Page 21 of Knockin' Boats
Even years older, with the bulk of a man’s body instead of a lanky teen’s and the extra facial hair, he still stood the same.
Moved the same.
Smiledthe same.
He turned toward me, that trademark grin spreading across his face.
Twin sensations hit me. Fondness and resentment. Comfort and pain.
My heart tumbled. Why did he have to comehere?
“Thanks, man. I can’t wait to take her out.”
I slammed the key down. “Why the fuck are you doing this?”
He blinked. “Uh, what?”
“Working here. Invadingmylife. Making nice withmyfriends.”
“It’s not like that. This was a good opportunity.”
I scoffed. “Right. You’ve got a rich stepdad who could finance your damn business anytime, but youhadto come here.”
Ash’s smile dropped. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. But what’s new, right? You always did leap to dumbass conclusions.”
“Like you stealing my girlfriend?”
“Ex-girlfriend, and I didn’t steal her, asshole. She came to me of her own free will.”
“You broke the bro code, and you know it.”
Ash snatched up the key and gave me a grim smile. “Well, good thing I don’t want to be yourbro, then.”
That cut like no other words he’d ever said. We’d been as close as brothers once. I’d thought we still were when I moved to Swallow Cove. Sure, Ash lived in Bubble Butte back then, and we weren’t an easy jaunt across the lake from each other, but I thought we’d find a way.
My family fell apart, and I was a mess, but when the dust cleared, I expected my best friend to be waiting for me.
But he wasn’t.
I’d always assumed he was selfish and horny. But maybe it ran deeper than that. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to be my friend at all.
Ash read something in my expression. He winced. “Sawyer, I didn’t mean?—”
“I’ve got work to do.”
I turned on my heel and headed back into the office, fuming.
If the bell rang again, I didn’t hear it through the buzzing in my brain.
How had I fooled myself into thinking I could avoid him here? I hadn’t even made it through a few hours without him sending me into a tailspin.
Fucking fuck. This summer was going to suck balls.
CHAPTER 6
Ash
I snickered as I followed Mel into a little coffee shop in the downtown area of Swallow Cove. “Just The Sip? Really?”
