Page 1 of Stay With Me

PARTI

THEN

CHAPTER1

AUGUST

CHARLIE

“Cannonball!” a guy in Hawaiian print swim trunks yells. His body hovers in the air for a split second just before he plummets into the water. The ensuing splashes saturates some girls sunbathing near the pool’s edge earning him their shrieks.

I’m guessing that’s what he was going for.

“Teddy! We didn’t want to get wet,” one of them protests.

The guy, Teddy, responds but I don’t hear what he says as a flash of red in my peripheral vision distracts me. I turn my head just as a cute blonde in a red bikini plants herself in the chair next to me.

She stretches her hand out toward me and graces me with a gorgeous smile.

“Hi. I’m Emily, Trina’s sister. You must be Tri’s friend from the fire academy, right?”

I take her soft, tiny hand in my large, calloused one and shake it.

“Yep, I am. Nice to meet you. I’m Fitz.”

She crinkles her nose and tilts her head to the side, eyeing me.

“Fitz? Is that a family name or something?”

I chuckle.

“No. It’s my last name, Fitzgerald, shortened. My first name is Charles. But people call me Fitz.”

She narrows her eyes at me and taps a finger on her chin. Her gaze fixes on me for a few long seconds, making me uncomfortable.

Yet, I can’t look away.

“Charles is too formal for you. And Fitz is fine, I guess. But what about Charlie? Does anyone call you Charlie?” she asks.

I clear my throat and smile at her. She’s inadvertently gotten me thinking of my mom. Which reminds me, I need to get home to check on her in the next week or so.

“I agree, Charles is too formal. Always hated it. My mom calls me Charlie, though.”

At least she does when my controlling jerk of a father isn’t around to insist she call me Charles, his name.

Emily grins and nods. “It’s settled. That’s what I’ll call you.”

“Okay, then.” I chuckle at her. “Oh, and happy birthday and congratulations on your graduation,” I add, as an afterthought.

“Thanks, Charlie.” She stands as Trina walks up with the beers she went to get us. “And thanks for coming. It’s nice to finally meet you. My badass sis here says you’re the only one who can keep up with her at the fire academy.” She turns her attention to Trina. “Tri, can I please have a beer? It’s my birthday.”

“Yeah, youreighteenthbirthday. Fitz’s twenty-one and I’m twenty-two, so it’s legal for us. But not for you, little sister.”

Emily shrugs. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.” She winks at me, kisses Trina on the cheek and gives us a bright smile. Then, as quickly as she arrived, she spins away and leaves, practically skipping back to the pool.

I try not to notice, but the tiny red bikini doesn’t cover much of her cute ass as she walks away. It takes everything in me to look away.

“So, you’ve met my sister,” Trina says. “She’s a bit spunky for you, I’m guessing. Right?”

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