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“It was just a little weird, at first. I mean…he’s Chris. I remember when he wore that Spiderman shirt every day of seventh grade.”
“I mean, you do like that British guy,” Tory comments.
“I’m talking about the animated cartoon, Tory,” Madeline replies, rolling her eyes.
“If you’re so turned off by his middle school fashion sense, how did you two even hook up?”
“We were talking about Wes’s birthday last week. I was asking about why Wes didn’t go on the trip with the Stevenses he was supposed to. Hunting for gossip, basically. Trying to figure out if he and Maeve broke up. Anyway, he was talking about what jerks the Glenmont guys were. And, I don’t know, it was kinda hot when he was likeI was ready to punch Liam Stevensout. So, yeah, it happened.”
“Why was Chris going to punch Liam Stevens?” Tory asks. “Far as I could tell, he was the reason that Glenmont guy walked away.” She glances at me. “Right? You were there.”
“Yeah, I guess,” I answer, glad my sunglasses are shading my eyes. I never thought I’d have to directly lie to my friends about anything involving Liam. Never thought there would be a me and Liam to lie about and never thought he would come up with anyone I know.
“I’m kinda surprised he stepped in,” Tory continues. “Like, wouldn’t hewantthe party to turn into a mess? There’s no way he’s happy Wes is dating his sister.”
“I have no idea,” Madeline replies. “But I do know he is hot.”
“I noticed that too,” Tory replies. “Under all the football gear. Who knew?”
“Did he and Brooke Jenkins date?”
“Probably. She’s friends with Maeve Stevens.” Tory sighs dramatically. “I wish you two had hot brothers.”
Tory and Madeline keep talking a mile a minute, thankfully about topics unrelated to the guy from Glenmont who incites a whole host of unfamiliar emotions in me. I’m sure if I asked them, they’d both laugh at the notion of Liam Stevens ever caring about a girl from Alleghany. Hot or not, he’s a former Glenmont quarterback.TheGlenmont quarterback, in our minds.
But that’s exactly what it felt like this morning—like he cared. Like I’m more than a summer fling to him.
Sleeping with the enemy is one thing. It can be boiled down to actions, not emotions. Physical desires, not feelings.
You have toknowsomeone to care about them.
I’m worried both apply when it comes to me and Liam. That I blinked, and this thing between us ballooned into something that matters. Dipped a toe in, and now the water’s over my head.
I forcibly push all thoughts of Liam away and focus on my friends.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
LIAM
Ilet the secret Natalie shared simmer for a few days. Part of me is waiting to see if he tells me himself. Part of me knows it will end in an awkward dynamic that will affect the whole trip.
Eventually, neither part cares anymore.
I drop the football to the sand and gulp down some water. We’re on the beach, running drills. Well, I’m running drills. My dad is writing my final times down in the notebook that records decades’ worth of them. Early mornings on the beach remind me of the Cape, but I push those memories away. I don’t want them tainted by what’s about to take place.
My dad closes the notebook and sips his coffee. “Tomorrow morning, we should—”
“When were you going to tell me about Arlington?”
He sighs. “This again? Liam, what Wes chooses to do is his bus—”
“I’m not talking about where Cole plays. I’m talking about the coaching job Arlington offered you, Dad. Is that none of my business too?”
“Liam, I—” I wait, and he tries again. “Liam…”
I scoff and cross my arms.
“The offer is contingent on whether Wes accepts the one they made him. I was waiting to see what he decided, because I knew—I didn’t want to upset things unnecessarily.”
