Page 56 of No One Wants That (Blitzen Bay)

KIT

“You haven’t seen him since you got back here?”

When we got back to the inn, Butch and Mason stayed at the marina to clean up the boat while the rest of us walked back to the inn. I thought Butch would come to my room when he was done, but he never showed up.

“No!” I put my feet on the dashboard of Elle’s Jeep and sink as low as I can in the seat. “I even waited to take my shower because I thought we could take one together, but he never showed up.”

“Did he text you?”

“Elle! No phone, remember? And he hasn’t even asked for my number. He’s so not interested.”

She reclines her seat back and looks up at the ceiling. “But what about the kiss in the water? You said it was so hot—”

“It was!” I say, stomping my feet on the dashboard. “Gah! Why? This doesn’t make any sense.”

She turns her head toward me. “Do you think he’s a virgin?”

“Elle!”

“I know. I know. I’m just trying to figure it out. It doesn’t make sense.”

We both sit bolt upright when we hear a rap on the window.

“It’s just me,” Hank says, holding his hands in the air and taking a few steps back. “Claire said you’ve been parked in front of the inn for a while. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Elle lowers her window. “We’re fine, Hank. Sorry for loitering.”

“You can loiter any time you want but we have a nice front porch,” he says, gesturing toward the seating area. “You’d probably be more comfortable up there.”

“Thanks, but we’re headed back to Nash’s in a second,” Elle says. “Do you and Claire want to join us for a fish fry?”

“We can’t tonight,” he says, smiling. “And you’re going to have to start referring to Nash’s house as your house soon. Right? Nash told me that was going to be your primary residence after the wedding.”

“Yeah, we definitely want to make Blitzen our home base. I guess I’ll move up here full time after I graduate—depending on where I get a job.”

“Well,” Hank says, patting her arm, “I think I speak for the entire town when I say you will be very welcome as our newest citizen.”

“Elle?” When Butch’s voice echoes down from the front porch, I crumple down into my seat again. “Have you seen Kit? We’re getting ready to leave. I knocked on her room door, but no answer. Oh, there you are. Why are you sitting like that?”

I push myself up, but don’t look at him. “Like what?”

“Kit’s riding with me.” Elle says, pulling her seat back up and starting the car. “We’ll see you over there.”

“Oh, okay. You didn’t need to make an extra trip,” Butch says, leaning on Elle’s window. He looks at me. “Kit, you could have come with us.”

“No worries,” Elle says, pushing him back as she starts to roll up her window. “We’ll see you over there. Bye, Hank.”

Butch walks around the front of our car, his eyes locked on me the entire time.

“He’s staring at you like he wants to eat you whole,” Elle says, backing out of her space.

“God, he’s more of a tease than any woman I know.” I finally look up at him. I roll my eyes when he smiles. “I’m so sick of men right now. I’m done.”

* * *

“How about beer pong, Alex?” Butch says. “Maybe you can make a shot this time.”

We’ve been at Nash’s for a couple of hours. Butch is acting like everything’s completely normal. He’s been joking around with me like I’m one of the guys. He’s obviously friend zoned me. I’ve officially stopped trying to make it more than that.

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