Page 73 of Make Me Dream of You

I send him a heart emoji. I really do appreciate him and the honesty. But I can’t come up with any more words right now.

I put my phone down, needing to be done with this conversation. It’s my birthday. No sad feelings today.

I’m going to shower, and do my hair cute in loose waves, and put on mascara and my new sundress and enjoy my day. The dress is a pretty soft lilac with straps that tie in little bows. I can’t wear a bra with it, but I’ve got a cute thong with tiny white flowers on it.

Looking in the mirror, I tell myself it’s my sexy, confident, hot girl era—not my sad girl, pining over boys who aren’t obsessed with me era. I am not sexting with them, and I am definitely not asking them to share a bed with me. That’s over.

Done.

Everyone’s already sitting around the breakfast table when I come downstairs. Sunlight glitters off the lake and reflects in through the windows.

“Perfect timing,” Wood says, stacking three fluffy pancakes onto a plate. “They’re blueberry.” Then he ladles a heap of glossy strawberries over the stack before covering them with a swirl of fresh whipped cream. “Red, white, and blue pancakes.” He smiles proudly. “Happy Fourth of July.”

“Festive.” I nod as I take the plate.

His eyes widen. “Oh, hold on.” He stoops down below the counter then pops back up and places two white candles in my pancakes with one hand and lights them with a lighter in the other. “Also, happy birthday!”

“Thanks.”

“Make a wish!” Macy calls from the table.

Fuck. Can I just wish for my headache to go away? I close my eyes and blow out the candles.

Noah catches my eye as I walk up to the breakfast table. There’s an empty seat next to him and one other one next to Bex. The corner of his mouth turns up, his lips parting just enough to see the edges of his teeth.

Hot girl era, not lead yourself on and hurt your own feelings era.

I sit next to Bex.

Do I take pleasure when Noah’s smile disappears almost instantly as I sit? No.

Okay, maybe a little.

“Coffee?” Bex asks.

“You’re my favorite sister.”

“Remember that when I’m pouring your birthday shots later.” She smiles sweetly.

And my sister, the bartender, is, indeed, pouring shots by two in the afternoon.

We spend the day mostly lounging around in the sun on beach towels, snacking and chatting. We’re perfumed by coconut sunscreen and pina coladas.

Spencer and Jake decide to take the kayaks out around the lake. Bex raises her bottle of vodka at them in salute as they go.

Wood entertains us by doing dives and cannon balls off the dock, splashing us every time he walks by.

Noah walks up the beach toward us after his swim, eyes on me. He grabs a towel and Bex offers him a beer. I look away.

Know your worth era.

He goes to sit under one of the patio umbrellas instead. Brooding in the shade alone.

By late afternoon, Macy has sunburnt shoulders, Bex is napping, her skin getting golden brown, and Wood decides to fire up the grill for burgers.

My buzz has mostly worn off by the time it’s dark and we’re sitting on blankets around the dying fire to watch the fireworks over the lake.

“Can I sit here?” Noah leans over, offering me a watermelon hard seltzer from the cooler.

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