Page 13 of The Fangirl and the Playboy

Ending the kiss with a few soft pecks before I lose control completely, I pull back to meet her glassy gaze. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she parrots back with a bright, sunshiny smile that nearly knocks the breath out of me.

God, this girl. I’m such a goner.

ChapterSeven

Willow

Sundays are designated for “me time,” which is why I close down the coffee bar in the shop every week for a day of rest and rejuvenation. I have a single employee who can only work on weekends, so I let him work the retail side for the weekend tourists who want souvenirs or metaphysical tools.

But today? For some reason, I’m bouncing off the walls. I can’t relax, and my body is buzzing with frenetic energy to get out anddosomething.

And I refuse to acknowledge the thoughts that are causing the nervous energy. Thepersonthose thoughts are about.

No.

Grabbing my phone and plopping onto the couch, I send out a group text to Keegan, Trace, Bram, and Pressley, who’s in town this weekend to film the BingBang video she and Keegan worked on last night with he who shall not have any more thoughts wasted on him.

Me:I’m bored. You guys want to hit the lake today? Not too many more warm days before fall hits.

I’m sitting on the edge of my couch, my knee bouncing in an erratic rhythm as I stare at my phone, waiting for someone to reply. A breath whooshes out of me when the device vibrates and a response pops up on the screen.

Pressley:I’m in. I could use some vitamin D.

Keegan: Yeah, you could. *winky face emoji*

Pressley: Oh, gawd, Keegs. I was talking about actual vitamin D from the sun.

Bram: I’m down.

Keegan: For the lake, or for giving Press some vitamin D? *laughing face emoji*

Pressley: Keegan, I’m going to kill you. Somebody gather up bail money, K?

Bram: I meant for the lake, but if you insist…

Pressley: Oh, Bram. Not you, too. I’m so disappointed. *sad face emoji*

Bram: IT WAS A JOKE!

Keegan: Okay, stop shouting. Willow, we’re in. Bram, can you pick up Pressley from her rental? You’re closest.

Bram: Of course. See you all soon.

Pressley: I’ll bring some cookies.

Trace: We’ll bring some sausages and buns for the grill.

I’m laughing by the time I read all the responses, my day infinitely brighter.

Me:Thanks guys! See you all out there!

Hopping up from the couch, I stride into my bedroom. Pulling off my clothes, I put on my bikini, thankful I shaved during my shower this morning. Grabbing my coverup from the closet, I slip the thin sundress over my head and push my arms through the straps.

I head into the bathroom and pull my long, dark hair up into a messy bun before smoothing some moisturizer with sunscreen over my face, neck, and shoulders. Walking back out into my room, I find my favorite flip-flops and slide my feet into them. Then, I grab my beach bag and stuff a couple of towels, a tube of thirty-SPF sunscreen, and a change of clothes inside.

I stop at the big box store on the highway for some water bottles, a twelve-pack of beer, and a couple of sodas on my way to the lake, and even with the detour, I’m the first to arrive. Climbing from the car, I walk across the sand and stare out at the water, remembering the last time we were all here.

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