Page 99 of Summer Love

“Something like that.”

I sigh before I go on.

“I kissed Jace on that Ferris wheel.”

“Yeah. I saw you two,” Noah says.

A gull cries above us, short, hoarse calls. Noah jams his hands into his pockets.

“You know… I had a crush on you when I was a teenager.”

My eyes go wide.

“Had it bad, actually.”

I stare at him.

“Shit… I had no idea.”

Noah manages a half-smile, still not looking at me.

“I know. You only had eyes for Jace. But deep down, I couldn’t help hoping that…”

He exhales, shakes his head. A gull dives toward the cliffs and disappears.

“That you’d choose me,” he finally says.

“Maybe I should have,” I murmur.

“Why do you say that?” Noah asks, surprised.

I stare at my dust-covered sneakers. If I look at him, I won’t have the nerve to go through with it.

“Because I’m sure you’d never have bet a hundred bucks that you could sleep with me.”

“What?”

“Don’t act surprised,” I say, annoyed.

“What are you talking about?”

“Stop it, Noah.”

Six years swallowing those words, and he looks at me like I just made it up.

“You’re the one who brought it up, at the diner. To Luke and Ryan. I heard you, Noah!”

He opens his mouth, closes it. Then he drags a hand down his face.

Of course he’s embarrassed.

I look out at the horizon. It’s sharp now, a straight line between water and sky.

Noah shakes his head.

“Fuck… Summer…”

But I’m already on my feet.