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“Oh.”
He laughs.
“I came here to hang out with you,” I tell him. “Not to hook up with some girl I’ll never see again.”
Laughable, considering that’s exactly what I ended up doing.
Parker grins. “Good answer, Stevens. Good answer.” After a minute of silent running, he adds, “I was hoping you and Tessa might hit it off.”
I side-eye him. “What are you? A dating app? You can’t seriously want me to date your cousin.”
“Better you than some dick. Based on what Tessa has said, Natalie attracts a lot of douchebags. You know the type—like Wilson. I mean, it’s not surprising. Cocky shits like that want the hottest girl on campus. But a few of them have messed with Tessa. Pretended to be into her to get to Natalie.”
Annoyance flares for a multitude of reasons. “Does Natalie know?”
“No. Tessa wouldn’t tell her. Says there’s nothing Natalie could do anyway, which is true, I guess. I just worry about her. You get it. I’ve seen you get protective with Maeve.”
I nod. Maeve’s relationship to me is no secret on Arlington’s campus. We both hang out with the athletic crowd and attend a lot of the same parties. The few times I’ve had to step in have been because a guy got wasted. Sober, I don’t think anyone would hassle her. And it’s the only perk I’ve acknowledged about the fact my sister is dating Weston Cole. It’s common knowledge she’s with him, and no guy I’ve met wants to get on his shit list.
We reach the stairs leading up to the back deck of the cottage, both breathing heavily.
Parker collapses in the sand, gasping for air dramatically. “If that’s what it takes to have a six-pack, I’ve decided it’s not worth the hassle.”
I chuckle as I take a seat on the sand next to him. The rigorous training I put my body through has always been about being faster on the field. I know guys who joined football in middle and high school to bulk up and get attention from girls, but vanity only gets you so far. It takes stronger forces than that to fuel the commitment to running several miles each day and lifting weights in your spare time.
We look out at the water for a while, then head inside for breakfast. Tessa has already toasted and buttered a bunch of bread. I make eggs while Parker brews coffee.
Natalie returns as we’re all sitting down to eat. I’m hyperaware of her every movement, watching out of the corner of my eye as she picks up a half of toast and nibbles on it between sips of her iced coffee.
“You still planning to head out first thing?” Tessa asks Natalie.
“Yeah,” she replies. “I’ve got a bunch of stuff to take care of today.”
I want to ask what. I’m curious where she spends her time, aside from parties in Alleghany and teaching art classes and getting coffee atDaily Grind.
But I don’t ask. Whatever we were—it’s over.
After finishing breakfast, I head upstairs. For a good minute, I stare at the bed before shaking my head and shoving everything into my duffle bag.
When I open the door again, Natalie is walking out of her room with her bags. She has three, which I kind of want to tease her about. It seems overkill for a long weekend.
Instead, I offer to take one.
“You don’t need to do that,” she tells my extended hand.
“Obviously. Just give me one, Natalie.”
I think she’ll refuse. Insist on inciting the animosity that used to flare easily between us. She surprises me when she hands one bag over.
Maybe I’m not the only one having trouble jumping right back on the hating each other bandwagon.
Parker and Tessa are both waiting in the living room when we walk downstairs, wearing swimsuits. They’re both staying at the cottage for a few more days, and I’m sure they’ll head down to the beach as soon as Natalie and I leave.
“Glad you came, man,” Parker tells me, slapping me on the back. “I’ll see you back on campus.”
“Sounds good,” I reply, then give Tessa a quick hug and tell her it was nice to meet her.
Then I head over to the door, where I dropped my bag, trying not to eavesdrop on Natalie’s farewell with Tessa.
