Page 123 of Even in the Dark

My mom and I moved to Sandy Haven just over a week ago from Allerston Lake, a blah town about half an hour from here. It isn't an awful place. I was happy there and had lots of great friends, who I still plan to see as much as I can. But it’s nothing like Sandy Haven.

Our biggest waterfront attraction was a murky lake fringed by scraggly trees and beer-can-littered beaches. Here? It’s like someone cranked the color saturation slider up to eleven. Overflowing hanging baskets, vintage wooden signs, and pastel-painted cedar shingled buildings lit in twinkling string lights in the evenings—think ‘coastal chic meets Pinterest board of a person who owns too many scented candles.'

And I hit the summer job jackpot. Cool coworkers, ocean views, a weekend beach bonfire invite already lined up.Not too shabby.

I jump up. "Slow down, Harry!"

He’s barreling toward Finn, but to no one’s surprise, Finn lights up. "Hey! How ‘bout we race!"

This is about to go downhill fast.Laney and I exchange a look, then push to our feet to prep for the next activity.

Then her fingers dig into my arm. "Oh my God," she hisses. "Don’t look now—but Xavier Rockwell is heading this way."

I can't help it. I look.

A guy who could easily headline a Jenny Han adaptation strides toward the clubhouse, casually scrolling on his phone. Tall, sun-kissed, effortlessly cool. His brown hair catches the light, jawline sharp enough to cut glass. If teenage heartbreakhad a poster boy, this dude would be on every lamppost in America.

"I’m gonna need more context," I murmur.

Laney’s still locked onto him. "Are you kidding me?Xavier Rockwell.As intheRockwells. As in Barron Rockwell."

Okay, that name I know. "The gazillionaire?"

"Yeah. Real estate tycoon. Owns a bunch of luxury resorts," Laney says, her words tumbling out in a muted rush. "Xavier's his son. They live in this insane mansion up on the cliffs. I've heard it's like a legit castle."

I frown. "Wait. Barron Rockwell’s, like, eighty—and he has a kid our age?"

"And a five-year-old." Her eyes still haven't strayed from the guy who seems to be getting exponentially hotter the closer he gets. "Finn is Xavier's little brother."

My gaze flicks to adorable Finn, mop of brown curls still damp from a water gun fight earlier, tiny terror energy at full capacity.

"Finn is Barron Rockwell's kid?" My jaw goes slack. "God, how old is their mom?"

"Way younger than Barron. Jacee was a model—still models sometimes, I think. She married Barron when she was like, twenty-two and he was in his mid-sixties." Laney’s voice drops lower as Xavier gets closer. "Word is she's always off partying on fancy tropical islands and stuff. Town gossip says she’s got a couple of younger guys on the side, but who knows."

I raise an eyebrow. "Sounds like a soap opera."

His mother being a model explains the dude's ridiculous good looks, though.

"You have no idea. And Xavier’s parties?" She whistles low. "Legendary.Like, off the charts. He checks all the boxes: on the football team, plays hockey, gets mentioned in gossip magazines and stuff because he's a Rockwell—and, well, totally gorgeous…”

"So, basically, he’s a walking CW show."

"Yup. Pretty much every girl in town is obsessed with him."

Of course.

Still, as Xavier steps into the clubhouse, leaning to see out of the wide-open windows of the Kid's Club front office, I get it. He’s the kind of guy who turns heads just by entering a room. Or clubhouse, in this case. And there's a cool indifference about him that makes it obvious it's been this way his entire life.

"So, he's here for Finn?"

"No idea," Laney exhales. "But I can't go over there, Maggs. My hair's a mess!" She glances down at her standard-issue navy Welsford polo, tugging it away from her body. "God! There's a golf ball-sized mystery stain right above my left boob!" Her voice pitches higher, cracking slightly, glancing over at Xavier then back at me. "Will you go? Please? I mean… only if you—"

I shrug. "Sure."

It’s not like I look any more put together than Laney right now, but I couldn't care less what kind of impression I make on a guy like Xavier Rockwell. Especially now that I know his background. That doesn't mean I'm above boosting Laney's rep in front of him, if she's crushing on the guy, though.

"Sure, it's annoying to have two guys fighting over you again, Laney," I shout, backing away from my new friend, "but you need to let them both down easy."

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