Page 156 of Promising You

“Just do stuff with Lilly. She loves playing with her big brother.”

“I can’t play with a six-year-old for more than a couple hours. I’ll probably spend the week swimming. Lift some weights. Start getting in shape for next season.”

“You’re going to be the hottest guy on the beach this summer.” I smile at him as I get a final feel of his abs. “I won’t be able to let you out of my sight. Those California girls will be all over you.”

“Jade, we should get going,” Carson yells from the car.

“She’ll be there when we’re done,” Garret yells back. “God, I hate that guy.”

“Maybe when I get back we can finalize our place for the summer,” I say, trying to get his focus off Carson.

“Yeah, we need to do that soon. Go online when you’re home and check out those condos Harper suggested. I’ll do the same and we’ll compare notes.”

Carson starts the Jeep. Garret rolls his eyes.

“I better go before he bugs us again.” I hate goodbyes and I just want this one over with so we can skip ahead to the reunion. “See ya next Saturday.” I give Garret a quick kiss, then turn to walk away.

“Hey. Get back here. That’s not a goodbye kiss.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses me in a way that makes it nearly impossible to say goodbye. “I love you. Be safe. And make sure to call me.”

“I will. I love you.” I hug him once more.

I get into the Jeep just as Garret’s driver shows up.

“What’s with the fancy car and chauffeur?” Carson asks as he pulls out of the parking lot. “Garret can’t drive himself places anymore? He has to hire someone?”

I take a deep breath and let it out. “Okay, Carson. We’re going to be together in this car for a very long time and we need to set some ground rules. We are not going to talk about Garret. At all. Not one word about him. Got it?”

“I was just asking a question.” Carson drives down the small road that leads away from campus.

“For the last time, Garret and I are a couple. We are not breaking up no matter what you say.” I take my cell phone out of my purse and set it in the cup holder between us. “So it’s no use trying to convince me to stop dating him and start dating you.”

“Jade, I’m not trying to date you. Why do you keep saying that?” He stops at the end of the road, looking both ways several times before turning onto the main road. He definitely seems like a safe driver.

“Because you act like you are. You call me and text me all the time. You put down my boyfriend. You always invite me to go out with you.”

“Yeah, as a friend.”

“Guys aren’t friends with girls. They always want more.”

“Who told you that? He-who-must-not-be-talked-about? Because he’s wrong. I have several female friends and I’m not trying to have sex with any of them. Besides, I might be getting back with my ex-girlfriend. She’s on break from school at the same time as us and wants to get together while I’m home.”

“That girl you showed me a photo of?”

“Yeah. Madison. She wants to see if we can work out the long distance thing. So who knows? Maybe we’ll get back together.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good. I hope it works out.” I feel like a total idiot. Here I am accusing him of trying to date me and his mind is on his ex-girlfriend. His ex is really pretty. She has a face like a model and long, blond hair. He showed me her picture when we first met. She’s a senior at a small college in Chicago. She broke up with Carson when he moved to Connecticut because she didn’t want to do the long distance thing. But apparently she’s changed her mind.

He reaches over and puts his hand on my shoulder. “So will you relax now? We’re just two friends taking a road trip. That’s it.”

“Okay, but I still don’t want you to talk about Garret.”

“Fine by me.”

Maybe this trip won’t be so bad after all. I’m glad we got this out in the open and settled right away.

As Carson gets on the interstate, I position the pillow I brought with me up against the seat and rest my head on it. I’m so tired from my lack of sleep last night that I can’t stay awake.

“Jade.” I feel Carson tapping my arm. “I need to stop for gas. Do you have to use the restroom or anything?”

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