“I know.” I cover my face with my hands.
She tugs on my wrist and forces me to look at her as she blinks. “You need to tell me everything.”
I choke down a breath, but I can’t find it in myself to tell her that I slept with him. Not because I’m ashamed, but because I can’t wrap my head around the idea myself. It’s unlike me, and as much as she’s my best friend, I don’t have the courage to disclose it to her yet.
“He’s staying at your house?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to tell Finn?” she asks.
“Absolutely not. It’ll make the situation worse. With everything that happened with Ben—” I close my eyes and catch my breath. “I can’t. Finn will freak out, and I want to have a good summer.”
Daisy chews on her lip. “But what if he finds out?”
“He’s not going to find out.” I shake my head with confidence.Because he can’t.
Finn is protective. He always has been. But since my accident, I saw the way he deteriorated. He blames himself, but it’s not his fault.
“What’s he like then?”
“Please, let’s not go there.” I wince.
She groans loudly. “Come on. I need the details. You’ve been away for years, and I want the goss. And quite honestly, Ivy, you going on a date seems pretty serious to me.”
I study my best friend and her curious eyes. “First, I was on a date with someone else, and it was definitely the worst date of my life. Anyway, later on when I was leaving, my heel snapped, and JJ was standing there helping me. He offered to take me out to try and make my night better. At first I was sceptical, because I just wanted to go home. But then we went to a bar and got cocktails and shots. It surprised me how much fun we had.”
“Holy shit.” Daisy claps a hand over her mouth. “I can’t believe this.”
“Trust me. I feel the same.”
“Was he nice at least?”
I nod. “He was charming, funny, and easy to be around. Stupidly good-looking. Like way, way out of my league. I’m still baffled by it, and I’m convinced it was some kind of fever dream.”
“I don’t even know what he looks like, but you are not out of anyone’s league, Ivy. You are beautiful,” she says as her brows press together.
The corners of my lips curve at her words, yet I don’t always believe them. “Thanks, Dais.”
“Did you want to see him again?”
“We had fun, but I left it at that.”
“So, is that a no?”
“I’m not sure if I can be in a relationship right now.”
“What happened when you left?”
“Nothing.” I sigh. “I didn’t give him my number. I knew I was moving home, and he told me he goes to university.” I grip onto the sand to release it moments later.
Daisy frowns but doesn’t say anything.
“Then I got home, and Finn said his friend was coming to stay. And there he was, getting out of his car.”
She stares back at me with shock. “Oh my, this is like an episode ofGeordie Shore.”
I roll my eyes at her dramatics. “Nothing is going to happen. It’s not going to work, so there’s no point going there.”
