“But don’t forget that I said this is a horrible, terrible idea and bad, bad, bad things are gonna come of it.”
“Wah, wah, wah,” she sang right back.
I punted her a glare. “You owe me, big time.”
Carly rolled her eyes. “Believe me, it’s me who’s doin’ you the favor.”
Was pretty sure my eyebrows disappeared under my bangs. “A favor? The last thing I want to do today is go to the lake . . . with Jack . . . and everyone else.” I pushed out the last through gritted teeth.
“It’s got to happen sometime.”
“Well, I’d prefer for it not to be today. Or ever. Sounds like a plan to me. I’ll pencil it in on my calendar.”
“You can’t hide from him forever, Frankie Leigh. He’s your family whether you’re with him or not.”
Oh, no, no, no. Family he was not.
Family didn’t ditch you. Forget you.
They stuck firm.
No matter what.
Except . . . except that was a lie, wasn’t it?
The boy forever etched so deep in me there would be no erasing the effects.
And now he was back and implying things that I couldn’t afford for him to imply. His excuse one I sure didn’t want to hear.
Then he’d gone and branded me with the mark of his touch. I could still feel it singed on my hip, the shape of his hand and the want in those eyes.
“Besides, you know he’s gonna be out in the lake.” She waggled her brows. I had half a mind to pluck all of them out. We’d see how she liked that.
“I hate you,” I told her.
She pecked a kiss to my forehead. “You love me and you know it. Now get your ass in the shower and hurry up about it. I already have our things packed.”
“This is a bad idea,” I grumbled again as I stood, scratching at my lower back and giving into a big yawn as I shuffled on bare feet toward the bathroom.
Carly’s expression shifted, a true frown marring her brow. “It’s true, Frankie. You can’t hide from this forever. You need to face it and embrace it, no matter which side you decide to land on.”
Pained laughter rippled free. “There’s no deciding.”
Evan already decided that for me three years ago.
And that pain?
That was something I didn’t ever want to experience again.
Twenty minutes later, we had most everything packed into the back of Josiah’s old Tahoe. A cooler, bags of groceries, towels and blankets, and all our camping supplies.
I had to admit, I felt minimally better after a steaming hot shower. I’d pulled on some cutoff shorts and a tank over my favorite printed bikini and tied my hair up in a messy knot.
That was as good as it was goin’ to get.
“Beer. Wine. Ice. Chips. Beer.” Josiah ticked the all-important list off with his fingers.
“I think you’re safe,” I told him, totally droll.
He only had six 12-packs stacked in the back.
“You never know, Kit Kat.”
So, the guy had a problem that he nicknamed everyone after his favorite candy bars. When I was thirteen, I’d wanted to reem him for it, but now I got it was nothin’ but affection.
You knew you were in big, big trouble if he only deemed you worthy of calling you by your first name.
I leaned into the back of the SUV, trying to make room for a big umbrella.
A hand landed on one cheek of my butt and squeezed.
I jumped so high I nearly hit my head on the opened hatch, and I whirled around, doing my best to play it cool.
To pretend like my entire being hadn’t just flinched with his touch.
To pretend like I wasn’t carrying around this weight that was threatening to suffocate.
Jack shoved a small duffle bag into an open space, giving me a good side-eye.
I’d been avoiding him like he was the carrier of a brand-new plague. One that riddled you with guilt, and the shame you bore slowly killed you off.
But this was no love triangle.
Not when Evan and I were a constellation.
An intricate pattern that glimmered and twinkled in the deepest night. One that led you into the light like the sun breeching the horizon after you’d spent years wandering in the dark.
Old affection thrashed.
Tried to rise up and take hold.
How did I stop the flood? I couldn’t entertain these thoughts. Couldn’t.
Loving Evan Bryant had just hurt too bad.
I glanced at Jack. My chest squeezed tight. Even if I could never be with Evan, could never trust him