“What?”she says with a shrug, slamming another door.“You can’t say it’s not true.That guy is at least six-foot-three.You just know a wide manspread is well-warranted.”Lola wiggles her hips when she finds the bag of chips stuffed behind the sleeve of chocolate chip cookies.
Okay, maybe calling my friends was a mistake.
“And he looks like he knows how to swing a hammer,” Willow adds, sticking her hand into the bag of chips without taking her eyes off Ethan.
“Willow!”I expected more from her.
“What?He’s actually swinging a hammer.”She points across the driveway.
I knock my hip against hers, getting the pair of them to scoot over enough for me to look out my own window.Ethan’s biceps flex and bulge as he slams a hammer down on a piece of wood.
Who would’ve thought hammers could be this sexy?
Lola crunches away at the chips, leaving crumbs all over my counter like the animal she is.“You want a roommate?This is better thanLove Island.”
I grab them both by the arms, drawing them away from the window before Ethan notices the three of us ogling him like a bunch of voyeurs.“Stop drooling and tell me that I should not be into him.”
Lola leans her hip against the counter and gives me a saucy wink.“I’m probably not the best person to give advice.”
Willow grabs another chip.“That is true.”
Lola doesn’t have the greatest track record when it comes to men.Still, she knows me better than almost anyone.“Then just tell me it’s not a good idea,” I say.
“Do youwantit to be a good idea?”Willow asks.
I don’t know.Maybe?Normally, I’m attracted to guys who know what a smile is, but there’s something about Ethan that feels… good.“If you had asked me two days ago, I would’ve said no way.But when we went to dinner last night?—”
Willow’s brows knit.“Hold on.I thought you were going to dinner with Rick.”
“Rick didn’t show.”I wave it off because it shouldn’t matter that he let me down again.That’s what Rick does.Willow and Lola exchange glances, but I’m too preoccupied by the man living next door to get into it.“The point is, Ethan saw me waiting for Rick, felt bad that I got stood up, and invited me to dinner.”
Lola lifts her brows.“Onlydinner?”
“Yes, ‘only dinner.’I obviously would have called you straightaway if anything else had happened.”
I never expected to willingly be in Ethan’s company, and I certainly didn’t expect to enjoy myself as much as I did.
The girls and I have been known to hook up with the occasional tourist.There’s something about knowing a relationship has an expiration date that makes it… I don’t know.Whimsical?
As long as neither of you catch real feelings, that is.
That’s when things get messy.
(I’m looking at you, Scott Johnson circa 2019.)
Someday, the ferry gods will send me what I want: someone I have real feelings for who wants to sink their glorious roots into this sandy soil.
Until then, I’m content with casual flings.Making out under the pier.Holding hands during the Fourth of July fireworks.Dry-humping in a rented jeep while Bon Jovi blares on the radio.
Or all of the above, if I’m lucky.
Willow blows out a breath, fluttering her tousled hair.“Maybe you should spend some more time with him?See if his presence makes you expand or contract.”
That’s Willow-speak for following your intuition.
I steal the rustling bag from Lola and pull out a chip.“I thought maybe I could ask him to go surfing with me.”Give him a taste of that adventure we spoke about last night.
Lola snatches the bag back with a delighted squeal.“Oh, my God.Yes, please, please take that man surfing.For the love of all that is holy, force him to wear a skin-tight wetsuit.And tell me when it’s happening, so I can come and watch.I don’t care if it’s the crack of freaking dawn.”
