“Yeah. Us.” Green eyes sparkled up at him, a far cry from frustrated and competitive. “I’m used to us always being on the opposite team.”
He nodded. “Leave it to a bully in a bar to bond Magnolia High’s top students.”
Her return smile was contagious. “We were that, weren’t we?”
They’d caught up for ten minutes and talked future plans. She’d just been invited to attend a prestigious aerial college and was debating making the transfer. Leaving Harvard wasn’t an easy decision, but neither was saying no to a lifelong dream.
Cade could almost forget the throbbing in his jaw with the way she’d looked at him, opened up to him. Viewed him as a friend, an equal—not a rival. Not Mayor Landry’s son. Not the butt of her friends’ jokes and hate, the guy to roll her eyes at.
JustCade.
He could almost forget the struggle of that past year at Yale, his grades hovering right above failing. Could almost let go of the fear that welled up every time he thought about his father finding out, about failing his entire family tree full of successful Landrys.
The threat of the bar hanging over him.
“Are you ever going to come back to Magnolia Bay?” he’d asked, hoping she couldn’t tell how his hands shook.
Her gaze had been downright flirty, and he didn’t think it was from her one beer she’d only drank half of. “Would it matter?”
He could flirt too. Even though that night, he felt more tongue-tied and adolescent than smooth and charming. “It might.”
The wind had lifted her hair from her neck, cooled the sweat on his back. Breathed hope into a raw spot. “Then I might.”
Thump. Owen popped open the cooler lid, interrupting the memory. “What kind of moment?” He cracked open a can of sparkling water.
Cade had almost kissed her, almost got the guts to see what that ‘might’ tasted like on her lips. But…
“Doesn’t matter. That wretched Amber girl interrupted, like she always did in high school. Came to drag Rosalyn off with their crew.” Cade rolled his eyes. “She even called Rosalyn out for being with me. Like they were freshmen all over again.” Dumb. It didn’t take much to remember Amber’s dark eyes spitting fire at him, as if he were solely responsible for every male mistake since Adam in the garden.
“And that was that?” Noah asked.
“That was that.” Rosalyn hadn’t stuck up for him. Just shot him an apologetic look and half-smile and let them drag her off. “Didn’t see her again until she appeared in my office a few days ago.”
Guess that “might” hadn’t held a lot of weight.
“Too bad. You seemed like a good fit—even way back when.” Noah gestured to Owen still at the cooler. “Toss me one?”
Owen obliged, missed. The can hit the dock and rolled toward the water.
Linc stopped it with his boot. “What do you mean, back when?”
“Sixth grade.” Noah braced his pole against the dock and opened his drink.
Cade sighed. “Here we go with the volcano again.”
“You guys had sparks.” Noah took a swig.
“That was the vinegar.”
Noah nearly sprayed his water. “I doubt that.”
“So, to clarify, he’s not asking Rosalyn out, right?” Owen shut the lid and sat on top of it.
“Unfortunately.” Noah lifted his can in a toast. “Though I can guarantee you Elisa won’t let up as easy as we are.”
He could go for a Snickers right now. Cade took a deep breath. “It’s not in the cards. Rosalyn is only here for Magnolia Days and her family, then she’ll be back to whatever globe-hopping schedule famous people have.”
“Long-distance relationships exist.” Owen shrugged.
