Page 46 of Sweetest Hate

Mom looked at me one last time. "Your father is a liar, honey. More so that I realized apparently. If you need to talk about this boy, you come to me."

"What did she say?" my dad asked way too loud. "I didn't hear her."

"George Maxwell Swanson, I swear when we get home…"

He interrupted her threat with a hearty laugh before bursting out humming a seriously bad version of theRockytheme song.

Shaking my head, I tuned them out and watched the crowd out the window as my mom pulled away from the market and pointed the car toward home. I wasn't sure what prompted me to tell them, but I was glad I had. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I only wished I'd done it sooner.

My phone vibrated in my hand, and I frowned as I read the text.

Arsen:Bring your paint stuff.

* * *

After we'd polishedoff our lunch of club sandwiches and cold sweet tea, my parents had retreated to the living room. They were cozied up together under a blanket watching a horror flick, so it must have been my mother's turn to choose. Her squeal at whatever had happened on the TV was followed by my father's laughter. The squeals and laughter trailed after me down the hall as I made my way to my room.

On my way to grab my art bag, I glanced in the mirror to survey my appearance before taking a detour into the bathroom to shower away the heat and dirt from the farmers market. Dressing in my favorite khaki shorts and a royal blue Imagine Dragons t-shirt, paired with my most comfortable flip-flops, I was ready to go find out what Arsen had up his sleeve. I grabbed my art portfolio bag and checked to see that I had everything I needed, all the while wondering why I was even doing what Arsen asked when he refused to give me details. Curiosity killed the cat was a legit saying for a reason. All of which I seemed to be growing increasingly good at ignoring when it came to the moody bastard.

Leaving the bedroom with my portfolio bag on my shoulder, I paused in the hall, calling loud enough to be heard over the TV, "I'll be back later."

"Okay, honey," my mom yelled back. "Be safe."

Safe was the last word I'd use to describe Arsen.

Leaving through the front door, I crossed the yard, heading next door. I was met by Arsen swinging open the door. My brows rose. "I'm starting to think I've gained a stalker. Were you watching for me?"

Arsen didn't respond to the comment but stepped aside to let me in.

When we were safely out of the summer heat and standing in Ivy's clean kitchen, I looked up into the slate-colored eyes already locked on me and crossed my arms over my chest. "You said you had something for me? What is it?"

"It's not a what. It's a where."

I was confused. Even more so when he grabbed his keys from the tile-top counter, snatched my hand, and tugged me back toward the front door. Worried I'd have to explain the scene to Quinn, I pulled back and scanned the room for my best friend.

Arsen glanced over his shoulder and must have understood because he sighed. "You're safe. Quinn's gone, and our parents won't be home until next week. You can relax your wound-up, little ass."

Quinn was a touchy subject with Arsen, so I was surprised when he squeezed my hand in what felt like reassurance before he once again tugged me behind him.

Once settled in the polished leather seats of his vintage Mustang Mach 1, I glanced at him. "Well? Where are we going?"

Arsen's lips tipped in a crooked grin. "Somewhere I think you'll like."

"Like a date?" Arsen shrugged, and I stared. I definitely hadn't agreed to a date, and it hadn't come close to crossing my mind when he'd told me to meet him at the house. "That's not how it works. Arsen, you can't just kidnap people and take them on a date." I wondered if Arsen had actually ever been on a date. If so, the current situation explained why he was single. Well, one of the reasons.

"I can, and I did." He started the engine and backed down the driveway.

Arsen was infuriating, and I briefly considered opening the door and jumping out. But I needed to know where he was taking me that made him so confident I'd be happy with the idea.

"Well, since I didn't get a vote on attending, you could at least tell me where this place is that you may or may not be planning to hide my body."

"Can't you just trust me?"

I looked at him and couldn't decide if I was pissed at him being so obstinate about giving me even the slightest hint about our destination, or if I was actually a little excited about being in the dark. Not that I'd admit the last part. Instead, I snorted. "Trust you when you are currently forcing me on a date."

Arsen sighed. "I'll never do something crazy like trying to surprise you again. We're going to the beach."

"The beach?" That was the very last place I would ever have expected, and he was right. It definitely made me happy.

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