Page 49 of Summertime Friends

I throw a glare over my shoulder at George. “Rules don’t apply in cities that start with L anyway.” I make that up on the spot.

“Nice try,” George chuckles. “We went to school in L-O-N-D-O-N! And we are in Lagos? Now, if you want her, you better claim her.”

George dives underwater, swimming off from us toward a group of girls to our right.

I look back to where Emerson is walking toward us in the water.

She isn’t just hot. She’s beautiful.

If that’s the only thing George sees in her, then he’d never win the game if there was one to even begin with.

21

EMERSON

Now

You up?

Callum: I am now.

I miss him.

Callum: You text me at 4:30 am to tell me that. Tell him that, not me.

Brandon and I called off our engagement.

Not even seconds after I spotted the delivered message appear under the last text I sent to Callum, my phone rang.

I pick it up on the second ring. “Callum?”

“Emerson, it’s about time that’s called off.”

“Excuse me, but I don’t need you confirming that.”

“Come on, he was a buffer for your mind. A placeholder for—”

“That’s not true. I don’t tell you everything.”

“I smelled through your bullshit, States. Brandon was barely easing the fact that you wouldn’t let yourself be with the person you want to be with,” Callum continues without acknowledging that I spoke.

“He asked something similar to that.”

“Did he now?”

“I don’t need condescending Cal right now,” I say firmly.

I fill Callum in on Liam and I’s walk home and how Brandon had heard our hallway conversation through the door. Then, how Brandon graciously bowed out of our relationship. I know he’s hurt and mad, but he left me with a proposition and words I desperately needed to hear.

“Are you okay?” Cal asks.

“I will be. I’m more upset that I hurt Brandon than the engagement being called off and that it was Liam who sent it spiraling.”

“You have to stop blaming Liam.”

“Why? None of this would have happened if he hadn’t asked to come upstairs. I would still be engag—”

“Miserable. You’d be miserable, Emerson. Yeah, Brandon overheard, but Liam didn’t do anything besides tell you the truth. All he’s ever tried to do is show you the love you deserve. In a roundabout way, he did that tonight.”

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