“Uh … What’s this?” Parker’s voice calls me back to reality, and I tear away from the ocean to face my friend.
And my heartdrops.
“This is frommy sister?” Parker holds up her most recent letter—the call for a truce. “And it soundsverycomplicated.”
“Uh yeah…” My brain immediately starts slipping, and I struggle to get it into gear. “We were just … We, uh … It’s a…”
His brows are lost in his hairline now. “You’re not helping your case right now, because your face is the color of a lobster, and Iknowhow you are. Iknowit. You have the hots for my sister, andclearlysomething happened.”
“It’s not what it looks like,” I say, sounding just as stupid as I feel. I can’t come up with the right thing to say. “I don’t really know what we were doing…”
“Well, I don’t like the sound of that.”
“We’re just friends,” I finally breathe out. “It was a truce because I kissed her at my birthday party, because I’m falling for her.”
Wait, did I just say that out loud?
Parker blinks three times, slowly, and with a completely blank expression.
“I mean, we were just pen pals…” My voice trails off, because I’m utterly confused and lost, trying to decide if Parker is about to lose his mind. Or if I’ve already lost mine.
“You werepen pals?What the heck does that even mean?” Parker suddenly erupts, his hands finding his blonde hair. “I told you to stay away from her! And now all of a sudden you’refallingfor her? That doesn’t happen over…” His eyes drop to the letter in his hand. “Whateverthisis? This is just weird. Who even writes letters anymore?”
“I mean, it’s kind of a lost art, and actually … Yeah…” My tone is weak and my words come out stilted as Parker shakes his head at me.
“I just don’t get it.You’remy best friend. I asked you to stay away from my sister, because she’s going through heartbreak, and you do the opposite—behind my back.” His eyes meet mine, and guilt furls in my gut. “What were you thinking? What wasshethinking?”
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “It was just a friendly letter thing at first, I promise. I wasn’t trying to get her to fall for me. I just liked who I was when I was talking to her, so I let it become more. Brittany didn’t do anything. I’ve always had such a crush on her. The party—the kiss—that’s on me.”
He falls silent, and the mixture of emotions flooding his face is difficult to read. Parker runs his fingers down his face, and I brace for whatever is to come from it all.
But he doesn’t get a chance.
There’s a knock on the door, and my heart skips a beat, imagining Brittany walking right into the middle of the mess. I hold my breath as the cracked door swings open, but only Amy walks in, her brows furrowed.
“What’s going on?” Her eyes bounce between the two of us. “I could hear Parker all the way down the hall. The only time he talks loudly is if he’s….” She narrows her eyes at him. “Mad.”
“Iammad,” he grits out, then holds out the Shakespeare letter to her. “I’m going to get some air.” He gives me one last glare and then slips from the room, his footsteps heavier than before. I wince at every single one.
Amy’s eyes are focused on the letter as she lets out a sigh. There’s not much relief that comes from her taking Parker’s place, but at least I don’t have to worry about her pushing me off the balcony or something.
“I know I shouldn’t have—”
“This is the sweetest thing ever,” Amy cuts me off, looking up. “I had no idea you and Brittany were close.”
I sigh, rubbing my jaw. “Parker’s pissed, and he has every right to be, but we’re just … I guess we’re just friends. Even though I’m totally falling for her.”
Amy is quiet for a few beats, her eyes settling on my face as her body remains still. “That’s literally so cute.”
Of course she’d think that.
“How does Brittany feel?” she asks when I don’t immediately open my mouth and reply. “She seems pretty smitten based on this … whatever it is.” She laughs lightly.
“It was a truce.” My jaw tightens. I never meant to have anyone else read what she wrote me. “I don’t think she feels as strongly about me as I do about her. She just went through a breakup—”
“That was months ago.” Amy stops me, holding up the letter. “Cal broke it off with her over six months ago. That’s plenty of time to fall in love again.”
“Yeah, well, I just don’t want to rush anything with her.” I shrug. “And I think she just wants to be friends. I have a reputation for chasing love.”
