Page 33 of Until You

You’re not supposed to be you with your charm and your devotion to your girls.

You made promises to yourself, Tenny.

Huge promises. Ones you can’t break.

And anything other than a friendship with Crew would do just that.

CHAPTER TEN

Tennyson

It’s only because you want to help make the girls’ birthday special.

It has nothing to do with wanting to see Crew again.

Absolutely nothing.

Then why do I suddenly feel nervous as I walk up the dirt drive toward the Madden house?

And why did I do my hair and makeup if I’m just dropping these gifts off?

My push of the doorbell rings hollow even though Crew’s truck is sitting in the driveway. Déjà vu hits me of the last time I knocked without an answer. A shirtless Crew. Not saying I’d mind that visual again, but at the same time, it’s a bit different if I poke around now versus when I did before.

I ring the bell again, uncertain what to do with two massive balloon bouquets bumping around from the slight but welcome breeze.

“Tenny?” Crew’s voice crackles through the camera I didn’t notice mounted in the top corner of the porch.

Oh shit. Has that always been there?

“Crew?” I ask hesitantly, looking up to the camera.

“We’re in the pool. Come around to the back.”

“No. It’s okay. I don’t want to disturb you. I’ll just—”

“Now it’s me who’s going to get my feelings hurt,” he teases. “Come around.”

The hum of the connection clicks off, leaving me no other choice but to follow my footsteps around to the backside of the house like I did the first time I came up here.

Laughter rings out, followed by the unmistakable sound of splashing. The sounds of summer.

The irony is that when I clear the corner of the house, I’m met with a similar sight as I was that first time. But this time, Crew isn’t only just shirtless, he’s also wearing shorts that cling to every inch of him, and he’s dripping wet as he climbs out of the pool.

The smile he offers me is brighter than the sun as he scrubs a hand through his hair that sends droplets of water spraying every which way.

Hellos come from the girls but are quickly drowned out by the oohs and aahs as they scramble out of the pool when they process the mass of balloons. They fire questions off immediately. I welcome the distraction. The required focus that is needed on them because it prevents me from staring at—correction, ogling—Crew in all his gorgeously sculpted glory.

“What are the balloons for?”

“What did you bring us?”

“Ladies,” Crew warns as he runs a towel over his chest and shoulders. I catch myself staring for a beat, and when I meet his raised eyebrows over his amused eyes, I know I’ve been caught.

Embarrassed, I put all my attention back on the girls while attempting to ignore my body’s immediate reaction to him.

“Well, since there is an ongoing celebration for your birthdays, I figured I’d bring over your gifts now.”

“You brought us gifts?” Addy squeals.