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“Is everything all right?”
“Yeah. I was just distracted.”And forgot I was on the phone. Who does that? Me. Apparently, I do.I rolled my eyes because I was ridiculous. “I’m going to the library tomorrow since it’s Sunday and the universal day to do homework. Want to meet there? I can help you with your homework.”
And… nothing. Silence stretched between us, and I refused to say anything, getting angrier by the second. I had no idea what his problem was. He was the one who’d confessed he was failing his classes. I’d seen him play football and knew he was insanely talented and would get an offer to go pro if he could stay in college long enough. But with his homework problems and refusal to accept help, I was starting to doubt it would come together for him.
“I don’t need help, Aspen. Stop talking to me about classes. In fact, I think we need to take a step back.”
“Are we fake breaking up?” I was joking but felt like I was spiraling into a small panic attack.
“No,” he replied softly.
I could hear the amusement in his voice, even as subdued as it was. Something was eating at him, but I didn’t think he would share whatever it was. I wasn’t holding my breath.
“Our ‘dating’ has mutual benefits. As far as everyone else is concerned—”
“Except for your friends and my sister.”
“Right. They’re the only ones who’ll know the truth about our relationship.”
“Fine.” It’s what I’d wanted all along, or so I convinced myself. I dropped my forehead onto my hand, still cradling the phone to my ear.
“If you need anything for the baby, let me know. Otherwise, we should limit our interactions.”
“Got it. Later.” I hung up, fighting the urge to cry.
Why does he have this effect on me?
* * *
“Hey.” Riley grinned as she closed the SUV’s door then climbed onto the ledge to free her surfboard. “How long have you been waiting? Cass took forever.”
“I heard that.” The passenger door shut, and Cass rounded the front of the truck, followed by Skylar, who must’ve been in the backseat. “And you’re both insane to want to come out this early.”
“Ten in the morning is far from early.” I laughed then turned to Riley. “And I haven’t been waiting long. I got here five minutes ago.”
Skylar wore oversized sunglasses, and her black hair was in a messy bun on top of her head. She tightly clutched a book, and a beach towel hung over her shoulder. “You two do your surfing thing. I’ve got a spot with some suntan lotion just waiting for me.”
“I’m with her.” Cass grinned as they headed through the parking lot and onto the sand.
Riley laughed. “They were up late last night, and I woke them up rather loudly.”
“Evil.” I waited for her to get her board down then tucked mine under my arm. “But I’m glad you guys came.
“I’m always up for anything on the water.”
“Same.” At least I would be again after March. I looked down at my belly, contemplating how painting might have to be the thing to satisfy me for a little while, then scanned the ocean, checking out the waves. They were decent but certainly not large swells. “We should have come super early. The waves would have been bigger.”
Riley shrugged, and her long chestnut hair rippled in a wave. “Next time.”
The sand was warm beneath our feet even though the sun wasn’t at its highest point in the sky. But the warm rays felt amazing, and I tilted my face up to enjoy it for a few seconds. We stopped to visit Cass and Sky, who already had their towels spread out and were applying sunscreen.
“I love your surfboard. Where’d you get it?” Riley set hers in the sand and rested a hand on it as she looked closely at the silver waves with the birds coasting above the curl.
“I painted it onto an old board of mine.”
“What?” Sky stopped applying lotion. “That’s amazing.”
“I didn’t know you were an artist.” Riley bent for a closer look. “Have you done any others?”
