He sees it. I know he sees it.
And I hate that he sees it.
"Fine," I grumble.
I kick off my shoes and tug my tank top over my head, adjusting the black sports bra underneath.
The moment my shirt is off, Brooks lets out a strangled gasp and collapses backward into the water, arms spread like he’s just died.
I deadpan. "Really?"
It’s ridiculous, and kind of charming. But I’m not giving him that satisfaction.
He resurfaces, wiping his face like I’ve just blinded him. "Sorry, the sheer power of your sports bra just sent me into cardiac arrest."
I roll my eyes. "You’re an idiot."
"And yet, here you are, willingly getting in the water with me." He grins. "Almost like you like having me around."
"Almost like I’m just really hot and need to cool off," I counter. “Speaking of being hot, aren’t you worried about sweat this late in the afternoon?"
“Not when a cold water spring awaits me, Elowen."
I dip a toe in, the cold shocking my system. I glare at him. "If you splash me, I swear—"
He cups his hands like he’s about to do exactly that.
"Brooks—"
He grins, but—shockingly—he doesn’t splash me.
Which is somehow worse.
Because it means he’s letting me get in willingly. No antics. No games.
I step into the spring and wade deeper until the water laps against my stomach. I don’t know how it’s possible that Brooks is simultaneously the most responsible and irresponsible person I know.
He’s the guy who broke up with Mitsy when I called him out.
And also the guy who pretends to splash me in the water.
I stare at him, still baffled by how one person can be so frustrating, so ridiculous, and so… solid.
He catches me looking.
"See something you like?"
Ugh. Big mistake.
I splash him right in the face.
"Are we going to talk about what happened with Mitsy?" I ask, treading water a few feet from him.
Brooks shrugs, completely unfazed. "What's there to talk about?"
I narrow my eyes. "Oh, I don’t know, maybe the fact that you dumped a perfectly nice girl out of nowherein front of me?"
He flicks water in my direction. "Since when do you care about my love life?"
