Samantha looked down to her hands, her heart flipping with discomfort. “I don’t know—”
“It’ll make me feel better. I feel bad you’ve been stuck in here all weekend when you could have been home having fun.”
“I haven’t been stuck—”
“Go, Sammie. It’s our last night. I know it’s Tristan, but maybe you’ll meet some other guys. There are guys here; I’ve seen them walking around through the window.” She turned back around. “And you need to get out—if only for a little while.”
Samantha looked down at her fingers, thinking it would be so much easier to turn Steven down if she was able to tell him she had met someone else. “Okay.” She looked up at Renee again, then reached out to adjust the blankets around her friend’s shoulders. “I’ll go, but only for a little while.”
Chapter Four
Six years earlier
It was almost eight thirty when Samantha walked out on the back deck to look for Tristan. The night was warm, but the breeze off the lake offered just enough relief to make the August evening pleasant. Her long blond hair was braided over one shoulder, and she clasped a red-striped beach towel firmly at her chest.
She found him sitting on the steps, looking out to the water. His body was splayed out in gray swim shorts and a white t-shirt, but he didn’t notice her right away. His focus was directed to the lake, as if deep in thought, and the soft glow from the back porch light allowed her to see his features.
She leaned against the log siding and watched him. She’d known him for as long as she could remember, but this was the first time she’d ever seen him alone. Normally, he was surrounded by groupies, both the male and female variety, and it was odd to see him like this. Like a wolf away from his pack, or a white iris in a field of purple. Out of place, but beautiful nonetheless. It intrigued her.
“You came,” he said, his voice quiet and contemplative. But he didn’t turn around to face her. He continued to look out to the lake, as if he saw something out there she couldn’t. “I didn’t think you would.”
She pushed away from the wall, wondering how long he’d noticed her there without saying a word. “Why’s that?”
He rose to his feet and dusted off his shorts before facing her. “Just a hunch.” A slow smile transformed his features as his gaze swept her up and down. “I’m glad I was wrong, Sammie Smiles.”
He walked down the steps, the name from her childhood barely audible on his lips. Low and soft…but incredibly sexy. She didn’t like it, didn’t like it at all. Because for some reason, the way he said it made her stomach flutter. She wasn’t sure if it was the fact they were alone, or something else, but he sounded honest. Like he really was happy to see her.
She cleared her throat and looked out toward the lake. “Where are we going?”
“The dock,” he replied, jetting his chin out to the lake before glancing back up at her. “You okay with that?”
“Sure,” she said, adjusting the towel at her chest before walking down the steps.
The dock sounded safe enough. Out in the open, visible from almost every cabin. She followed him down the path to the beach, closely watching her step as they made it down to the sand. Then his footsteps slowed, and he began walking right beside her. She knew it was intentional, because he was almost a full foot taller than her. But his strides matched her short ones perfectly—step after step—and she realized he was trying to do what he said he would. To be a perfect gentleman. And he was actually succeeding.
Their walk continued, neither saying a word as they headed in the direction of the dock. Which gave Samantha plenty of time to reprimand herself for being so nervous. She wasn’t quite sure the reason, because she knew nothing would ever eventuate between her and Tristan. He could have any girl he wanted, literally, and she had no interest in him whatsoever. But Tristan Montgomery had this way about him. A presence so big the whole world would miss it the moment it was gone…and she was feeling it right now. All around her, over every inch of her skin.
They made it halfway to the dock before either spoke again, but then he turned to her, as if he’d been repressing the words for so long they exploded from his lips. “I leave for Austin next week,” he said, standing in front of her.
It wasn’t a question, but a statement. She wasn’t sure what to do with it. Congratulate him, or give him a high-five. Instead, she looked at him, wondering where all this was coming from. “Are you excited?”
He raised his shoulders, but said nothing as he began walking backward.
Nervous energy shot through her heart and she looked down to her feet again. “Well you should be,” she said with a nod. “An acceptance to UT is an honor.”
He remained quiet, and she continued. “They have one of the best football teams in the US. It’ll be a great opportunity for you—”
He spun around, cutting off her last word as he picked up the pace again. She paused for a second, wondering if what she’d said offended him. Personally, she’d always thought of college as some big, exciting experience. The beginning of the future, the first step toward adulthood. And she knew from Renee that Tristan had a full scholarship—and like always, a whole plethora of new women were out there waiting for him to charm their panties off… But for some reason, he didn’t seem excited. Or happy about it at all, actually.
“I can’t wait to go to college,” she said, to fill the awkward space. “Though I probably won’t move away like you. Not that I don’t want to. But CalArts is my top choice, and it would be foolish to spend money on room and board when I could live at home for free.” She could hear Steven’s voice when she said it, but he was the smartest person in her life, and she was sure it was true.
He looked her over, his brows furrowing, and his feet slowing. “Don’t you ever do anything foolish?”
She lifted her chin. “Not really. Not like you do.”
He laughed. “You think I’m foolish?”
She shrugged. “You do foolish things.”
“Like?”
“Like jumping off your parents’ roof into the neighbor’s pool.”
He grinned. “That was one time.”
“And taking Suzy Baker to senior prom even though you knew her boyfriend was out to get you.”
His grin widened. “I never thought you paid that much attention, Sammie Smiles.”
She cleared her throat. “Well, you’re kinda hard to miss—I mean, the stuff you do. It always causes so much drama, and everyone can never stop talking about it. You’re like our local celebrity.”
They came to a full stop and he turned to face her. “Will you miss me?” he asked. But it wasn’t in that flirtatious way he used with other girls. He wasn’t even smiling when he looked up to meet her eyes; he was dead serious. His eyes held hers, his lips formed in a straight line as though he was holding his breath.
She looked into his clear blue eyes, her breaths becoming shallow and uneven. She shook her head. She didn’t know what was happening to her, but she didn’t like it. “No,” she finally said. “How could I? I hardly know you.”
He laughed, but it didn’t seem a happy one. Then, before she could recover from the whiplash conversation, he pulled his shirt overhead and began running toward the dock. “Maybe I can change your mind.”
Without waiting for her reply, he jumped off the dock and landed with a large splash in the water. He spun around, the light of the moon reflecting off his wet hair, glistening down his bronzed skin and bare chest. “Come on, Sam. Are you gonna swim with me or what?”
Present day
Samantha stared at the bright computer screen, her eyes glassy and aching, as she focused on the cursor in the middle of the page. Tristan terrified her. Not because of who he was, but because of how he affected her. He set the wild heart of hers free, and he did it in a way that was so subtle she didn’t even notice it happening until it was over.
But Renee was right. It would be silly for her to drive alone. Foolish to drive three thousand miles just to avoid the boy she hated. But it was also selfish. Because she knew Renee would worry if she tried to make the trip alone, and Renee already had enough to worry about. A whole wedding’s worth of worry.