Page 17 of (Un)Rivaled

She rolled her eyes. “Let me guess; you were up until 2 am trying to perfect your fastball?”

“Not 2 am,” I grumbled. Devyn arched a brow. “Only midnight.”

Wade hissed a curse under his breath as he stood and started grabbing his gear. “I’m gonna get out of here before she tosses you in the lake, Anders.” He started walking away but stopped when he got close to Devyn. He smiled brightly at her, and for a moment, I forgot we’d been friends almost as long as Devyn and me. I practically snarled when he said, “You’re looking good, city girl. Maybe you want to watch the fireworks withme later?”

“She’s gonna be with me,” I snapped, tempted to shove my other best friend’s head underwater and hold it there.

Devyn blushed, ignoring my words. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and said, “It’s kind of our thing.” She looked over at me, chewing on her bottom lip. “But maybe you could come hang out with us. We always watch from the cove behind Guardian’s Beach.”

“Yeah?” Wade asked. “I’d like that. I’ll see you there, Devy.”

“Don’t call her that,” I muttered, ignoring the glare Devyn sent my way. “She hates it.”

Devyn settled next to me, stealing Wade’s place. She sighed as the sun hit her face, stretching out like a content kitten. “What was that about?”

I shrugged. “I didn’t like how he was talking to you.”

“Because he was being nice?” Devyn smirked at me. “The horror.”

“He wasn’t just being nice,” I grumbled, rubbing my hand over my face. “Sorry, I’m exhausted, and it’s making me more of a dick than usual.”

“You should have called me,” Devyn said as she reached out to take my hand. “I hate the idea of you being out there alone. Besides, you know I’ll take any excuse to escape from Hotel Hell.”

I turned to stare at her, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. “David still giving you a hard time?”

“It’s fine. I can handle it.”

As Devyn tried to turn away, I held her hand a little tighter, keeping her close to me. “You can trust me, Ace.”

Her brown eyes sparkled as they searched mine. “I know that.”

“Then talk to me,” I insisted. “I know something’s goingon with David, and I hate that you’re dealing with this on your own. So talk to me. Let me help.”

Devyn stared at me for a long minute, then her gaze dropped down to her hands. “I don’t know what to do. For a long time, I thought he just wanted to break my spirit, and that was hard enough. But now, David’s turning his attention on Calla.” She flipped onto her back and stared up at the sky. “I was willing to take the brunt of it to make sure he left her alone. He keeps threatening to send her away to boarding school, and I swear, if he does, that’s it. I’m running away and never looking back.”

“Not alone.” I squeezed her hand. “I’m coming with you.”

“Your mom and dad would kill you if you tried to leave,” she said as she tilted her head toward me with a sad smile. “Besides, you have so many good things going on. You’re not giving up baseball because my stepdad’s an asshole.”

“Hey,” I said. “You and me versus the world, right? That means you leave, I leave.”

Devyn’s eyes searched mine, and I held my breath. Something twisted in my chest, cementing our bond without another word. Over the past couple of years, I knew we’d gotten close, but I never realized how much she meant to me until right now. If she asked me to leave, I’d go without a second of hesitation. Sure, life would suck for a while, but it was still a better option than staying here without her.

Devyn’s eyes watered for a moment before she pushed toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck. She held me close and whispered, “You and me, Gray?”

“Always.”

The annual Fourthof July celebration was a staple in Saint Stephen’s Lake. It was held every single year, no matter the weather. My dad liked to tell a story from twenty years ago, when a strong hurricane sent heavy winds and hail our way. The town came together in the high school gym, refusing to let the year pass without their annual tradition.

While I loved the carnival and all the other events of the day, my favorite part was always the fireworks. Devyn and I found the best view years ago, watching the whole show from a small cove on the east end of the lake. It was hidden, far from the usual beaches and sights the tourists crowded every year. Ever since our parents decided we were old enough to go off on our own, we’d watched here—only the two of us.

Until tonight.

I glowered at my two best friends huddled together on a log. Wade said something, and Devyn threw her head back and laughed. The sound was like an anvil to my chest. As much as I wanted to watch the fireworks, I was too busy watching them like some creep. I swore, if Wade touched her without her permission, I’d?—

“Wow. If that’s how you look at your friends, I’d hate to be your enemy.”

My head turned to the chair next to me, finding Calla draped over it, twirling a Twizzler in her hands. Devyn’s little sister was only a year younger than us, and the girls were as close as they could be. I almost felt bad for their older sister, Laurel, who always seemed to be the odd man out. But there was something about Calla and Devyn, a bond that no one else could replicate.

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