I watch as my best friend holds a hand out to Elle, reading her reaction closely. I’ve never seen her talk to a Two before.

“Hey.” She smiles back at him. “I’m Elle.”

Tuck chuckles. “I know who you are, Clarke.”

“Right. Small towns.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Tuck replies, his grin growing.

Elle glances at me, a move Tuck doesn’t miss. I’m guessing Reese doesn’t either, but I don’t check to confirm. She’s going to have questions later.

I look at Elle instead. “You can go first.”

She rolls her eyes. “Ladies first?”

“Sure.” I pause. “If there was a lady present.”

Reese and Tuck both look at me like I’m crazy, but Elle laughs. The sound hits me square in the center of my chest.

Elle steps toward the swing. I spot the divot in the grass a split second before her foot lands on it, grabbing her hand and tugging her toward the left. Straight into my body. She collides with my bare chest. We stand like that, her pulse thundering against my thumb as my fingers encircle her delicate wrist. Probably from surprise. But I flatter myself and think of how many times she blushed that Friday night. Maybe it has something to do with me touching her too.

She’s not the only one affected.

All I can think about is the last time we were this close to each other wearing this little clothing.

“Typical,” she says.

I glance down at Elle, who’s looking up at me. “You’re welcome.”

“You can’t resist catching. Doesn’t matter what it is.”

“It matters. You’re heavier than a football.”

Elle bites her bottom lip to keep the smile from forming. But she can’t do anything about the creases of amusement that appear in the corners of her eyes. “Muchheavier than a can of beer.”

“You heard about that, huh?”

“Came up during my breakup actually.”

“I’d say I’m sorry, but …”

“Yeah, I know. You’re not.” She steps back.

My hand drops reluctantly.

“You’re a real hero, Ry,” Reese says. “That hole had to be three inches deep at least.”

I glance over and raise an eyebrow at her. She raises one right back, and I’m not sure what to make of it.

Elle grabs the rope and pulls it back, way farther than I expected.

“Elle …”

It feels like there’s a rubber band squeezing my chest. The same panic as when she was staring down at that pool appears.

There could be rocks on the bottom. Sharp sticks. Who the hell knows what, aside from slime?

She glances over at me and winks. “Relax, Ry. You won’t have to catch me.”