Page 75 of Fun at Parties
“Overwhelmed, I guess.” I sniff and wipe my eyes. “She’s all I have in L.A., and now I’m going to lose her just like I’m losing Bailey.”
He frowns. “You told me things have been weird between you and Bailey. But what do you mean, you’re losing her?”
I swallow. The glow of the taillights in front of us turns blurry. “We’re not as close as we used to be. I guessit was inevitable with me moving, but at first we were good at being long-distance friends. It wasn’t the same as before, obviously, but it was working. And then…I don’t know.
“We never used to be those people who say ‘Let’s get together’ but don’t mean it. Whose lives have become so different that the only thing we have to talk about is old memories and people we both used to know. She forgot I hatesmells, for god’s sake. And I know it’s mostly my fault, which is why I’m going to the party. I need to fix it before it’s too late.”
Nate rubs my arm with featherlight strokes. “You will. You’ve been friends for so long, and you guys have one of those freakish mind-reader bonds.”
“I don’t know how she’s going to react when I tell her what happened between us.”
His hand stops. “You’re going to tell her about us?”
“Do you not want me to?”
“No, no, I just didn’t know what the plan was.”
“I don’t have a plan.” I shrug. “But I know I need to be honest with her when we get home, especially about the big things.”
He lifts my hand and kisses it. When I look up at him, there’s a faint smile on his face.
“Are you making that face because I called you a ‘big thing’?”
“It doesn’t hurt,” he says. “But no. I just liked that you called Seapoint home.”
I rack my brain until I realize what he’s talking about:I know I need to be honest with her when we get home.Myshoulders stiffen. “I was talking about the East Coast, generally. That’s home.”
“Okay.” The smile doesn’t go away.
My insides are winding into a French braid at the significance of my verbal slip. “Don’t you ever feel that way about Logan? Obviously you guys are…not on the same page right now.”
He squints at the road, which is lined on both sides by tall grass. “What, you mean the fact that he’s acting like he’s a fugitive and I’m the law? Yeah, I guess you could say we’re not on the same page.”
“If he’s going to be your business partner, you’ll need to rely on him.” Logan has always been flighty, but the way he’s behaved over the past couple weeks is on another level. It’s hard to imagine him training new counselors or remembering to pay the electric bill. I mean, his response to his current problems was to stick his phone in the mail and gallivant across the country.
“I think it might settle him. He’s smart, and he works hard when he decides to focus on something,” he says. “And regardless, there’s no way his parents will make a deal with me without him.”
I wish he believed in himself a little more. He’s come a long way, but the Forresters would be lucky to leave the camp in his hands, and he needs to understand that.
“Challenge time,” I say.
“Oh, really? And you’re challenging me?”
“It’s only fair,” I say. “You went last time.”
He shrugs. “I’m prepared to be an open book with you, Quinn. Go for it.”
“Okay.” I rub my hands together. “Your challenge is to tell me what you’re going to say to Logan. Talk to me like I’m him. Don’t stop until you see a license plate from a state that touches an ocean.”
“Great. Awesome. Love it.” His voice is saturated with sarcasm. “Hi, Logan.”
“Hey, man,” I say. “Having a good trip?”
“It could use a little less cherry rum, but otherwise, yeah. Incredible trip.” He gives me a soft look, and my stomach flips.
“What did you want to talk to me about?”
“First Cove.” He licks his bottom lip nervously. “It’s hard to believe it’s been almost twenty-five years since our first summer there. You dropped a spider down my shirt, I threw your hat over the fence, and we were best friends.”
