Page 10 of Tourist Trap

“I’m just saying…you’ll be here all summer.”

Finally, I turn to her with an eyebrow raised. “And as you always tell me, this town is teeny tiny. I’d probably have to see him all the time after. It would be awkward.”

“You could have a summer fling!” When I tip my head with a raised brow, she rolls her eyes. “Awkwardness gone because you’d be fucking him all summer long. Then in the fall, you leave. No bumping into him.”

That is definitelynothow that would work, but I know that argument would fall on deaf ears. “You know I don’t do flings.”

She rolls her eyes exasperatedly. “Maybe you should,” she grumbles under her breath.

“June.”

“I’m just saying. I always told you he had a thing for you, and you love flirting with him—” I sigh and throw my hands up.

“Because he’s an easy target, and I like flirting! I flirt with everyone.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t flirt with Grant,” she says.

I raise an eyebrow, finally looking her in the eye. “Do you want me to start?” I ask with a smile.

Her face screws up with disgust. “Ew, no. That’s my brother, Claire.”

“Perfect. Now drop this. Miles Miller has never andwillnever be into me.”

“What if he saw you with Paul and realized he was a big giant idiot not going for it all those summers, and now that you’ve gotten your head out of your ass and dumped his brother, he’s ready to give it a shot? Would you be into him then?”

I roll my eyes.

“You’re going to hurt yourself with how far you’re stretching this. Either way, this summer is not about that. It’s about me having fun and maybe, hopefully, figuring out what I want to do with my life. Now go. I have to go meet my new landlord.”

She looks me over, then seems to realize I don’t want to continue talking about Miles or Paul and smiles again.

“Maybehe’llbe hot, and you’ll have a sweltering summer fling with him instead.”

“Jesus, June, maybe you’re the one who needs to get laid.”

She shakes her head with a sad look on her face. “There’s no maybe about that. We both know my dry spell is just about past saving. You’re my last hope for hot sex by osmosis.”

“You’re out of your fucking mind,” I say low.

My best friend gives me a wide smile and then reaches over, tapping my cheek with a loving hand. “And you love it.” Then she looks at me again. “Sorry, I’m a nudge. I just want you to have the most stellar summer possible.”

I smile before leaning over the center console and hugging her.

“I know. I appreciate it. You’re the mastermind behind this plan, and it’s already shaping up to be amazing.”

“It’s only going to get better. Call me after you go to the house. Tell me whose it is, and I can give you all the tea on who they are and if we should trust them with your life. Remember, if it’s Old Man Rafferty, run. He’s a weirdo and will absolutely steal your panties.”

I cringe at the visual and shake my head.

“I don't think Helen would do that to me,” I say with a laugh. “You said Mr. Rafferty is on Bayside Drive?” She nods. “Yeah, this is on Ocean Ave.”

“Ocean Ave?” she asks curiously, and now it’s my turn to nod. “Hmm. Interesting. Well, call me when you know more!” She steps out of the car, and I think I see a strange look on her face, but I may have just imagined it.

“Later,” I call out, pulling out of her parking lot.

Now that I’m alone, my nerves take over. I graduated from college almost two years ago, and I still don’t know what I want to do with my life. After my plan to follow my then-boyfriend across the country totally crashed and burned, I gave myself one year to figure it out before I had to start thinkingrealisticallyinstead ofidealistically.

Except I’m nearly six months in, and…nothing. I still have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.

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