I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.
“I don’t know if I can play it cool,” I continue, running my fingers along the leather steering wheel. “But I don’t want her to think that I can’t just be friends with her either, no matter how much I wish we could redo that kiss from my birthday.”
Buddy lets out a low-pitched whine, his big body shaking the car.
“Yeah, I know, you want to get out.” I let out a sigh, shaking my head. “I think I’m just trying to kill time. What if she brought someone?”
Buddy’s whine intensifies.
“Okay, okay.” I hold my hand up in a light surrender. “Let’s go in.” I grab the leash and clip it to his collar before I open my door. As I slide out, Buddy barrels over the console and out the car. I chuckle at his excitement, and then guide him around to the back, opening up the hatch.
I sling my overnight bag onto my shoulder and grab the cooler with my other hand, Brittany’s letter still clutched between my fingers. I use the tip of my nose to hit the close button.
“That’s some real skill.” Parker’s voice catches me off guard as he appears from just about nowhere. “Did you have to psych yourself up for that? Because I noticed you spent a long time in the car.”
“Ha ha.” I snort, shaking my head and following him into the house. “I was just trying to get myself ready for this crazy Fourth we’re about to have.”
“Yes.” Parker hums. “Because me, you, Amy, Brittany, and three of her friends are going to equal a crazy weekend.”
“You really never know with Amy,” I point out, laughing. “She’s a ball of fun.”
“She’s all the fun I never was.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“Yeah, cool.”
Buddy jerks on the leash, his tail wagging like crazy as Amy steps out of the towering white beach house.
“Aw! You brought Buddy!” Amy squeals, and three other women step out of the house behind her. I recognize them, but not enough to actually remember their names. It doesn’t matter though—they head straight for Buddy.
He’s a ladies’ man, obviously.
“You are the sweetest!” one of them coos, scratching behind his ears.
Everyone is all decked out in their beach dresses and floppy sunhats. Meanwhile, I’m in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I might be from the Golden State, but clearly, I’m not beachy enough for the Hampton’s vibes. But as the women dote on the dog, I notice thatonein particular is missing.
I turn to Parker. “Where’s your sister?”
He gives me a weird look—like he didn’t even realize that she wasn’t there. “Oh … I don’t know.” His eyes drop to his watch. “I think she said she was running late. She wanted to bring some friend of hers, but there wasn’t enough room.”
“Oh yeah? A boyfriend or something?”
He shakes his head. “No, it was the girl that took her to Florida.”
“Oh, cool.” I don’t bother mentioning that Iknowwhat friend he’s talking about—it’s Harlee. Instead, I just slip through the mess, handing the leash to Amy when she offers to take it.
I follow Parker inside the beach house, letting him lead the way to the room I’ll be staying in for the weekend. I follow him up the grand staircase and down the hallway, stopping at one of the back bedrooms. Swinging the door open, he nods to thequeen-sized bed in the middle of the room, all decked out in sea-breeze blue and white.
“Will this work for you?”
“Sure.” I chuckle, stepping inside and tossing my bag onto the bed, setting the letter beside it without thinking. Then I head for the surprising set of French doors. “I guess I have a balcony?”
“Yeah,” Parker says as I toy with the door handles, pulling them inward. “Two of the rooms have access to the balcony. Yours and mine.”
“Sweet.” I turn to him, wiggling my brows. “You wanna have a late-night rendezvous out here? I’ll meet you at midnight. It’ll be a grand time.”
“Yeah…” His voice trails off as I step out onto the balcony overlooking the water, and I take in the placid ocean waves and bright sunny morning skies. The rays glimmer against the blue waters, and I take in a deep breath of salty air.
Man, I missed the ocean.
