Page 29 of Crushed By Love

“Why not?” Perry asks, a single eyebrow raising in challenge.

The conversation has an undertone that signals something more is going on here, something beneath the surface that I’m not catching. I probably never will because I don’t have years of history with these guys like they do with each other.

“Yeah, Ethan, why not?” I add.

From my understanding, most of the people in this group have been meeting for their Nantucket summers for nearly two decades. Several of them are turned toward us now, watching the exchange like they’re about to break out the popcorn.

The darkness and distraction of fireworks can’t come soon enough.

Ethan keeps his eyes on Perry when he answers. “For one, she didn’t say yes.”

“I’d love to go out on a date with you,” I quip in Perry’s direction.

Cooper erupts into laughter, Ethan sneers, and Perry grins like he was just handed a trophy for having the biggest dick. Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to a date, it was probably a foolish thing to do, but it was worth it. The look on Ethan’s face isn’t one of disgust or annoyance, and it isn’t even one of protectiveness––it’s envy.

Maybe he’s protective because he wants me.

But maybe that’s just what I want to believe. Either way, his dark expression is quickly replaced by indifference.

“Fine,” Ethan says to his friend. “If you want to slum it, be my guest.”

My mouth pops open, stomach dropping. “Excuse me?”

“Not cool,” Perry glares.

I’m so embarrassed I could sink into the grass and die. Just bury me right here, please. Right when I think Ethan might not be a total asshole, he has to say something like that.

I don’t have to sit here.

Who says I have to deal with this?

I shift my weight to stand up, but Cooper pulls me back down. “Don’t listen to my evil twin.”

“Yeah, if anyone’s slumming it, it’s you. You’re way out of my league,” Perry adds, squeezing my knee again and smiling wide, dimples popping again.

I shake them off. “I’m fine.” I point toward the park bathroom farther up the beach. “I just need to go to the restroom and I’ll be right back.”

I hurry away before anyone can stop me, before my anger has a chance to turn into tears and the humiliation swallows me whole. This beach only has one public restroom that’s not a honey bucket and even though the line is about a mile long, I have no problem killing time by standing in it. I don’t want to go back down there just yet. When I finally make it to my stall, I stay inside longer than I should.

I just need to get my bearings and I’ll be fine. Slowly, I count backwards from ten and make myself breathe.

Women are talking all around me, many of the younger ones checking hair and makeup in the mirrors. Someone says Ethan King’s name and my hackles rise.

“Personally, I don’t see it,” she says. I recognize her voice as the girl Ethan was flirting with earlier. I never got her name.

“Are you kidding me? It’s obvious,” another girl replies.

“No,” the first one snaps. “Ethan isn’t interested in a new girlfriend, especially not someone of low status. You heard him. He told Perry he was slumming it with her.”

The second girl chuckles. “He was teasing Perry, not the girl, and you know it. They’re always talking like that to each other.”

They are? I freeze, wondering if this could be true.

“Whatever. The fact remains that ever since things with Sybil ended so catastrophically, he’s not wanted to date anyone.”

“Poor Ethan.”

I roll my eyes and wait for them to leave, then exit the stall, trying to unpack everything they just said. Ethan is heartbroken over a woman named Sybil and now he doesn’t want a girlfriend? It sounds like maybe she left him, but I’m not sure. There’s a story there. And that’s all fine, but what does that have to do with me? Because it was my name on their gossiping tongues.

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