Page 34 of Crushed By Love

“And what happened?” I’m almost scared to ask.

“That’s not my story to tell.”

“You’ve said that before.”

He nods. “And it’s still the truth. This is a conversation for Ethan, not me.”

I suck in a breath and hold it. I guess that’s fair, it’s not my business, but that doesn’t mean that I still want to know what happened. Not only because I find Ethan fascinating, but also because those girls were talking about it in the bathroom and my name was thrown into the conversation. They acted as if I had something to do with it, but that literally makes no sense. I didn’t even know the Kings until this summer.

I need answers and I can’t wait for Ethan.

“Maybe you can tell me why your dad thinks he brought me here to hook up with your brother?” I try, braver than I’ve been in a while. There’s a fine line between courage and recklessness and I’ve been toeing that line ever since I set foot on Nantucket.

Cooper turns on me. “How do you know about that?”

No way in hell I’m telling him about snooping on his phone. “Nope, it’s my turn to ask a question, and considering this is about me, I deserve the truth.”

He leans back onto his elbows, gazing hard at the water for ages before finally answering me. “Let’s just say Conrad is a big part of the reason Sybil and Ethan didn’t work out.”

“And what does that have to do with me?”

He swallows hard and my gaze traces the way his Adam’s apple bobs against the column of tanned skin. He really is too attractive for his own good. “As misguided as it is, he brought you here as a consolation prize for Ethan. You’re supposed to get her out of his system.”

My insides go hollow. “Oh my God.” If my question was the seed of this conversation, my anger is the resulting bloom. But this isn’t pretty or soft. This is thorny and dangerous.

“Don’t worry, Ethan doesn’t think the same way Conrad King does.” Cooper’s tone turns bitter. “He doesn’t think of you like that, even though . . .” Another silence. “Anyway, he’s not going to use you.” He looks at me sidelong. “And I won’t either.”

I grimace. “Your family is fucked up.”

“You’re telling me.”

I always thought it was better to have a messed up family than no family at all, but they’re starting to make me rethink that position. But at least in the King family, they have guarantees that most people don’t. Need a job? Money? Medical care? How about a girl to live in your house, clean up after you, and maybe even spread her legs? Conrad King has you covered.

“Come on,” Cooper says. “Enough of this. Let’s go swimming.”

He jumps up and grabs my hand, but I don’t move. “Are you crazy? I’m not going back in there.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“One lousy swim lesson does not make any of this fine. I’ll drown.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

I roll my eyes. “How can you be so sure?”

“The tide is low and the waves are small. Haven’t you ever wanted to swim in the ocean at sunset?”

He has a point. The sky has turned to bright pink and is reflecting off the water in a dazzling light. It’s gorgeous and inviting. The couple has moved much further down the beach and nobody else is nearby. It would be an experience I haven’t had before.

“I don’t have my swimsuit.”

“Are you wearing underwear?”

“Why do I think you’ve asked that question to multiple girls?” I tease. I’m wearing a pair of boy short undies and a sports bra. The bottom has more coverage than my bikini bottoms, but the top has no padding and will definitely show my nipples once they get cold. But hey, he’s seen it all before.

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Arden?”

I let out a huff and stand, shimmying out of my top layer of clothes and laughing when he whistles. Then he takes my hand, and together we run toward where the painted sky spills into the sea.

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