Page 5 of Solitude

My eyes widen. “No way… She would’ve told me that.”

Beck shrugs. “Maybe not. Hooking up with Gus Taylor has to be at the top of most people’smost embarrassing things that could ever happenlist.”

“Know from experience?” I ask before I can stop myself, and my cheeks heat at Beck’s chuckle.

“Not me, no.” He looks towards the park exit then back at me. “But it’d have to rank pretty high up there for me if it did happen. Guy couldn’t keep it in his pants if he tried.”

“Are you shaming him?” I can’t actually bring myself to say the wordslut.

Beck hums. “I guess I am. You know I think he fucked a teacher in the locker room.”

My nose wrinkles. “Gross.”

“He’s a gross guy, Winnie. Better stay away from him.”

“Not a problem.”

“Let me walk you home,” Beck says suddenly, gesturing toward the fence with his chin, and I follow him home quietly.

We walk side by side, like old friends, and I have to physically chew the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something embarrassing. Beck fills the silence instead. He chatters about something silly Gus and Bennett did the other day involving a peach from Bluebird Ranch and a broken arrow Gus found at home. I’m happy to listen to Beck talk all day, so when he stops by the large, privacy fence separating our homes, I swallow nervously.

“Well, goodnight,” I say, scratching my arm.

Beckett smiles, his dimple flashing me. “Goodnight, Winnie.”

I spin on my heel, and it’s not until I’m on the porch that I hear Beck call after me. I look back at him. “Hm?”

“Happy birthday.”

My cheeks heat, and I nod slowly. “Thanks.”

It’s not until I’m safely tucked away in my room that I truly allow myself to freak out about the entire ordeal.

And when I say freak out, I don’t mean the dancing around, silent squealing, smiling so hard it hurts kind offreak out. I mean the kind of freak out where I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror with a toothbrush hanging out of my mouth for six minutes, foam dripping down my chin while I replay every moment of our interaction seven times in a row.

By the eighth time, I’m groaning and spitting toothpaste down the drain, my limbs heavy as I try to stop myself from banging my head on the wall.

By the twelfth time it replays in my mind, I’m calling Sienna to make anguished noises into the receiver for four minutes before she threatens to hang up. I recount the entire situation to her with all the theatrics worthy of a Korean drama, and she listens intently until the end.

Like a good friend.

“You’re an idiot,” she giggles into the phone, and I’m almost ready to retract my comment about her being a good friend. “You’re making a big deal about nothing. He walked you home and warned you to stay away from hisbestfriend. It must mean something”

“We’re neighbors, Si,” I counter. “Also, he didn’t warn me away from anyone…”

I’ll admit it did send a flutter throughout my belly to think about Beck asking me to stay away from his notorious sex fiend friend. He could’ve just been saying it, like he says it to everyone he meets, but I think I’m choosing to be oblivious and believe he could be jealous at the thought.

Crazy. Insane. Outlandish.

I bite my lip to keep from giggling.

She sighs dramatically. “Okay, but he still walked you home. He could’ve veered into his yard and left you to continue on your five-hundred foot journey home.”

I roll my eyes. “Now who’s being crazy…”

“My point is that you shouldn’t worry about it, Winnie. You didn’t say or do anything embarrassing, which I’ll be honest…is surprising.”

I laugh lightly, “Yeah…”

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