sunbathe instead,” Lottie insists. “You
look really cute in that red bikini. You’re in great shape
these days.”
“Thanks,
but I’m good. Maybe later,” I add, looking between them
again. There’s definitely something they’re hiding, but
it’s too beautiful a day to waste. I shrug. “You guys
keep your little secrets, me and Kit are going to blow some epic
bubbles, isn’t that right?”
I
scoop him up, ready to grab the supplies I bought, when Lottie sees
something behind me. Her face brightens. “Hey, you made it!”
“Sure,
sorry I’m running late.” That voice comes again. The sexy
drawl that’s been following me all around town, at least,
that’s what it feels like. I turn, bracing myself, but nothing
can prepare me for the sight of Will in a faded T-shirt that brings
out the green in his eyes. He looks puzzled for a moment, almost like
he’s surprised to see me. Then he holds up a grocery bag, and
gives me an irresistible grin. “I brought ice cream.”
With
a cherry on top.
Six.
The
guys head inside to go fetch more beers, but the minute they’re
out of hearing distance, I grab Lottie. “What are you playing
at?” I hiss, keeping my voice down.
“Me? Nothing!” She
beams. “Sawyer ran into him at the bar the other night, and
they hit it off. Something about sports,” she gives an innocent
shrug. “It’s a small town, you know how it goes.”
“Sure,”
I reply, those butterflies in my stomach starting their nervous
dance. So much for a relaxed, easygoing afternoon. Now I’m
going to be on edge all day, hyper-aware of whenever Will speaks, or
smiles, or even looks at me . . .
“What’s
the problem, anyway?” Lottie asks, sounding casual. “You
said it yourself, he’s not chasing after you. So if you don’t
want to date him, we can all just be friends, right?”
“Right,”
I echo quietly as she heads inside, leaving me and Kit to our games.
I find the bubble supplies, and start showing him how to blow through
the loop of soapy liquid, but I keep glancing back towards the house.
What’s he doing here? Did he know I was friends with Sawyer
too? Soon, they all emerge again with plates of food for the grill,
and Will wanders over to say hi to Kit.
He
sits on the lawn beside us, stretching his long legs out in front.
“Those are some pretty epic bubbles,” he says casually.
“Mind if I try?”
“Sure.”
My voice sounds weirdly perky. Get
it together . “Here,
use mine.”
I
pass him the wand, and watch as he blows a stream into the air. Kit
scrambles around trying to catch them, still unsteady on his feet.
Will smiles, watching him. “Just to be clear, I didn’t
know you’d be here,” he says, looking over. “Sawyer
just said it would be a fun group. I don’t want you to feel
like I’m following you around or anything.”
I
let out a slow sigh of relief. It didn’t seem like Will to push
the subject. “Sorry. I didn’t know anything about it
either. I think my friends are trying to play match-maker.”
“They’ve
got good taste,” he quips, and I laugh, relaxing.
“They
mean well, I think. Anyway, sorry you got railroaded.”
He
shrugs. “I don’t mind. It’s good to meet people,
and your friends seem like fun.”
I
look over to where Lottie and Sawyer are stationed by the grill.
They’re watching us closely, but quickly turn away, pretending
to talk about the meat. “Fun, with zero sense of boundaries
sometimes.” I look back at Will. “Don’t you miss
everyone, back in New York?” I ask, curious. “You must
have left friends behind, family . . . ?”
He
picks up his beer and takes a slow sip. “It’s not too
far. I’m actually closer to my folks now, so I’m already
getting the third degree about when I’ll come visit more.”
I
laugh. “Tell me about it. My parents moved only an hour away.
My mom seems to think that means I should be over for dinner three
times a week. I mean, I love them,
look really cute in that red bikini. You’re in great shape
these days.”
“Thanks,
but I’m good. Maybe later,” I add, looking between them
again. There’s definitely something they’re hiding, but
it’s too beautiful a day to waste. I shrug. “You guys
keep your little secrets, me and Kit are going to blow some epic
bubbles, isn’t that right?”
I
scoop him up, ready to grab the supplies I bought, when Lottie sees
something behind me. Her face brightens. “Hey, you made it!”
“Sure,
sorry I’m running late.” That voice comes again. The sexy
drawl that’s been following me all around town, at least,
that’s what it feels like. I turn, bracing myself, but nothing
can prepare me for the sight of Will in a faded T-shirt that brings
out the green in his eyes. He looks puzzled for a moment, almost like
he’s surprised to see me. Then he holds up a grocery bag, and
gives me an irresistible grin. “I brought ice cream.”
With
a cherry on top.
Six.
The
guys head inside to go fetch more beers, but the minute they’re
out of hearing distance, I grab Lottie. “What are you playing
at?” I hiss, keeping my voice down.
“Me? Nothing!” She
beams. “Sawyer ran into him at the bar the other night, and
they hit it off. Something about sports,” she gives an innocent
shrug. “It’s a small town, you know how it goes.”
“Sure,”
I reply, those butterflies in my stomach starting their nervous
dance. So much for a relaxed, easygoing afternoon. Now I’m
going to be on edge all day, hyper-aware of whenever Will speaks, or
smiles, or even looks at me . . .
“What’s
the problem, anyway?” Lottie asks, sounding casual. “You
said it yourself, he’s not chasing after you. So if you don’t
want to date him, we can all just be friends, right?”
“Right,”
I echo quietly as she heads inside, leaving me and Kit to our games.
I find the bubble supplies, and start showing him how to blow through
the loop of soapy liquid, but I keep glancing back towards the house.
What’s he doing here? Did he know I was friends with Sawyer
too? Soon, they all emerge again with plates of food for the grill,
and Will wanders over to say hi to Kit.
He
sits on the lawn beside us, stretching his long legs out in front.
“Those are some pretty epic bubbles,” he says casually.
“Mind if I try?”
“Sure.”
My voice sounds weirdly perky. Get
it together . “Here,
use mine.”
I
pass him the wand, and watch as he blows a stream into the air. Kit
scrambles around trying to catch them, still unsteady on his feet.
Will smiles, watching him. “Just to be clear, I didn’t
know you’d be here,” he says, looking over. “Sawyer
just said it would be a fun group. I don’t want you to feel
like I’m following you around or anything.”
I
let out a slow sigh of relief. It didn’t seem like Will to push
the subject. “Sorry. I didn’t know anything about it
either. I think my friends are trying to play match-maker.”
“They’ve
got good taste,” he quips, and I laugh, relaxing.
“They
mean well, I think. Anyway, sorry you got railroaded.”
He
shrugs. “I don’t mind. It’s good to meet people,
and your friends seem like fun.”
I
look over to where Lottie and Sawyer are stationed by the grill.
They’re watching us closely, but quickly turn away, pretending
to talk about the meat. “Fun, with zero sense of boundaries
sometimes.” I look back at Will. “Don’t you miss
everyone, back in New York?” I ask, curious. “You must
have left friends behind, family . . . ?”
He
picks up his beer and takes a slow sip. “It’s not too
far. I’m actually closer to my folks now, so I’m already
getting the third degree about when I’ll come visit more.”
I
laugh. “Tell me about it. My parents moved only an hour away.
My mom seems to think that means I should be over for dinner three
times a week. I mean, I love them,
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