She purses her lips sternly and shakes her head. “You might’ve been doing those things, but I wasn’t. I wanted to hang out at the mall with my friends and get a job.”
“Do you ever regret stopping? You could’ve gone to college on a scholarship.”
“No. I gave it a lot of thought before I decided. There’s no way to rush a decision as the daughter of Mark and Sally Jennings.”
“Are your parents control freaks?” I ask.
“My parents are very successful motivational speakers. They’re both in high demand in the private business sector.”
“How did I not know this?” I’m surprised for real.
“You and I haven’t really hung out and shared secrets.”
“Maybe that should change. I’m great at keeping secrets.”
“Sorry. My friend quota is filled,” she quips.
“Can you really have too many friends?”
“I think you can. I don’t have enough free time to devote to any more people than I currently do.”
“That’s too bad. You don’t know what you’re missing out on. I’m an in-demand guy.”
“Oh, I’m sure you are.”
“I’ll save a friendship slot for you, though.”
She places her hand on her chest. “How lucky for me.”
She may do positivity well, but her sarcasm game is on point too.
“So tell me more about what it was like growing up with your parents.” I love the push and pull she and I share, but I also want to learn as much about her as I can. I may not get another opportunity to spend this much time alone with her. Making the most of each moment is a must.
“Okay, let’s see.” She chews on her bottom lip thoughtfully. “They pretty much spoon fed me positivity three meals a day, and I gobbled it up like it was chocolate.”
“You probably didn’t have much choice,” I offer.
“Obviously, at first I was too young to have an opinion on their methods and whether they were worthwhile or not. But as I matured, I realized my parents were right about a lot of things, especially, the importance of a positive attitude. Your outlook on life can affect so much.”
“I know being positive is a good thing, but does it really matter in the grand scheme?” I’m playing devil’s advocate right now just to get her to talk more. I like listening to her. I like the way her attention is focused on me, like she really wants to share these thoughts with me. Like she needs me to hear them.
“Absolutely. Life gives you what you expect. If I think all guys will treat me like crap, then I’m probably going to attract that exact type of man.”
“Or maybe you’re just attracted to shitty guys,” I reason.
She sighs before tapping her finger on her closed lips. “Maybe I should use you as an example. Do you want a relationship or do you purposely look for the easy sex, no commitment types?” She angles her head, waiting for my reply as if it’s important.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Why do you need to drag my history into this discussion?”
She splashes water my way. “Stop whining and suck it up. And answer the damn question.”
“I’ve never wanted a girlfriend.”
“Never?” she interrupts.
“Never,” I confirm.
“My parents would tell you to never say never. That word can have a negative connotation.”
“I kinda like that word, and in this situation it fits.”
“Why haven’t you wanted a girlfriend?” she asks.
“I don’t have the time or energy to devote to one.”
“Don’t you want to fall in love?”
“No.”
“No?” She raises her brows.
“No. You know, the two letter word, starts with an n and ends with an o.”
“Haha, smart ass. I’m being serious.”
“Why is my lack of a love life so interesting?”
“Maybe I want to take advantage of this opportunity and get all the dirt on you that I can,” she says.
“Okay, I’ll play along. Fire away.” She studies my face in silence for too long. “Are you asking or not?” I get impatient.
“I’m trying to figure you out.”
I laugh. “Good luck with that. I don’t even have myself figured out sometimes.”
“I guess I’m curious why you wouldn’t want to fall in love. Is there something from your past that makes you afraid to let another person in?”
Shit. She’s getting a little too close to the truth for comfort. “How do you feel about going out tonight?” I change the subject.
She shakes her head. “Subtle, Winters. Real subtle.”
“So, what do you say?” I press for an answer.
“I don’t have any clothes with me. You told me to bring my bathing suit. You didn’t say anything about packing an overnight bag.”
“Maddie has a closet full of clothes upstairs. You can borrow whatever you need.”
She licks her lips, drawing my attention to their dark pink shade. “What about you?”
“I have clothes here.”
She nods slowly. “What do you have in mind?”
“There’s a bar not too far from here that has live music. So what do you say?”
“I’m probably going to regret this, but why not?”
* * *
“What can I get for you?” The bartender smiles at Clover before his eyes lower to her tits. There’s only one thing he wants from her, and it has nothing to do with mixing her a drink.
“She’ll have a Moscow Mule and I’ll have a Sam Adams.” I order for both of us. Hey, Clover told me what she wanted, and there’s no way I’m letting this guy flirt with her right in front of me. Not gonna happen. I’m acting territorial, and I’m feeling protective. I’m sure it has to do with what happened on her date.
Since last night, I’ve been struggling to forget the stark fear I saw on her face. Every time it flashes through my mind, I want to beat Kent senseless—I wish I had— but I wanted to get Clover away from him as fast as possible. Maybe that’s further proof how much I care for her. Not that I need any confirmation. I’ve been fighting my attraction for her for too long. I’ve always been about putting myself first—if I don’t, who will? Not my mom, that’s for sure. She taught me that valuable lesson the hard way.
