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I nod while responding, “Yeah, I figured it’d be nice to catch up with Reid before college.” I glance at him. He flicks away and drinks his non-alcoholic beverage.
Nichole draws my focus with, “Where are you going to college?”
“Penn State.”
“Oh, great.” Her midnight blue eyes glisten as she continues. “My older brother is there. That’s where I’m heading.”
“Nice.”
Reid slips away while we discuss majors, returning to his friends. Maybe he only wanted to make sure I was comfortable.
We sit away from the heat of the fire and continue talking. I find both girls very welcoming and sweet. We’d have probably been great friends had I attended their high school.
I glance across to Reid, thinking we’d have been closer if I had grown up here. Maybe even…
What?
Cousin. He’s my cousin.
I snap out of it and go on sharing interests with Michelle and Nichole.
A sudden thrill rocks my body as someone sits beside me. The feeling settles when I turn and realize it’s Mark. Not Reid.
“What’s up?” He wags his brows, making me snort. “Enjoying yourself so far?”
“Yeah. It’s been great.” I look around the fire, searching the bodies for Reid.
“Back there,” Mark says, figuring me out.
I twist on the chair, spotting Reid a few feet away with Bristol. Jealousy spurts from an unknown place.
Why is he talking to her? I thought it was over.
“Did you have fun at the beach yesterday?” His question draws my focus from the former couple. “Reid said he went with you.”
I squint at Mark as I repeat his words in my head. So Reid gave me a bogus excuse about meeting friends.
“Uh, yeah,” I cover for him. It comes naturally, like when we were kids.
Mark squeezes his brows together as if detecting the lie. “Hmm.” He drinks his beer.
As I look back again, Reid glances across, doing a doubletake when our eyes meet. He’s about to walk over, but Bristol grasps his arm. My stomach twists with a sick feeling, and I get the thought that he probably went to see her the day before. So much for not being a player.
“We’re heading out,” Michelle says, motioning to Nichole when I turn to them.
“Oh, okay. It was great meeting you both.”
“You too,” Nichole says.
Michelle hands me her phone. “Let’s exchange numbers. Since you’re around, we should hang out.”
“Sure thing.” I call my phone and return hers.
“See you,” Nichole says as they straighten from the chairs.
They wave and head down the beach, disappearing in the shadows.
“Sticking around?” Mark asks with a partial smile.
