Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 104501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
“I’ve missed you too.” I did, but my happiness was warring with worry about Caden at the moment. I glanced around the table again. Avery sat with her friends at one end. Paige stood at the other, a guy next to her.
She waved. “We were looking for you.”
“Yes!” Clarissa grasped the tops of my arms, surging onto her tiptoes. “We saw Caden. Is it Caden? Is he the guy?” She leaned close, giving me a good whiff of beer breath. “Please tell me he’s the guy, because holy moly, he’s gorgeous. And he is one unhappy camper with your friend’s boyfriend right now.”
“Who?”
“Your friend.” She pointed at Avery.
“Her boyfriend?” My mind was moving slowly, but caught up. Caden was mad at Marcus, but… “Are they drinking somewhere together?”
“They didn’t look like they were going to drink together.” Clarissa giggled again, sticking her hands up, balled in fists. “They more looked like they were going to throw a couple of these.” She jabbed at the air with one hand, tucked it against her chest, and jabbed with the other. “If you know what I mean.”
“Okay.” I pushed her arms down. “Never do that again, but yes, I know what you mean.”
He told me he wanted to drink.
He lied to me.
I needed to find them. No matter how angry Caden was, I knew he didn’t want to hurt his brother.
“Where’d they go?”
The girls all shook their heads, shrugging.
I zeroed in on a few of the guys. “Where?”
“It’s a guy thing.”
I stomped my foot and instantly regretted it. That hurt, but I did it again. “Where?!”
“Just tell her. She’s Caden’s girl.”
I wasn’t sure who said that, but I scanned the table again. “Thank you.” And he was right. I was Caden’s girl.
Right? It had to be true now, after two times together. Shut up, Summer. I lectured myself. Now’s not the time to start obsessing and worrying about it.
The guy on the end pointed behind a second house. “They headed over there. They haven’t come back yet.”
I was off.
“You wad us to come wid oou?” Clarissa yelled, slurring her words.
“No!” I waved her away, but then Avery got up and hurried after me. “Ave—”
“I’m coming. It’s my boyfriend too.”
I stopped and shot her a grin. “Boyfriend, huh?”
She grinned back, elbowing me. “Caden’s girl, huh?”
“I would laugh and say something ridiculous at this moment if I wasn’t worried about them.”
She sighed. “Me too. Let’s go.”
I was ready for anything. Blood. Shouting. Punches. I was even prepared to find Marcus unconscious on the ground, but I hadn’t planned for what they were doing when we found them.
They were laughing.
I shook my head. “I have no words.”
“Me neither.”
Marcus looked over first, and his face warmed. “You guys finally thought about checking on us, huh?” He walked over, opening his arms, and hugged Avery to his chest. “My girl. Being all concerned.” He looked down, flicking her ear. He wasn’t smiling, but it was obvious how much he adored her.
“You told me to stay. What was I supposed to do?”
“Nothing.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You did exactly what you were supposed to do.”
“Ignore you?”
“Get backup.” He turned to me. “I thought you narced on me. You didn’t. Thank you.”
I kinda had, but I looked at Caden. He gave me a tight smile back. His eyes weren’t smiling, not like his brother’s. “Who do you think I am? Some kind of crappy promise-keeper.”
Caden’s smile eased, but just a bit.
Marcus snorted. “Never that. Ever.” He winked at me, rocking Avery back and forth. “Right?”
I stepped closer to Caden, but he didn’t touch me, and I didn’t touch him. I leaned toward him, though. I couldn’t help myself.
Avery noticed and clapped Marcus on the chest with both hands. “You and me, let’s go back to the party.”
“Why? I’m liking it here.”
“Because…” She couldn’t think of anything. “Just because. Come on.” She tugged him with her, raising her eyebrows at me. “I’ll keep an eye out for your friend.”
“Thank you.”
Caden watched them go, then looked down to me. “Why do I feel like I’m the one in trouble now?”
“Because you kind of are.” I touched his chest. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m good. Marcus and I were just catching up.”
I dug a finger into his chest. “You said no lies. You lied to me.”
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“Fuck,” he finally managed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“So make it up to me by telling me what’s wrong.”
That was when the tension left him. The lines around his eyes eased, the rigid corners of his mouth softened. He reached for me, and his hands fell to my hips, pulling me to him. He anchored me there, right where it felt perfect.
He sighed and lowered his forehead to rest on mine. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For making me let it go.”
I didn’t know how I’d done that, but okay. I’d take it. I pressed both my hands against his chest, and I could feel his heart there. I knew I was part of the reason it sped up a little bit.