Page 113 of The Perfect Spiral
His large arms enveloped my smaller frame, pulling me closer to his well-built body. I pulled back, walked to the driver’s side, hopped in, and shut the door.
The window was rolled down, so Ben leaned in and said, “Text me when you get home, so I know you’re alright.” He thumped the inside of my car twice—out of habit, I assumed—and I started up the engine.
“Will do, honey! Bye,” I waved at him as I backed out onto the road and drove away. I caught a glimpse of him in the rearview mirror, still standing there, before he finally walked away.
A few minutes later, I arrived home. True to my word, I texted him to let him know I was home safe and sound. I stripped off my clothes, ready for a long, steamy shower, and then bed. What a day, I thought to myself.
Chapter 38
As I settled into the flight bound for Savannah, Andy’s head found a resting place on my shoulder, her snores echoing directly into my ear.
Her hand, heavy and warm, lay on my upper thigh, occasionally stirring in her sleep to stroke my leg while she murmured my brother’s name.
I’d glance over at the man seated next to us, offering him a silent plea for help. His response was always a quiet chuckle, hisshoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
Andy’s hand would sometimes wander dangerously close to my private area, leaving me puzzled and slightly offended. Why on earth would she mistake me for Kyle?
I’d gently move her hand back to her own lap, but it always found its way back to mine. We were crammed into economy seats, after all.
I hadn’t informed my brothers about our arrival date. I didn’t want to be upgraded to first class by the usual suspect, and I wanted to surprise them.
Andy was all for the surprise, but we let Eric in on the secret so he could pick us up from the airport.
Speaking of first class, Wes had flown back to New York to visit his grandparents before heading down to Savannah. It was now mid-June, and a lot had happened since the Super Bowl fiasco.
After the whole debacle with Knox, I hadn’t spoken to him until three weeks ago, when I confirmed that I was still coming to Savannah for the summer.
I’d been ignoring his calls and messages, but I refused to tell anyone why I was upset. The truth was, I didn’t even know why I was so annoyed with him and Lauren. I didn’t own him, he wasn’t my boyfriend.
I didn’t have feelings for him, and he didn’t have feelings for me. Andy tried to pry it out of me, as did my mom and Sam, but I kept my lips sealed. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone, so I did what any normal person would do—I swept it under the rug.
Ben and I had grown closer than ever. We hung out nearly every day, either at his place or mine, always with food involved.
Andy was smitten with him from the moment she laid eyes onhim. “Fuck, he’s gorgeous! Are you sure you wouldn’t go there? I mean, damn girl! He’s abs-olutely fuckable! If you know what I mean.”
Poor Ben, but he secretly reveled in the attention from the ladies. We got to know each other better, but our relationship was purely platonic. We didn’t see each other in that way.
Wes initially disliked Ben, but he warmed up to him after spending some time together on the beach. Andy adored him from the get-go. “He’s got the perfect sense of humor!” she’d gush. I loved being around him.
I was so happy with him and grateful that we’d met that day on the beach. We texted and called each other every day, and there was never any awkwardness between us—unless one of us was intentionally creating it.
He mentioned that he’d visit us in Savannah over the summer since he’d never been there. I was excited for him to meet my family. I knew they’d love him, especially the girls.
With the start of summer and the end of college exams, I was looking forward to feeling the hot white sand between my toes, the warm water of the hot tub, and the waves washing over me in the sea.
I also told Wes that we needed to stop kissing until I could sort out my feelings. He wasn’t thrilled about it, but he eventually came around. My mind had been a jumbled mess for the past few months, and I needed some time to myself.
I’d been avoiding Drew, too, dodging his phone calls, meetups, and messages. I wasn’t ready to face him yet, to give him astraight answer. I was a mess, and the only people I confided in were Ben and Andy.
Sometimes I’d call Hannah, but it was hard to keep her updated all the time when she was so far away.
We landed at two in the sunny afternoon. It would take about an hour to get to the house. Eric greeted us, tossed our bags in the back, and opened the doors for us to climb in.
He was always such a gentleman. I wished I could find a guy like him. He’d always been kind to me growing up. I’d given him a hard time at first, but I’d warmed up to him over time.
He understood why I’d been so standoffish with him. I was afraid he’d turn out like my own father. But over time, I realized he was nothing like him.
“So, everyone’s awake and down on the beach right now. You girls have your swimsuits with you?”
