“What do you drink?” Preston asked as he walked us over to a table inside in the back corner.
“One of those icy coffee things. Anything mocha.” I hadn’t tried the coffee options out here yet, so I didn’t have a specific order.
“Got it. The girliest drink they have,” he replied with a wink, and turned to head to the counter to order. There weren’t a lot of people inside. Several were outside under the umbrellas, but inside it was almost empty.
My phone played, alerting me to a text message. Pulling my phone out, I glanced down to see Kelsey reminding me that we had study group for economics tonight. When a class came with a built-in tutor to help you get through it, then you knew you were in trouble. I intended to make every study group the tutor offered.
“It’s called an Ice Rageous, for future orders,” Preston said as he set a drink in front of me that was topped with whipped cream and caramel.
“Thank you,” I replied as I watched him sink down into the seat across from me.
“You can also order ‘girlie drink’ and the guy behind the counter knows what you mean.” The teasing tone of his voice made me laugh. I’d never really had an actual conversation with Preston that didn’t involve pre-sex or drama. This was nice.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Preston took a drink of his coffee and leaned forward on his elbows, watching me. “Why do I make you nervous, Manda?”
Why did he make me nervous? How was I supposed to answer that? Maybe because I’d had a crush on him for years, I’d given him my virginity, and he was gorgeous.
“You don’t. Well, I mean, you do, but we’ve never really talked before. Not like this.”
Preston set his cup down, but his eyes never left my face. “Then why did you go outside with me at the club? I can’t let that go. I keep going back to the fact that you went out there with me. Why?”
If we were going to be friends, I needed to be honest with him. At least mostly honest with him. I was working on getting over him, so that wouldn’t be an entire lie.
“I had a crush on you. I’d had one for years. I wanted to be the one you took home that night. That didn’t happen, exactly. We made it to your Jeep, and then you hauled me off to the storage shed. I got over my crush after that night.”
Not exactly true, but close enough. He didn’t need the gory details. Or to know that I still used him as inspiration at night when I needed to feel him again. I wasn’t sharing that piece of info either.
“You had a crush on me?” he repeated, and muttered a curse. “Manda, I’m so sorry. I wish I’d been sober.”
I laughed for the first time since we’d started this uncomfortable conversation again. “Had you been sober, I would still be living in my fantasy world that one day you’d look at me and want me too. That night finally rid me of that delusion.”
“You figured out you were too good for me that night.” The tight, pained look in Preston’s eyes confused me.
“No, I figured out that I am never going to be ‘that girl’—the kind you’re attracted to. I’m okay with that now.”
Preston reached out and took my chin in his hands, and lifted my face until my eyes met his. “There are a lot of things that I’m not. But trust me when I tell you I’m more attracted to you than is safe for either of us.”
“Amanda, hey!” someone interrupted us. “I haven’t seen you in a while. And Preston Drake, let go of Marcus’s little sister before I slap you for her.” Jess, Rock’s cousin and the town slut, pulled out the chair on the other side of Preston.
“Hey, Jess,” I replied.
“Leave, Jess,” Preston said in an annoyed tone as his hand left my face.
“Tsk-tsk, touchy, touchy. Cool down, lover boy. You’re barking up the wrong tree with this one. She ain’t your type.”
“I know that. We’re friends,” he snapped. leaning back in his chair and taking a drink of his coffee.
“You stopped coming to Live Bay and drinking with me, Amanda. Wondered what happened to you. We had a few fun nights,” Jess said, grinning at me with a wicked twinkle in her eye.
Back this summer after Preston had left me in that storage room, I’d done everything I could to get his attention, including drinking and partying with Jess. But one night when a guy had gotten a little too out of hand and Dewayne had showed up and beat his face in—that had been my last night out with Jess. It had been the wake up call I’d needed. I wasn’t that kind of girl. I never would be. And no amount of partying was going to get Preston to look at me again. He’d had his fill.
“Yeah, I’ve been busy,” I replied.
“Weren’t you going off to college? Auburn or some crazy shit like that?”
The main reason I wasn’t going was sitting across from me listening to every word I said. “Yeah, I was. But I didn’t want to miss the wedding planning for Marcus and Willow. And my mom still needs me. She isn’t ready for me to leave her just yet. Especially with Marcus getting married.”