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“Oh, Ives.”
“You’ve got to help me find someone else. I cannot get hung up on Conrad Foster.” I pause before adding regretfully, “And you can’t tell Brady.”
I still feel terrible asking my best friend to keep secrets from her boyfriend, but hopefully it won’t matter when I forget about Conrad altogether and move on. Ugh! Those two stupid little words again. They’re the bane of my existence.
Wren squeezes her eyes shut but nods anyway. “Okay, I’ll help you.”
I fling my arms around her neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re the bestest best friend ever.”
She untangles herself from me and levels me with a hard look. “But you have to promise me that if this doesn’t work, and whatever this is with Conrad gets serious, then you’ll be honest with Brady and the others.”
I make a dismissive sound, waving my hand. “It’s not going to come to that, because thiswillwork. Conrad, who?”
Wren rolls her eyes. “You’ll to be the death of me, Ivy Maree Willis.”
FOURTEEN
CONRAD
I’M SURPRISED TO find Mum in the kitchen early the next morning. I’ve just finished my workout and she’s already dressed and having breakfast I make myself a bowl of muesli and sit at the table across from her.
“How did you go yesterday with the surf program?” Mum clears her plate and rounds the table to kiss the top of my head.
“Fine,” I say, shrugging her off.
“What’s with the attitude? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today?” I scowl and she raises her eyebrows. “What’s going on with you? You’ve been quiet since Ellie left.”
“Nothing.” I distract myself by shovelling cereal into my mouth.
“Is everything okay? You can talk to me if something’s worrying you.”
“You sure about that?”
Mum’s smile slips off her face. “What?”
I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it.”
She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. “Oh no, Conrad Lucian Foster. What’s brought all this on?”
“You tell me, Mum,” I say. I push my breakfast away, my appetite gone. “What’s going on with you and Dad?”
She drops her gaze. “I don’t know what you mean.”
I let out a frustrated sound, pissed that she’s now content with lying to my face. “Whatever. I’ll see you later.”
“Conrad–”
The front door slams shut behind me, but it doesn’t give me any satisfaction. If anything, it makes me feel worse.
* * *
CONDENSATION RUNS DOWN the side of the takeaway cup I’m holding. I watch it drip, hypnotised by the movement. It’s a metaphor for how my life is slipping out of my control. The damn girl walking toward me with a smile lighting up her face is a big part of that. I have no idea why I can’t leave her alone. Maybe I’m just determined to blow my whole world apart–who knows? But as I push off the wall, I know that’s the only way this can go.
Ivy’s step falters as I hold the cup out in front of her., Her smile slips a little before she squares her shoulders and it’s shining bright as ever. “What’s this?”
“Iced caramel macchiato,” I grunt out. Her sunshine and roses attitude has completely thrown me.
“W-why?” she asks with wide eyes.
