“Hey, guys.” Indie gives a little wave.
“You’re all so much taller than you look on TV,” Lola adds.
“Are you a fan, half-pint?” Griffin asks, grinning.
“Hey! I’m not that short,” Lola objects.
She kind of is, though. The woman is shorter than Indie, and Indie’s only five foot five. Lola can’t be taller than five two.
“You totally are. But it’s cool. Not everyone can be tall and gorgeous like me.” He wraps an arm around Mira’s shoulders. “Isn’t that right, sunshine?”
I never should have told him Lola has a thing for Mira. He’s going to be pissing all over her leg for the rest of the night.
“Yes, husband. You are so tall and good-looking.” Mira pats Griffin’s cheek like she’s placating a toddler. “Which is good, because you can be kind of annoying.”
“Babe!” Griffin grabs his chest dramatically. “That’s cold.”
Lola laughs and leans over the table so she can look around Mira and meet Griffin’s eye. “Don’t worry, big guy. Your wife is pretty, but I’m no home-wrecker.”
Everyone falls silent for a beat at that proclamation, then everyone is cracking up. Indie covers her eyes and shakes her head at her best friend’s antics, and Griffin holds out a fist for Lola to bump again.
“Respect. Happy to be your wingman whenever you need one, half-pint.”
“I may take you up on that.” Lola flashes him a big, bright smile, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief.
“She’s like a female Griffin,” Isla says through her laughter. “I’m both scared and thrilled.”
“You know you’re more thrilled, teach. You love me.” Griffin puffs out his chest and gives Isla a wink.
“I do. God help me, I do.”
Blair leans toward Indie, and I split my attention between them and Griffin. “So, Logan said you’ve known Bash since you were kids?”
Indie tucks a strand of pink hair behind her ear. “Yeah. Well, teenagers. We were fourteen when we met.”
“Wow. That’s crazy. What was he like as a teenager? I can’t decide if I hope he was as responsible and wise as he is now, or if I want you to tell me he was an impulsive ball of chaos.” Blair grins at me before refocusing on Indie.
“He was pretty responsible. I mean, he was fourteen and had a job. But he was also always up for an adventure.” Indie glances briefly at me. “We had a lot of fun. He was the best part of summer.”
She clamps her lips shut like she didn’t mean to say that last part out loud, but thankfully, no one at the table draws attention to it.
Blair simply smiles and nods. “That makes sense. We love Bash. I don’t know what any of us would do without him.”
Indie swallows hard and shifts in her seat. “So, how long have you and Logan been dating?”
The next two hours fly by, but if someone asked me to recap what was said around the table, I wouldn’t be able to. I only half followed the conversations because I was so focused on Indie. The heat of her body beside me. The goose bumps that eruptedacross my skin any time her knee brushed mine. How I could still pick out her citrusy scent over the smell of beer and onion rings.
So, of course, I noticed the first time she yawned. And the second and third.
“Why don’t I get you and Lola home?” I nudge Indie to get her attention. “You took a rideshare to the arena, right?”
She blinks up at me and nods. “Yeah.”
I’m hit with a flashback of a younger Indie as she fought to stay awake on the beach where we were stargazing. We swore we’d stay awake for a meteor shower that was supposed to be visible starting at two a.m., but it was just after midnight, and she was already flagging. We were sixteen, and I was so gone for her.
It’sa good thing I brought the thick blanket. The sand is cool beneath us, the sun long gone, dropping the temperature with its departure. But Indie is warm beside me, her head on my shoulder.
I sneak glances at her whenever I can. She’s been my best friend for the last two years, but this summer, my feelings for her have changed. My heart skips beats when she smiles at me, and I feel like a million bucks when I make her laugh.
