Page 92 of Summer Love

I didn’t say goodbye to him. I didn’t say anything to him.

“Dad, I have to tell Jace first! I need to⁠—”

Dad studies me, raises an eyebrow.

“Go ahead,” he says. “I’ll pack your bag. Hurry.”

I call Jace right away. It rings. Voicemail.

I call again. Voicemail.

I call Noah. It rings. Voicemail.

I try Noah again. Nothing. I try Jace again. Nothing.

My thumb trembles on the screen. I shove the phone into my shorts pocket and run out.

The beach in front of the house is empty. No Jace.

I turn around and take off down the boardwalk, barefoot on the warm concrete.

The Lighthouse Diner is a ten-minute walk at a good pace. I make it in six. My lungs are burning.

Out of breath, I stop in front of the storefront. Noah works here in the mornings, it’s his summer job. If anyone knows where Jace is, it’s him.

I push open the glass door. The smell of coffee hits me, mixed with scrambled eggs and bacon. I catch sight of the vinyl booths, the stainless steel counter…

I stop dead. Ryan Caldwell is sitting at the counter, ramrod straight, a cup in front of him.

This guy has always made me uncomfortable. The way his eyes linger, especially.

I step back. I slip behind the rotating pastry case near the entrance. A lemon tart, a carrot cake, and some brownies circle past me on a loop. I stay hidden.

Noah’s behind the counter, his apron tied over an oversized NASA T-shirt, his brown hair a mess. He’s drying a glass. Luke’s across from him, sitting on a stool, his skateboard propped beside him. They haven’t seen me.

No one has seen me.

“So?” Luke says. “Did Jace win his bet or not?”

His voice carries—he’s never known how to whisper.

Noah snorts.

“You know him. Dumbass bets are his thing.”

Ryan turns toward them, with cold curiosity.

“What’s this bet about?”

“None of your business,” Noah says without looking up.

“Does it have something to do with the little blonde?” Ryan presses. “The one who follows him around?”

Luke winces.

“Dude, seriously?”

“The one who doesn’t even have enough to fill out a swimsuit?” Ryan goes on.