Page 3 of The Deadly Shallows

Brooke knew how much Gabby wanted them to be together. How much she wanted them to be together. But that dream was hopeless. “What about Noah?”

“I know you like him,” Gabby said, never one to mince words.

“Of course I like him.” And like was putting it mildly.

“So?” Gabby nudged.

“So we’ve been spending tons of time together for the last two months and . . .”

“And?” Gabby nudged.

“And nada.” Nothing that said he wanted to move beyond friendship, and it stung.

“He spends an awful lot of time with you to call it nada,” Gabby said, adjusting her fleece headband to better cover her ears.

“Yes,” Brooke admitted, “he’s over most Saturdays to help restore the bus.” But helping her fix her grandparents’ VW bus was far from a romantic overture.

“He spends time with you at Finn’s for surfing and breakfast most mornings and at Nana Jo’s weekly dinners.”

“Yes, he spends time with me but not like that. You guys treat me like family, and I love it, but it’s not like Noah’s asking me out on a date or to go with him to those events.” She searched for the right words. “I’m just one of the gang.” It took Brooke a minute to realize she’d left Gabby standing at the top of the hill.

“What do you mean ‘just one of the gang’?” Gabby said, catching back up to her. “You know that’s not true.”

Brooke sighed rather than arguing. Gabby meant well and wanted them to be together nearly as bad as she did, but it was beyond frustrating. There’d been moments—a lingering gaze in her direction, a charming smile on his lips, a level of deep comfort in his presence—when she’d thought . . . maybe he cared the same way about her, but clearly, she’d been misreading the situation.

Even after so much quality time together, he’d never made a move beyond friendship. It sucked, but she could only linger in the muck for so long. Today she was hauling herself out. Dave seemed like a nice guy. If her Coast Guard brothers said he was solid, he was solid. And it was time for some solid in her life.

Dwayne tapped the Copenhagen tin against his palm, then opened it and pulled a fresh pinch out. He rolled his lip forward and had barely settled it in place when his cell rang.

Fishing the phone from his shirt pocket, he answered the call but remained silent.

“Are we a go?” she asked.

He rolled his tongue against the inside of his cheek. Well, if it wasn’t Miss-High-and-Mighty herself. “Affirmative. And you?”

She snorted. “What do you think?”

He curled his fists, a silent curse wagging in his mind.

“Don’t be late, and don’t mess this up,” she snapped.

The line went dead.

Adrenaline surged through his limbs.

He glanced at his watch. Not long now.

He smothered any hint of pleasure from his face. It’d been years since he’d attended a graduation.

Gabby’s face softened as they hit the final stretch of the Riverwalk. Pausing, Gabby laid her hand on Brooke’s arm, took an inhale, and blew it out as if she was about to share something big.

Brooke stepped closer, almost expecting Gabby to whisper in her ear.

Gabby gazed across the river—pondering? Brooke fought the sudden urge to shake it out of her. Whatever it was.

“Gab?” Brooke asked

Her friend turned to face her, the rising sun’s rays silhouetting her.