Page 89 of Hooked On Them

“Too much?” I offered, preparing for the gentle letdown I’d heard countless times before. Carter Campbell: enthusiastic to a fault.

“Just enough.”

Well, shit. Was that a grain of sand in my eye?

We walked farther down the beach, where a large piece of driftwood had washed ashore. Miles and Dominic sat on opposite ends, and Nora settled between them. I remained standing, watching the dark waves roll in, feeling strangely vulnerable.

“You know what’s weird?” Miles broke the silence again, always knowing when it was time to. “How normal this is starting to feel.”

“What, the four of us on a beach at night?” Dominic’s tone lacked its usual edge, and he sounded relaxed for the first time ever since I’d known him.

“No, this...” Miles gestured between all of us. “I keep waiting for it to implode.”

I crossed my arms, sand shifting beneath my feet. “Maybe it won’t. I hope it won’t. I kind of like having people to celebrate Christmas with.”

“Why don’t you have anyone to celebrate with?” Dominic asked carefully.

They all looked at me, and I felt exposed in a way that had nothing to do with the moonlight. I was usually the one making jokes, keeping things light. But Mateo’s words echoed in my head:Be the person Nora sees when she looks at you.

“The invitation from my parents to join them is always there, but they’ve waited for the last decade to see me fail at life, and I’m tired of having to listen to their disappointment.” I turned to look out across the ocean, the waves filling the brief silence while they waited for me to continue. “When I decided to switch my major from business to visual arts, they acted like I’d announced I was joining a cult.”

“That’s rough,” Miles said. “Parents and their expectations.”

I glanced back at him, surprised by the understanding in his voice. Miles was usually so composed that it was easy to forget he might have his own shit to deal with.

The tension dissipated, and somehow, we’d crossed into new territory. Not friends exactly, but something more than rivals. Something we didn’t have a name for yet.

We fell silent again, and I sank down onto the sand near Nora’s feet, letting the cool grains run through my fingers. She shifted, sliding off the driftwood to sit beside me, her shoulder pressing against mine.

Her hand found mine in the sand, fingers weaving between mine with a casual intimacy that stole my breath. She didn’t speak, just held on, grounding me. I squeezed back, overwhelmed by how much I wanted this, wanted her, in my life.

After a while, she shivered slightly. “We should probably head back before Dad sends out a search party.”

“Or before Carter starts listing exotic beach resorts he’s visited,” Dominic deadpanned.

I flicked sand in his direction. “Jackass.”

We all laughed and stood, brushing sand from our clothes. As we turned back toward the house, Nora fell into step beside me, leaning slightly into my side. The others walked ahead, giving us a moment.

“Thank you for coming,” she said softly. “I know this is awkward and complicated, but having you here... it means a lot.”

Her eyes reflected the moonlight, and I wanted to kiss her. Not because I hadn’t already, but because I wanted to again. Because I wanted it to mean something more this time.

“Nora!” Miles called from up ahead. “Come see this shell. It’s perfect.”

She hesitated, glancing between me and Miles. I stepped back, giving her an easy smile. “Go.”

“Save that thought,” she whispered, brushing her fingers against my cheek before jogging ahead.

I watched her go, joining Miles to examine whatever treasure he’d found. Dominic hung back, glancing at me with what might have been understanding.

The moon cast our shadows long across the sand. We were four distinct silhouettes that somehow fit together, and I couldn’t tell where one ended and another began.

Maybe that was the point.

Chapter29

Fuck the Rules

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