Page 54 of Meant to be Mine

“Not like that.” He nodded toward the beach. “I used to be out there all the time with Hollis and Micah.” He was quiet for a moment. “I miss it.”

“Go,” Dad said simply. “The ocean will still be there at five in the morning.”

Drew looked at him. “You sound like Hollis.”

“Hollis sounds smart,” Dad said.

On the walk back along the pier, the pace slowed. Mom and Dad drifted slightly ahead, moving at their own unhurried rhythm, and I found myself slowing naturally, letting the distance between us widen by degrees.

I watched Drew fall into step beside my mother. He shortened his stride without making a production of it. He tucked his hands in his pockets and said something I couldn’t hear from where I was walking. She laughed. I watched the three of them talking and found myself smiling.

Dad glanced over at Drew and made a comment that had Drew shaking his head and laughing. He had always gotten along well with them, but I was seeing it differently today, maybe because I was looking for it. The ease he had with my parents wasn’t an act. It was real. He liked them and they liked him.

I thought about New Jersey and my adequate apartment. The school, which I genuinely loved. I didn’t want to leave, but I wanted to be here. I loved California and I did want to be closer to my parents, but it felt complicated.

If I did move back, what happened then? We said we would be friends. So, were we going to hang out like we used to and just not kiss? Would he want a kiss? Did I want a kiss?

Obviously, I did.

I wished I knew what he wanted. He had never been the serious type when it came to relationships. Did he want to settle down with one woman when all the ladies loved him? Would he choose me if I was an option? Would he even want to try this thing?

No, because if he wanted to pursue a relationship, he wouldn’t have gone on that blind date. Right? He wouldn’t be telling me about his brothers trying to set him up. Of course, I had encouraged him to go, too.

“Kens!”

I looked up and saw Drew waving me over. “Let’s get a picture,” Drew said.

We squeezed in, all four of us, and took a selfie.

“Let me get one of the two of you,” Mom said.

She stepped away and pulled out her phone. Did she really think we didn’t know what she was doing? I had a feeling she didn’t care.

Drew put his arm around my shoulders and we posed for a series of pictures. My mother had suddenly turned into a photographer.

“Alright, I think I got a couple of good ones,” Mom said.

I rolled my eyes. “Just a couple?”

Drew kept his arm around my shoulders as we walked back toward the parking lot. I told myself not to read into it. We always walked like that.

So I pretended it was all just fine. Totally normal.

19

DREW

The Blackwell Summer campaign had two more events coming up to promote the store and the new clothing Blackwell Couture was offering. The next one, the yacht party was mostly handled and ready to go. That just left the big sidewalk sale to iron out.

It was going to be like an elevated pop-up street market, like a dreamy summer market where we take over the plaza right in front of the shopping center where Blackwell Couture is located. We had teamed up with the other stores around the plaza, who were going to have their own booths set up, so everyone was onboard with it. We would be bringing in food trucks and there will be a DJ, and it should be like a block party vibe but for rich people who will buy our clothes.

All those arrangements had already been made. I just wanted to make sure the Blackwell stuff stood out and looked good, since we were hosting the whole thing. That’s why I ran the layout and décor by my brother Micah. He knew how to make things look good, and he got paid a lot of money for that expertise.

I answered my phone when I saw Micah’s name. “Tell me you have something good.”

“Good morning to you too.” I could hear the ocean in the background. He was either on his deck or still on the beach. Knowing Micah, probably the beach, toes in the sand. “I’ve been looking at what you sent over. The designs from New York.”

“And?”