Page 61 of Places I've Never Been

“But you did kiss her, right?” Flynn asked. “Tongue was involved?”

Adam closed his eyes and counted to five. Then he went to the fridge to get himself a beer. “Tina practically told her about your little matchmaking attempt. I don’t think Mattie caught on, but still. No more stunts like that. ”

“I thought the idea was to get more hands on,” Flynn said, sounding confused.

“We talked about this.” Adam flashed a dirty look at his drummer. “I have to be more subtle.”

“Yeah, but then you kissed,” Brandon said, looking just as confused as Flynn. “That changes things, right?”

LT rolled his eyes. “If you don’t act faster, man, you’re not getting this girl. We only have two weeks left. If you don’t make it happen here, it ain’t happening at all. It’s not like she’s always in your orbit.”

Adam took a sip of his beer. “The thing is, there’s times when I think she wants me as much as I want her. Like, we have a real connection. Then bam, she slams on the brakes. I mean, I know why she’s gun-shy. I get it. The last guy was a douche, but still. I’m not that guy.”

“Why don’t you just ask her out?” Brandon asked. He sounded practical and entirely too reasonable.

“Because the first time I tried to rush things I made an ass of myself and she pushed me off the boat.” Adam took another swig of beer. “Pretty sure she’ll take the next helicopter off this island if I do that again.”

“Look, man, it’s time to put up or shut up,” LT said. “Either you like this girl and you want to make it happen oryou don’t and we might as well pack up now. You kissed. The door’s wide open for you to tell her how you feel.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Adam peeled off part of the label on his beer. Should he risk it? He’d only get one shot at this. If he pushed too hard a second time, that would be the end. She’d leave and he’d never see her again.

“I know I’m right,” LT said. He finished off his beer and set the empty bottle down on the coffee table. “Pretty sure I’m right.”

“How many relationships have you had again?” Adam eyed him. “Two?”

“Three,” LT said, sounding indignant.

“Oh no,” Adam said. “You can’t count that girl in middle school.”

“We dated all the way to freshman year.” LT pushed off the couch and crossed to the kitchen. “That’s over two years, which is longer than any flingyou’veever had.”

Adam snorted. “Sharing homeroom and lunch with her is not the same as dating.”

LT pulled a beer out of the fridge and popped it open. “We kissed. That counts.”

“Was there tongue?” Flynn asked, looking from LT to Adam.

“A good man don’t kiss and tell.” LT plopped back down on the couch.

Adam laughed. “She kissed him on the cheek during the yearbook signing at the end of eighth grade.”

Brandon and Flynn both cracked up.

“That’s true love right there,” LT said. “I still think about that girl. She’s the one that got away.”

Footsteps on the deck outside announced Cooper’s arrival. He’d changed into pressed khaki shorts and a white collared shirt so clean and stiff that it gleamed against his dark skin,and he’d shaved the vacation stubble off his chin. He looked ready for a date, except he walked in alone and wore the stoic expression of a man who’d been on the losing side of too many girlfriend conflicts.

Adam looked behind him, but the ever-present thorn wasn’t there. “Where’s Tina?”

Cooper grimaced and stalked toward the fridge. “She’s packing.” He dragged a bottle out then twisted the top off with enough force to fling it across the room.

There was momentary silence as everyone absorbed that information.

“Finally,” Brandon muttered.

“Ding-dong the bitch has fled,” Flynn sang out.

“Guys, have a little compassion.” LT said. “The man’s been under the ball and chain for a year. Let him decompress first.”

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