be sure I hadn’t unconsciously written his name on the napkin like I used to do when I was fifteen.
I hadn’t.
He was such a jerk.
I looked over at Skylar, who had out her phone again and was glaring at the screen. “What do you want?” I asked Adam, staring at a spot over his left shoulder so I wouldn’t have to look at his face.
Adam lifted his to-go coffee cup. “Getting provisions for the day ahead.”
“Mmhmm,” I responded distractedly.
Come on, Skylar.
“You just hanging out?” he asked wryly.
“I’m here with Skylar.” I indicated the tall, dark-haired girl who was now at the counter giving the intimidated barista a chewing out for something.
Adam’s face lit up. “Oh man, I haven’t seen Skylar in a while.” He chuckled. “Should we intervene? That poor kid looks like he’s about to piss himself.”
He was right. The pimply-faced guy behind the counter looked positively terrified of Skylar.
“Nah, let the girl have her fun.”
Adam took a sip of his coffee. “You look tired. Wild and crazy night after leaving Mom and Dad’s?”
“Oh, you know, the usual carousing and whoring,” I replied tartly.
“You always were quite the carouser.” Adam chuckled, and I found myself smiling.
“It was all that rummy and the pickup soccer games. I was seriously out of control,” I joked.
“It was a miracle I could rein you in. You would have led me down a very dark path if I wasn’t careful,” he whispered conspiratorially.
“I’m a total badass; don’t you forget it.” Then I actually winked at him.
What in the hell was I doing? Falling into comfortable ribbing was so natural. I found myself doing it without thinking. Even last night, when I was knee-deep in a tumult of emotions at seeing him again after so long, I still found myself reminiscing and sharing inside jokes the way we always had.
Deep down, I knew this was what I had been scared of. Why I resisted visiting Southport, and by extension, seeing him. I knew how tempting it was to be effortless with him, at remembering why he was so important to me. Being around him made it easy to forget all the ways he had hurt me.
Adam’s expression grew serious.“My parents really loved seeing you last night. Lena too,” Adam said, pulling a leather satchel up onto his shoulder. Was Adam really carrying a man bag?
I snickered. I couldn’t help it.
His eyes widened. “Are you laughing at me?”
I pointed to his bag. “You have a man bag. Have you turned metrosexual?”
Adam rolled his eyes. “I love that you get such pleasure out of ridiculing me. I guess it’s better than having you ignore me.”
I smothered my laughter, feeling a little guilty for mocking him. Only a little. “I can go back to ignoring you if that’s easier for you,” I offered with a grin.
“No.” He shook his head. “That wouldn’t make it easier for me.” It was his turn to wink, and I felt warm. Between my goddamn legs.
I was a mess.
“Anyway,” I went on, pressing my thighs together. “It was good to see your parents and Lena. It’s been a long time.”
“You haven’t been to the house since they had the kitchen and patio done, have you?” he asked.
“No. It looked great.” Was this what we were going to talk about? Seriously?
“I think the last time you came over was the weekend that bee-stung you on the lip.” He puffed out his lips for effect. “Kyle called you Big Mama for days.”
That was the weekend before Homecoming. I didn’t want to walk down that memory lane.
“Yeah…” I drew out the word. Adam, realizing his error, fidgeted restlessly.
“I liked seeing you,” he said in a rush, pushing the hair out of his eyes. He needed a haircut. With his hair in his face, he looked like he was still seventeen years old. It set off an uncomfortable pang in my chest.
Then I registered what he said.
I opened my mouth to reply, then closed it again. I didn’t know how to respond. I couldn’t exactly tell him how conflicted seeing him again made me feel. That I hated every second we shared breathing space, but that I also missed him more than I wanted to.
No way I’d ever tell him that.
“Okay…” I let the word drift off awkwardly.
Adam cleared his throat and scratched his chin absently. “So, I was going to call you—”
I cocked my head in surprise. “You were going to call me? What in the hell for?”