Ashlyn’s scream made me jump.“Oh my God, are you serious?Yes!You should totally move here.You can live with me.And you can sneak over to sleep with Josh whenever you want.”
I chuckled.“I’m not sure he’d be up for that.”
“What makes you think that?”
“We’re having fun.It’s casual.I told him I’m only here for the summer, because that was the plan.I don’t want to change the game in the middle.”
“Would that change your mind about moving here?If he didn’t want to continue seeing you after the summer?”
“No.I decided I wanted to move here when we were at Pour Standards last week.It has nothing to do with Josh.I miss you, and I miss having friends.But I don’t want to irritate you by moving here.”
She snorted.“I’ve been trying to convince you for years to move here.Why would I be irritated if you do exactly that?”
“I don’t know.I just worry about overstaying my welcome with you.”
She hugged me tightly.“You could never.I want you here.I would love having you in Amethyst Bay, and I would love having you living with me again.”
“Even though we have to share a bathroom?”
She threw her head back and laughed.“Even sharing a bathroom.”
“Thanks.If I find a job, I’ll get my own place.”
“There are small towns not far from here.Make sure you look there, too.And daycares, since you’re qualified for that.Ooh, and?—”
“I promise I will look at all my options.But I don’t want anyone to know I’m thinking of moving here.Especially Josh.Not yet.”
She drew an X on her chest.“Cross my heart.”
I smiled.“It would be pretty great to live in the same town again.”
“Right?I would love it.”
I drew a breath and shook my head.“Okay, first, coffee.Then let’s run to Mouse Trap and get some snacks for lunch.”
“You had me at Mouse Trap,” Ashlyn said.
I laughed.“I figured.”
My purple bikiniwas my favorite.I bought it on a whim last summer since I was going to be in the pool with Finley and Trent MacKellar’s son, George.He took swimming lessons, and they wanted him to have lots of practice.Being there every day, I needed a second bathing suit so I could alternate them.
The top had a wide band beneath my boobs and extra wide triangles that covered each breast.Thin strips of fabric tied the two triangles together and added support and the appearance of coverage.The high-waisted bottom matched with wide stripes of purple and decorative strips of fabric on my lower back.The two inches of skin between the top and bottom made it technically a bikini, but it wasn’t overly revealing.It hinted at being revealing, but I was covered and all my parts were secure.
“Damn, that’s hot,” Ashlyn said from my doorway.“I should get a suit like that.Your boobs look amazing in it.”
I cupped the girls.“Right?I got it last summer, but I love it.”
“Josh might be steering the boat with something other than his hands when he gets a load of you.”
I snorted.“You’re too much.”
She shook her head.“Nope.You’re hot.And I love seeing you happy.I’m sorry I’ve been such a downer that you didn’t think you could tell me about you guys.”
“You weren’t.You’ve been sad over a breakup.I get it.”
“Still.”
“No more apologizing.I should be apologizing for keeping it from you.”
