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Even if I was overreacting, even if it was innocent, it still hurt. Because Josh was living his life… without me. He hadn’t gone to Toledo and mourned our relationship or the distance between us. He’d embraced his new life and thrown himself right into it.
While you were kissing arrogant, cocky hockey players.
Except I hadn’t kissed Aiden. He’d kissed me. Not that it really mattered, I supposed.
God, I was a hypocrite and a coward.
But I was confused and scared, and if I was being entirely honest with myself, I was lonely. Being back in Dupont Beach was great. Mom and Dad were great. Seeing Carson again was great. But I had no friends here. I had nothing but memories and heartache.
It was home, though, and I needed to be here. I should have been here long before now. I couldn’t explain it, but it was the right decision. I knew that deep down in my heart.
With a heavy sigh, I got up and scanned my room. I needed to do something. Spotting my old running shoes, I slipped them on and headed downstairs.
“Dayna Bug, is that you?”
“Yeah, I’m going for a run.”
“A run?” Mom called. “It’s late. I’m not sure—”
“I’m a big girl, Mom. I’ll be fine. I have my phone with me.”
She appeared around the door with a weak smile. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“No, I just… didn’t feel well.”
Which is what I’d told her and Aiden after I’d seen the photos of Josh andEllie. Ugh.
“You know, talking about it might help.”
“I’m good, I promise. I need some fresh air, though.”
“Okay. I’m going to make fish tacos for dinner, so don’t be too long.”
“Sure thing, Mom.” Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator, I headed out into the dusky night, stuffed my earbuds into my ears, and hit play on my favorite playlist.
I hadn’t done this in years. Dalton and I used to run together. He was always faster, but he never let me fall behind. When I’d moved to Boston for college, I’d joined the gym and used the treadmill instead. It wasn’t the same, but running had always been our thing, and doing it without him just didn’t feel right.
But Dalton was gone, and tonight, I really needed to burn off some excess energy.
My feet hit the ground, and the music pulsed through me as I took the path, skirting the edge of the beach. The lake always looked stunning at this time of day, but I kept my eyes ahead, focusing on my breathing. Every single inhale and exhale, the rise and fall of my chest as my feet pounded against the asphalt.
When I reached the end of the path, I looped back around, but this time, I cut on the beach and ran along the shore, slowing my pace a little to allow myself time to catch my breath. My lungs burned, muscles I hadn’t used in forever pinging with exertion. But I felt good.
For the first time in a really long time, I felt free.
A figure up ahead caught my eye, and I slowed to a complete stop, watching in awe as Aiden waded out of the lake in dark board shorts that hugged his hips. My heart fluttered wildly in my chest. I’d seen him half-naked already, but I hadn’t seen him like this. Drenched in water, his hair wet and mussed up, every dip and plane of his body glistening under the moonlight. His body was a work of art.
He was—
Staring. Right. At. Me.
Crap.
Heat flooded my cheeks as he made his way toward me.
“Don’t you know it’s rude to stare,” he said.
“You’re on my beach.”
