Page 70 of When You Had Me Adapting

“I’m trying to make sure the guys get out of the water safely.”

“I’m so sure,” she says dryly.

“What? I am!”

“What’s going on?” Wren asks, paddling her float closer to us.

“Lacey is eye-fucking her man and trying to pretend like she isn’t,” she giggles and so does Wren.

“Shut up, I wasn’t looking at Jace,” I laugh, splashing water in her direction.

Both girls stop laughing abruptly and look at me. I realize the name I said was all wrong.

“I mean Chris. I wasn’t eye-fucking Chris.”

“What an interesting slip of the tongue,” Poppy says, eyeing me. Her eyebrow quirks up and I know she can see through my bullshit. I’m here with Chris not Jace. Jace is my ex. Jace and I will never be anything more than friends. I made sure to sabotage the hell out of any chance we had at being together ten years ago.

“Don’t,” I warn. “It was an accident. It meant nothing.”

“Whatever you say.” Wren offers me a small smile. I hear a splash and when I look back at the boat, Chris is headed straight for me holding two beers. He hands one to me.

“What did I miss?” he asks looking at both of my friends. Their reactions to my mistake still painted on their faces.

“Oh nothing,” Poppy lies.

“Lacey was telling us about the last book she was reading,” Wren adds.

I offer them a thankful smile before popping the top on the can and taking a large sip.

We all hang in the water for a little longer, and when the sun starts to dip below the trees we make our way back up to the boat for sandwiches, more drinks, and fireworks.

I settle on one of the bench seats as far away from Jace as I possibly can get. Chris makes his way over to me, sandwich in hand, and takes a seat next to me. I try to nestle into the crook of his arm, but he moves away. “Not in front of your friends, okay?” he whispers, so only I can hear him.

My face falls at his inability to show me any physical affection and for a split second I wonder if I don’t turn him on either. I straighten up, now very uncomfortable. The first firework erupts above us and I take a moment to look around the boat. Poppy is in Logan’s lap. Enzo’s head rests on Donovan’s shoulder. Tanner and Wren sit on opposite sides of the front of the boat. Jace is in the captain’s chair in front of me and my eyes settle on his back. Fireworks continue to go off above us, but my eyes stay locked on him instead.

Tanner docksthe boat and I’m the first one off. I walk lazily up the ramp toward the house. I can hear Chris behind metalking endlessly about some political something with Logan and I can’t bring myself to listen. My bag is thrown over my shoulder and my flip flops are in one hand. The night air is filled with a melody of drunk laughter, stray fireworks in the distance, and something I think must be a frog.

Footsteps make me turn around, and Jace is a couple of strides behind me, holding a cooler. We walk back up to the house side by side, neither of us talking. The walk feels longer than it is and the silence is deafening. For some reason I’m nervous and I don’t know what to say or do.

“Did you have fun today?” he asks, his mouth turning into a gorgeous grin. His face is illuminated by the lights coming from the house. Something deep in my core warms and I try to push it away, but I can’t.

“Yeah, it was a blast, but I’m exhausted. Probably going to see if Chris wants to head to bed.”

His jaw slightly ticks at the mention of Chris, but he doesn’t say anything else. We walk into the main level of the house and I let my bag hit the floor by the dining room table. He moves to the fridge and starts unloading the cooler.

“Here, let me help you,” I offer, joining him. We start clearing out the leftover drinks and food in silence. I’m trying to think of something to say, when both of our hands grab for a can of beer at the same time. The touch of his fingers on mine sends a shock up my arm and creates a feeling deep in my core that I’m not sure what to do with. He turns to face me. His blue eyes bore into me and I want so badly to know what he’s thinking. Donovan and Enzo walk in laughing, causing me to let go of the can and to take two steps back.

“Is there any beer leftover?” Enzo asks.

“Oh, um, yeah,” Jace says, turning away and throwing the can in Enzo’s direction.

“Thanks, man.”

Jace flips back towards the fridge and when he does his eyes find mine for another split second. He makes quick work of cleaning the cooler out and I move to the other side of the kitchen putting much needed space between us.

Tanner walks in with the rest of the group holding a wireless speaker. The upbeat music fades and “Remember When”by Alan Jackson begins to play on full volume. My eyes dart to Jace’s and his face is immediately covered with sadness. His gorgeous smile is nowhere to be found.

“Turn it off, T,” I shout.

---