Page 165 of Summer Love

“No. He’s cute, he’s sweet, but that’s it. Two consenting adults, no drama. It was fun. It won’t happen again.”

“Good,” Sierra lets slip.

Her cheeks go red. She drops her eyes to her mug.

Harper watches her, a smile on her lips.

“Oh, really?”

“No, no, that’s not what... I mean, it’s good that it’s... clear. Between you two. It’s... healthy.”

She sinks into her cushion. Miles laughs behind his glass. Maya bites her lip.

Too bad I’m the only one here who doesn’t feel like laughing.

I don’t know when the conversation drifts, but at some point, Chiara isn’t talking about the novel anymore.

“My boyfriend told his buddies, ‘A month, tops, and she’ll cave.’”

Her voice is calm, almost detached, but she’s toying with one of her gold hoops.

“He bet he’d sleep with me before the end of summer. I found out later, from a friend who hangs out with his crew.”

“Who’s the guy?” Sierra asks.

“A guy from high school. Everyone around here knows him. I’m not going to say who.”

Nobody pushes.

“I don’t know if it was just a joke or if he was serious,” Chiara goes on. “Am I overreacting? Because sometimes I tell myself it’s nothing. And sometimes I tell myself it’s a big deal.”

Harper straightens up.

“You’re kidding? That’s a bloody massive red flag!”

“Someone who respects you doesn’t bet on you,” Sierra says firmly. “Not even as a joke.”

Maya shakes her head.

“Maybe it was a joke, but it shows how he sees you. As a challenge, not a person.”

Ruby takes her Doc Martens off the armrest and leans forward.

“A woman isn’t a trophy, honey.”

“If you tell Luke about this,” Miles says, mouth full, “he’ll beat the crap out of your guy. That’s what I’d do, anyway.”

“You should dump him,” Maya adds.

Chiara doesn’t answer. Eyes down, she turns her cup between her fingers.

“Maybe... he’s just young and dumb,” I say.

The words come out on their own, an echo of Jace’s: We were young, we were stupid.

Harper clicks her tongue in disapproval.

“Being young is no excuse for acting like that.”