on the door handle.Pull it together, Ever.
Ducking into the cottage, I lean back on the door gulping for air. My phone buzzes in my pocket, startling me.
Allie:Julian’s not here. He drove up last night. Luke took him to tour the new gyms. They’ll be gone all day.
Me:No worries. Grabbing a quick shower then I’m all yours.
My heart rate slows with the information—a reprieve, for now at least. Before I drop my phone on the entryway table, I text Lilly.
Me:What’s your ETA tomorrow?
