He falters for a moment. “As long as we keep it casual, I guess I’m cool with it.”
Something about his smooth, careless response has me hiding a smile. He’s cool with it, huh? I should be bristling about the way he phrased it like he’s doing me a favor, but I’m not. If he needs to tell himself that “casual” is the only way we can move forward, then I won’t get in his way.
Besides, thishasto end when summer’s over. How can it last beyond that? I’m going back to college at the end of August. He’s going…wherever he’s going. Wyatt can barely handle an actual relationship, let alone a long-distance one.
“But we don’t drag it out,” he says. “Summer’s over, and we walk away.”
“Okay,” I agree.
“And the friendship comes first.” He speaks without hesitation now. Brisk and self-assured. A line drawn in the sand. “It comes before everything. If hooking up gets in the way of it, we stop the hookups. Not the friendship.”
“Friendship first. Always.” I snag my lip between my teeth, a thought occurring to me. “What if one of us wants to stop before the summer ends?”
“Then we stop.” He shifts onto his side, meeting my eyes. “No questions asked. No explanations required. You say the word, it’s done.”
I search his face for a beat, then nod. “Okay. So those are the rules.”
Wyatt nods back. “Those are the rules.”
1 NEW EMAIL
From:County Records Department
Subject:Re: Records Request
Dear Ms. Logan,
The County Records Department has completed processing your recent request. Please find attached the certified copy of the death certificate for Darlene Beth Gallagher.
As for your request of medical examiner records, please note that no such report exists under this name.
We also conducted a search for death certificates for the additional two individuals you listed; however, no records were located for them in our files. Regarding your inquiry into property records to determine house purchases in Nevada under those names, please note that such records are maintained by a different office.
This linkcan provide further assistance with regard to property ownership and transfer documentation.
If you have any further questions regarding death records, please feel free to contact our office.
Sincerely,
Fiona Baker
County Records Department
Chapter 25
BLAKE
“YOU STILL HAVEN’T HAD SEX.” Annaliese sounds dubious.
“Nope,” I confirm.
“Why are you stalling?”
“Oh, you sweet, naive girl. I’m not the one who’s stalling.”
Laughing, I reach for my Diet Coke and bat away the persistent wasp that’s been buzzing around, determined to land on my straw. We’re having lunch at an outdoor patio in town today.
Her jaw drops. “Bullshit. Wyatt Graham, the guy who’s fucked half the lake, refuses to have sex with you?”