But last night, that wasn’t the case. I did what was best for Clover without hesitating. It felt amazing to be there for her and to take care of her. She’s already making me a better man, and we’re not even together.
Which is why tonight is so important. This is my chance to show her I’m not the reprobate she thinks I am. I need to prove I’m genuinely interested in getting to know her better.
And all I have is now.
“My sister told me you guys are getting an apartment together,” I say, hoping to get some conversation started. She was quiet on the ride here. Maybe a couple of drinks and some good music will help.
“We are, and the place we found is perfect for us. Two bedrooms on opposite sides of the apartment, so I won’t have to hear her and Shaw bumping uglies.” She wrinkles her nose, looking adorable.
“I don’t want to think about that either. And I definitely don’t want to hear it happening. As far as I’m concerned, they’re still in the hand-holding stage.”
She laughs. “How’s that working out for you?”
“For now, it’s better than facing reality.”
The bartender places our drinks in front of us, aiming another smile at Clover. Clenching my teeth together, I force myself to ignore everything but her. I slide her glass closer, and her eyes meet mine, drowning out our surroundings. It’s as if we’re the only two people in here. “Let’s toast to suspending reality.” I pick my beer bottle up and tap the rim to her glass.
“To suspending reality,” she repeats. “Sitting here with you is surreal.”
“Really?” I ask, and she nods. “Why?”
“Because we never spend time together.”
“
Maybe that should change.”
“Why would it, though?”
“Both our best friends are in a relationship together.”
“So?”
“So, they’re going to be too busy to hang with us.”
She raises an eyebrow, conveying skepticism. And I know I’m reaching here, but bullshitting has always been a talent of mine—especially with females. Unfortunately for me, Clover never seems susceptible.
“What?” I question. “Can you tell me that since Shaw and Maddie got together you’ve spent as much time with my sister?”
Her gaze lowers to her glass before sweeping back to mine. “No, she hasn’t been as available. But I don’t expect her to be. She’s in love with Shaw, and their relationship comes first.”
“I’m not disagreeing with anything you're saying.”
“You’re not?” She sounds confused.
“I’m not complaining about him spending time with my sister. I know that’s the natural order of things. We’re adults, and friends are bound to find their significant others. Things are going to change, and this is only the start of that.”
Angling her body toward me, her knees press against the outside of my thigh as she leans an elbow on the bar, resting her cheek in her palm. “I’m still not sure where you’re going with this.”
“I guess that depends on you.”
“How do you figure?”
“We can be each other’s backup plan when Shaw and Maddie can’t hang with us.”
“You want us to hang out?”
“Yeah. If I don’t want to do something alone and Shaw’s busy, you can come with me.”
She tips her head to the side. “Let me get this straight. You want me to be your backup buddy?”
“I wouldn't exactly say it like that.”
“How would you say it then, because it sounds like you want me to be on standby in case you need me.” Her tone sounds a little prickly.
I shake my head. “That’s not the case. If it were, wouldn’t it mean I’d have to be on standby for you too?”
She shrugs. “You tell me. This is your idea.”
“I think it would be nice to know that we both have someone we can count on when we need company. For example, if you need someone to eat dinner with, you call and ask me. If I want someone to go to the movies with, I can reach out to you. If there’s a party you don’t want to go to alone, call me.”
“Oookay. I get the picture.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
Her lips roll inward and then purse outward before twisting to the side, as if they’re attached to her shifting thoughts. I can practically hear the gears in her brain turning as she works through what I said. “You gotta admit this is kind of out of left field. You and I don’t ever spend time together, at least not by choice.”
“We’re together right now. If I remember correctly, I didn’t force you to come.” I smile.
She sighs. “Fine. If you want to be technical, then yes, I am here of my own free will. But that’s because you were the lesser of two evils.”
“Ouch. I don’t like the comparison you’re making. Is it fair to lump me in with a guy who sexually assaulted you?”
Her forehead wrinkles in a severe frown. “I don’t know if I’d call it that.”
“Then you’d be wrong,” I flat out state. She sputters, and I cut her off. “Did you want him to kiss you?”
She scowls. “No. Definitely not.”
Leaning forward, I catch her gaze. “He held you in place and forced his kiss on you. That’s not okay.”
“I know it’s not.”
“But do you really? You didn’t want to get the police involved last night, but you still could. It’s not too late.”
She shakes her head vehemently. “No. I haven’t changed my mind, and I won’t. It was just a kiss.” She tries to downplay the severity of what Kent did. But I’m not on board with that.
“Would he have gone further if I hadn’t stepped in?” I don’t want to upset her, but she needs to think about this stuff.
“Maybe? I can’t say for sure. You did step in, and because of you, I’ll never have to know how far it would’ve escalated.” She places her hand on my upper arm, caressing downward briefly—much too brief for my liking. But I can’t remember a time when she’s ever touched me without a reason. “Thank you, again. I can’t express enough appreciation for what you did.”
