Page 48 of Ruthless Court

I grab another beer from the cooler.

Stella doesn’t owe me every detail of her life. We never made anything official. She spent most of last year insisting volleyball came first and labels complicated things.

I gave her space.

Apparently, I gave Vale an opening.

Music pounds across the sand. A group of swimmers races toward the water, throwing shirts behind them. Someone near the fire starts another drinking game.

I twist the cap from my beer.

Eli watches me.

“Want company?”

“No.”

“That sounded healthy.”

“I need air.”

“We’re outside.”

“Air without you in it.”

He lifts his cup. “Love you too, bro.”

I head toward the water before he can follow.

The farther I walk, the quieter the party gets. Bonfire light fades behind me, leaving a thin wash of moonlight over the surf.

I keep looking toward the stretch of beach where Stella disappeared.

That’s why I don’t see the girl until she slams into me.

Beer flies from my bottle, splashing across my hand, my shorts, and the front of her oversized sweater.

“What the hell?”

She stumbles back.

“I’m sorry.”

“Watch where you’re going.”

Her apology vanishes.

“I was standing still.”

“You stepped in front of me.”

“No. You walked directly into me while staring down the beach like you were tracking a fugitive.”

I look at the beer dripping from my fingers.

“Great.”

She glances down at the dark stain spreading across her sweater.