“I just had a genius idea.”
Riley perks up, the comment pulling her attention. “Do share with the class.”
Addie looks at me. “Ellie, I know you’re only here for the summer, but...”
twenty-one
ROWAN
“I wonderwhat the girls are talking about,” August says curiously.
“I don’t know, probably girl stuff.” Beau shrugs.
“And what would that be?” I turn toward Beau, who sits across from me in the boat's seating area up front.
He looks around at the group while we drink and eat the food that the crew provided. He pinches his brows together, thinking, like he’s making sure not to sound stupid with whatever it is he’s about to say.
“I don’t know. Leonardo DiCaprio?” he suggests.
James quirks a brow. “You think the girls are talking about him? Why him?”
Beau shrugs again. “I don’t know. Women seem to be obsessed with the dude.”
“I’m pretty sure they can have more intellectual conversations than that,” I add.
Beau raises his palms upward. “You guys asked.”
“Yeah, should’ve known better,” James says before taking a drink from the liquid amber in his glass.
We hear someone come down from upstairs and see Riley beaming with excitement as she walks to the bar to get a drink.
Beau raises his brows. “See? Theyaretalking about him.”
Riley comes out from the bar, and before she heads upstairs, James calls her over.
“What’s up?” she asks.
“What were you guys just talking about up there?” James tilts his chin toward the upper deck.
Riley arches a brow. “Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Just humor me,” James asks smoothly.
“Well, if you must know.” Riley’s smile is back on her face. “Addie has this crazy idea about what Ellie should do.”
I lean in, barely noticeable, just to make sure I hear whatever it is that’s going to come out of Riley’s mouth.
“And what would that be?” August cocks his head with a smile.
Riley’s smile drops when she looks at August and then turns back to look at us, her smile back on display.
“Addie thinks that Ellie should take part in The Taste of Dove Point. You know, baking is what used to make her happy, and none of that fancy shit she does. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes. The other night, when we were all talking about how she hasn’t been happy at her job, she had full-on waterworks. I swear, she almost mademecry, and you know I don’t cry. But seeing her heartbroken like that, I couldn’t handle it. Did you know that she blames herself for what Charlie did? She says she was so focused on this big event, and Charlie tried talking to her while that was going on, and she was too mentally exhausted to keep up with everything.”
I look at August, who looks just as confused as I feel. Clearly, she didn’t tell him or her parents that part. What else could she be hiding? Why wouldn’t she tell me? I press my lips together, and my brows furrow while I wrap my head around all this.
“Is she okay?” I ask.
“She says she’s fine now, feeling better after taking some days to herself.”
