Page 19 of I Saw Her First

With a tight-lipped smile, I stuff my duffel into the trunk beside two huge boxes of beer, then squeeze behind Jesse’s seat into the cramped back of the car.

“Thanks, man,” Jess says to Rex, popping the top off a bottle of beer. “You’re a good friend.”

Rex nods. “I wouldn’t do this for just anyone.” He pulls out into the street, turning the stereo up. Limp Bizkit blares from thespeakers, and I slump against the backseat with a sigh, counting the minutes until the car ride is over.

Jess spends mostof the ride drinking beer and laughing with Rex, who, thankfully, is not drinking. It’s nice to see Jess relaxing, especially after how tense he’s been around his dad, and it’s no surprise when we have to stop halfway for him to pee. Rex pulls off the Long Island Expressway to find a gas station, while we wait in the car.

“I’m worried about him,” Rex murmurs out of nowhere, watching through the front windshield as Jess walks to the restroom.

“Really?” I ask. “Why?”

Rex lifts a shoulder. “I think he parties too hard.” He glances at me over his shoulder, his brow dipping with an unfamiliar expression. It takes me a moment to realize it’s concern, and my mouth pops open in surprise.

Rex is worried aboutJesspartying too hard? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

“It was fun for a while,” he adds, heaving a weary exhale. “I want to be there for him, but… fuck, I don’t want to lose my job.”

I blink in shock, drawing breath to respond, when Jess returns to the car. The concern vanishes from Rex’s face, morphing back into that cocky grin as he starts the engine.

“Ready, bro?” he asks, and Jess nods.

We peel out onto the highway again with Limp Bizkit blasting, as if the conversation never happened, and I stare out the window, frowning as I consider Rex’s words. They’re a little ironic coming from him, but I push them from my mind as I watch the scenery roll by.

My legs are cramping by the time we finally pull up at the place we’re staying, and it really is on the beach; a huge house with weathered cedar siding, bathed in the golden light of the evening sun. I don’t know how Jess can afford this place—or why he got somewhere so huge—but I’m not complaining. This is the beach house of my dreams.

I unfurl myself from the backseat and stretch my stiff legs. Rex and Jesse spent the rest of the drive singing along to the mind-numbing lyrics of Limp Bizkit as if I wasn’t even there, which was incredibly annoying, especially after Rex seemed to transform into a different person while Jess was in the restroom. Why did he return to his usual obnoxious self the moment Jess appeared again? And why did he say—

Wait, is that a pool? It is! To the side of the house, behind a glass fence, I notice a freaking swimming pool. Even with the beach this close! Okay, that’s awesome. Any irritation I feel melts away at the thought of relaxing here for the next week, and I turn to Rex with a genuine smile.

“Thanks for the ride, Rex.” A couple hours in his company was a small price to pay for this vacation.

“You’re welcome.” He rakes a hand through his auburn hair. “Will we see you tonight?”

I glance at Jesse in confusion. His gaze lingers on me for a moment, then swings to Rex.

“Nah. Maybe tomorrow night.”

Rex nods, his gaze cutting to me. There’s something in his expression I can’t quite read, like what I saw at the gas station, then he slips back into the car. The Challenger roars away, and I follow Jesse up the front path, relieved. He sets our bags down and fumbles in his pocket for the keys.

“Thanks for putting up with him,” he murmurs. “I know he’s a lot.”

He’s confusing, that’s for sure.

“No problem,” I say, eying the swimming pool again. “What’s happening tomorrow?”

“The guys are having a few drinks.”

I turn to him. “The guys?” I knew Rex was up here, but I figured he might be with his family or something.

“Yeah. They’re in New Suffolk for the week. That’s why I thought I’d bring you up.”

Huh. Here I was thinking this was Jesse’s idea of a romantic getaway, but clearly I was wrong. Instead, he wanted to find a way to fit me in with his friends.

I think again of how I wasn’t going to come, and glance back down the driveway. Guess I’m stuck here now.

Still, at least we’ve got our own place, and let’s face it, staying here won’t be a hardship. He can see the boys whenever he wants, and I can sit by the pool with my book. A thrill runs up my spine at the thought, because I literally cannot remember the last time I did that. If ever.

Jess finds the key on his keychain and slides it into the lock. He jiggles it left, right, left again, and the door pops open. “It sticks a bit with the salt air,” he explains, carrying our bags into the foyer.

---