I doubted it and figured it would only make it worse but I wanted her to leave so I nodded. Truth was if they called me frantic I was telling them where she was. I didn’t want my momma to worry. Dad would worry, but he’d be pissed, and wouldn’t care about her emotional wellbeing.
“See you in a week Phoenix. I’ll be home for graduation.”
She kissed my cheek then headed for the door. “Bye Bliss! Lovely meeting you! Would be even lovelier if you . . .”
“Phoenix!” I stopped the comment.
She threw her head back and laughed, then sashayed out the door.
Life with two younger sisters had never been easy. Dad said it was why I was patient, with women and animals and old people. He had raised my Aunt Nan, said it taught him a lot, Phoenix often compared to her in looks and personality. She wasn’t as mean as they say Nan was, but then she had a stable life growing up. Aunt Nan hadn’t had that. Until Uncle Cope came along she was a destructive and angry hot mess. Or at least that’s the story I’ve heard.
I turned my attention back to Bliss and the way she was studying the window. Her intensity reminded me of a moment seven years ago. It was then that I realized she was special and I wouldn’t be able to forget her.
She must have felt my gaze. Bliss paused and looked directly at me. Her eyes met mine and she smiled. As if she knew what I was thinking and she remembered it too and while remembering turned to me.
Seven years ago . . .
She was worried about her friend. He was home from basketball camp. She’d convinced her parents to let her stay another week at the beach with Larissa, who had helped with that, because her parents were constantly fretting. Eli, however, wasn’t real happy about her being with me all the time.
I woke up and headed for our spot on the beach every morning around the same time. Quite often she was there first. Others days I beat her there. At night we texted on the phone until she stopped which meant she’d fallen asleep.
This summer was a hell of a lot better than I ever imagined it being. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to Rosemary Beach next month. I liked my grandpop’s condo and the food at his bar, the way this beach was touristy, but not so exclusive and elitist like it was at home. And well, if I was being absolutely fucking honest, I liked Bliss York and was pretty sure I was in love. She ruled my thoughts.
I watched her as she watched Eli walk away. We’d been standing in line at the ice cream stand when he came up to her to talk. Asked if she wanted to go surfing with him and someone I didn’t know named Micah. She had declined and he’d glared at me, before walking away with his shoulders drooping, doing that defeated thing.
“Maybe I should have gone. We both could have gone.” Her frown was so damn sweet it hurt. Of course I had to add stark reality.
“I wasn’t invited Bliss.”
She inhaled and exhaled deeply then turned back to me. “That’s because he doesn’t know you Nate. He has to warm up to you.”
No, that wasn’t correct. It was because her friend was jealous. I saw it, understood it, but I wasn’t about to let her leave me for him. If she really wanted I’d let her go, but not because that pussy pouted and retreated like a ten-year old child.
“I could go do something else. Catch up with you later,” I replied. I tried to sound cool, like I was fine with that, but I knew this was a gamble. She could easily agree and walk off. But the way I scanned the area, as if searching for someone to hang with, was the card I was playing at that moment.
“No,” she said quickly. “I want to stay with you.”
I turned back to her and smiled. She felt it to. I knew it. I wasn’t alone in this. The girl who had gotten under my skin was feeling it just like me. Why she liked me when a girl like her fit best with an Eli was beyond me. I wasn’t sure, but damn I was lucky.
“Good,” I replied. “You make being here worth it.”
The smile that lit her face made me want to say all kinds of mushy shit. Just to see that smile again, and again and again and again . . .
Bliss York
“HAVE YOU FORGIVEN me for lying?” was the first thing he said when his sister left. I was relieved Phoenix had been here. It kept us from having this conversation long enough to get my head together.
“Yes,” I replied, because I had. I understood why he did it. It didn’t feel good but I got it.
“And have you thought about us being friends?”
He wasn’t wasting time getting to the point. But then Nate Finlay never had. The truth was there waiting and he dealt with it. It was best this got done before Octavia returned. That was probably what he was thinking at the moment.
“We have to work together. I mean you’ll be here helping Octavia. I don’t see why we shouldn’t be friends. It would make things run a little easier.”
He frowned. That hadn’t been the answer he was looking for. Well, what was? What did he want me to say? Yes! Let’s go get ice cream then kiss under the bridge like we used to? That memory stung deep. I shoved it down. Way down. Those memories weren’t available anymore. They couldn’t be unpacked and toyed with. Not if I was going to get over him.
“Octavia will be here in the next few days . . . and . . . I have questions about the past and you . . . your illness . . . how you overcame it.”
Well boo-hoo. I bet he did. That didn’t mean I was going to open up and share with him. I didn’t want him to know. In my head, I wanted us to remain the way we were, which was stupid, because I had no future with Nate. I suppose, I had no real reason not to tell him, except I didn’t want to, didn’t have to, and would do whatever I chose. Not be pressed into telling because he carried some guilt and needed that burden lifted.