Page 121 of Summertime Friends

As everyone arrived, a sliver of hope formed in my heart. Maybe she’d come to get her belongings this morning. She didn’t. Perhaps she’d show up now. She didn’t.

That sliver waned with each step he took with no one behind him.

Callum shakes his head no as he gets to the table.

I push my chair back in disappointment. A dull red takes over my vision. Irritated that she’s running. Irritated that she can’t choose me, when I’ve chosen her.

“Trade me seats,” I demand of Audrey. She does as I say, glancing between me and her brother.

“Switch him, Auds,” Callum says to her.

My back is now to the door.

“Where’s States?” George aims the question in my direction.

The red increases a shade darker.

“Not coming,” Callum thankfully answers for me.

George follows up with, “Does that have anything to do with why she stayed at our place last night?”

Callum and Beatrix shoot daggers at him with their eyes. Even from where I’m sitting, I can see Beatrix’s hand under the table squeezing his knee to restrain him.

“Doesn’t matter where she slept; she wouldn’t have shown up anyway,” I bite back.

“That’s not tr—”

The red increases a shade darker.

I cut him off. “Oh, come off it, Callum. You know she wouldn’t have shown.” I won’t let him finish his lie.

“What happened?” Audrey’s mouth frowns with uncertainty. The rest of her face follows—a look I’ve never seen her wear. She’s the most certain person I know. Thoughtful, intentional, and a shit ton of words I would have described Emerson with.

“I told her I loved her, and she said nothing back.”

Both girls’ faces fall, their expressions telling me I look as heartbroken as I feel.

I pushed Emerson too far last night by asking her if she did. I could have survived with my assumptions and waited until she was ready to say it.

The red increases a shade darker.

“Was that last night?” Beatrix asks.

“Sunday.”

Beatrix smiles. “No wonder you two were M.I.A. for an hour on Tuesday night. Those eyes weren’t friend eyes you two were giving each other. The heat was pal-pa-ble.”

“They’ve never been friends.” George lets out a chuckle.

“Aye, neither have we,” Bea says. George kisses her cheek.

“We always have been to her.” I roll my eyes, taking a large drink of my Negroni. Flicking my gaze from the waiter to my drink. “She wears a damn good mask and knows how to lead someone on.”

“I don’t think she led you on,” Beatrix says.

All of our heads turn to her.

“What? He just told her the other day. It’s not like he said it years ago, and this is now happening.”

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