Page 33 of Stealing Summer

seventeen

It was finally the Fourth of July, the only downside being that it was going to be one of the hottest days so far. I quickly pulled my wavy hair up into a clip to keep it off my neck and threw on a loose t-shirt over my swimsuit before I made my way outside to the dock.

The water was smooth and reflected the hovering trees and blue sky so perfectly it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. I dangled my feet in the warm water, watching the sun dance across the lake, lost in thought.

But the calm was quickly interrupted.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping in or something?” Boston asked as he came into view, trudging toward me on the dock.

“Could ask you the same,” I countered as I looked back at him—all broad shoulders and annoyingly handsome.

“And miss out on this view?” he winked. “Never.”

“I’m flattered,” I joked, pushing a few strands of hair out of my face. “You just can’t resist my company.”

“Guilty,” Boston admitted as he sat down beside me, his shoulder just barely touching mine. His presence was a blend of comfort and unease. He stretched out his long legs, mirroring my position, and we both stared out at the water for a moment.

I had been avoiding him, still unsure of how to feel about the bracelet. But I knew I couldn’t continue like this forever, always wondering and avoiding my real feelings when it came to him. It was time to step out of my comfort zone and take a risk, even if it meant being vulnerable and in the spotlight of my own life.

“Why did you keep it all these years?” I blurted out.

I glanced over at him, taking in his windswept hair and the strong line of his jaw, unsure of where this was going. I knew I had to finally face my childhood crush, whether it would lead to rejection or it would change everything between us.

He raised an eyebrow. “Keep what?”

“The bracelet. The one I gave you when we were kids.” I was hardly able to get the words out, almost too afraid of what his answer was going to be.

Boston met my gaze, his sky-colored eyes searching mine. His jaw tightened, and he seemed to weigh every word that was about to come. “I’ve just held onto it since the day we first met,” he said, carefully.

“So...” I began, searching for the right words. “Does the bracelet mean something to you?”

Boston looked down, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “Of course it does.”

“Why?” I pressed. “Why would you keep it?”

He was quiet for a long moment before responding. “You know your brother is my best friend, right? I’d never wanna cross a line with him—or your parents, for that matter. They treat me like one of their own.”

He trailed off, his expression conflicted, like he was trying to let me down easy. I felt my heart sink. I guess part of me hoped that he felt the same way about me that I’ve always felt about him. But now I knew that was never the case.

“It’s okay,” I said softly, giving his hand a squeeze before letting it go. “You don’t have to explain anything else. I get it.”

Boston looked like he wanted to say more, but he just nodded silently. We sat on the dock a little longer. The space between us felt wider than ever.

I wasn’t just hurt because he was letting me down but I could tell that even after I was vulnerable with him, that he was still holding something back, and I wasn’t sure what it was but I knew that he wasn’t being completely honest.

He stood and offered me his hand. “C’mon, we should head back. I’ll make us breakfast.”

After a moment, I took it, allowing him to pull me up. We walked back down the dock together, but things felt different. We both felt it.

After breakfast, I went to Willow’s and stormed into her room, collapsing dramatically onto her bed while explaining what had just happened with Boston.

Willow’s eyes went wide. “No way. Boston had the bracelet this whole time?”

“Yes!” I shouted, sitting up. “I saw it tied into his baseball glove. Can you believe it? He kept it all these years and never said anything.”

Willow gave me a knowing look. “So what does this mean?”

I sighed, flopping back down onto the mountain of pillows. “I don’t know. He didn’t really explain what it meant. He basically just said he’s Parker’s best friend, so he’d never go there. And I have this thing starting up with Reese now, anyway.”

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