“I told you last night you don’t need to thank me. And you and me hanging out together in the future should have nothing to do with the gratitude you feel.”
“Who says we’ll be hanging out?” she challenges, each side of her mouth arcing with humor.
“Who says we won’t?” I smirk.
Chapter Eight
Clover
He’s persistent, I’ll give him that. But I’m also surprised at how much I’ve been enjoying our time together. As recently as yesterday, I would’ve told you there was more chance of having a winter blizzard in the middle of summer than the two of us having fun together. And yet here we are, doing exactly that.
And he hasn’t even been obnoxious about flirting with me. I don’t know if he’s on his best behavior or if he’s matured and I hadn’t noticed.
Marshall orders another round of drinks as I swallow the final sip of mine.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” I ask.
He smiles. “No, should I be? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you inebriated.”
“That’s because I never am.”
“Not even a little?”
“Maybe a slight buzz, but not enough to be out of control.”
“You don’t like giving up control?”
Am I imagining it or does his voice sound huskier than usual? Or is it wishful thinking on my part?
“It’s not that I don’t want to. It has more to do with not being comfortable getting all banged up around acquaintances. How do I know they have my best interests at heart?”
“I see your point. Being a guy, and bigger than average, I don’t really think about that. Plus, the only times I drink excessively are at the frat where I can crawl upstairs to my room if I need to.”
“I usually volunteer to be the driver for the night. It’s easier than listening to everyone else whine that they don’t want to be. It also gives me a great excuse not to drink.”
“Now I feel bad. Am I being a bad influence for getting you to drink with me?”
“Not at all.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
“I’m not.” My mouth suddenly feels dry as sand. I want to confess something, but I’m not sure I should.
Raising the glass to my lips, I draw a large gulp, gaining immediate relief as I swallow it down. Taking one more sip, I hope for a little liquid courage. I set the glass down on the bar before facing Marshall.
“Is something wrong with your drink?” he asks.
“No, it’s delicious. I want to tell you something but…” I trail off.
“But what?” He leans closer, his dark gaze locked on mine.
“I don’t want to make things weird between us.”
“Why would things get weird? How about I promise there will be zero weirdness? Is that satisfactory?” he questions.
My eyes study his face, looking for any sign of insincerity, but all I find is a steady and earnest gaze. “You asked me if you made me uncomfortable by ordering drinks for me.” He nods. “The truth is, you make me feel safe. It’s not just because of last night. No matter how things have always been between us, I know you look out for your sister and me. I’m not sure why I’m included.”
He scratches his chin. “You’re my sister’s friend. She’d kill me if anything bad happened to you.”
Dammit. Why does his answer disappoint me so much? Did I expect him to say he watches out for me because he cares deeply? Ha. That'd never happen.
My phone vibrates, and sliding it from my pocket, I see a text from Maddie.<
br />
“It’s your sister,” I say
Maddie: Where are you?
I texted her when we first left the Cape to let her know I was heading to New Hampshire with Marshall. But I also mentioned we’d be returning, which is clearly not happening.
Me: We’re still in N.H. Didn’t want to spend another four hours in the car.
Maddie: I feel bad for leaving you with my brother. Is he driving you crazy? Or have you already murdered him?
Me: He’s being surprisingly tolerable. We should be back sometime tomorrow.
Maddie: I’ve got bad news. We’re still in Boston and won’t be back to the beach house for at least a couple more days. Shaw’s dad’s appendix had to be removed.
Me: Oh no. I hope he’s feeling better.
Maddie: I’ll try to catch up with you tomorrow or the next day. Call me if you can’t deal with my brother any longer and I’ll find someone to rescue you.
Me: No worries. I’ll be fine. Just focus on doing what you need to. xo.
Maddie: Talk soon. xo.
“What’s going on?” Marshall questions.
“Maddie said they’re staying in Boston for at least a couple more days. Shaw’s dad had his appendix removed.”
“That sucks. Hopefully all goes well with his recovery.”
“Yeah. Maybe I should have you drop me home tomorrow morning so I can be there if they need someone to watch Buddy.”
“There are guys at the frat who can dog sit for them.”
“But they’re not as trustworthy as I am.”
“He’s a dog, not a baby. They don’t need their first aid certification to watch him.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Since Maddie and Shaw aren’t heading back to the beach house, what do you think about staying here for a couple more days?” Marshall asks, surprising me.
“Oh.” I’m not sure what to say. Do I want to be back at the Cape house and worry about bumping into Kent?
I could head home, but then I’d be wasting this opportunity to have some fun before I start my junior year. As unexpected as being with Marshall is, it’s better than an average day at home. My parents are starting to get on my nerves after all the weeks I’ve been in the same house as them. It’s not easy to go from being at school for nine months doing my own thing, to having my parents offering their opinions on anything and everything. And the positive spin they put on everything can be a lot to tolerate. Sometimes, I just want to rant for the sake of ranting, but that can’t happen with them. They’ll be sure to remind me not to be negative and what a waste of energy it is—but I’m only twenty-one. I have plenty of years left to be positive.
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