Page 100 of Until Next Summer

I’m about to tell Aaron to get up when I hear something behind me. An inhalation of breath so loud it echoes in my ears. I turn to see Cooper, standing in the open doorway of the dining hall. He looks shocked, which is understandable. But he also looks betrayed, which is not. He’s known about Aaron from the start, and he knows we broke up.

Before I can ask what’s wrong, Cooper takes off, striding toward the lake like he can’t get away from me fast enough.

“Cooper!” I yell after him, at the same time Aaron says, “Hillary?”

I sigh, feeling stuck between my past and my present. I want to run after Cooper and ask him what’s going on, but I can’t leave Aaron hanging. As misguided as this ridiculous proposal is, he flew all the way up here to see me. After two years together, I owe him a conversation.

Aaron’s standing now, the pant leg of his designer slacks dusty from the gravel.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, noting with annoyance that the photographer is still snapping pictures.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he says with a laugh. “You said youwanted a romantic gesture. Here it is. I never should’ve suggested a break this summer. It was a mistake—”

“Why was it a mistake?” I ask, folding my arms. “You didn’t enjoy your last hurrah?”

He shifts his weight in his shiny leather loafers. “I mean, not really. If I’m being honest, I thought it would go…differently.”

I can’t help but laugh. “So you didn’t get the action you were hoping for?”

“Well, no,” he says, “but that’s not the only reason. I talked to your dad—”

“What?” I screech. “You told my dad about your ridiculous sexcapades?”

“No, I told him you ended things.” He levels a sharp gaze at me. “By text. He was really disappointed in you.”

I throw my arms out to my sides. “Inme? You wanted to spend the summer having sex with other women! But of course, you didn’t tell him anything that would makeyoulook bad.”

“He said I needed to get you back, Hillary, that we’re good for each other. That it would be good for our future.” Aaron’s expression makes it clear that he’s thinking abouthisfuture at my dad’s law firm. “And he’s right—we should be together. You said you wanted more romance? I’ll be better, I promise. I can learn.”

He looks so earnest, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this isn’t about me at all—it’s about keeping my dad happy. My dad, his boss.

“Aaron, come on. This isn’t romance. The roses, the proposal—it’s all so generic your little AI assistant could have scripted it.”

His eyes go wide and his face turns beet red. The photographer focuses in on a close-up, and I can’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness.

“Stop with the goddamn pictures,” he snaps at her, then looks back to me. “Hillary, it’s time to grow up. Your father agrees—”

“My father doesn’t get to decide what I do,” I say. “And neither do you. I think you should leave, Aaron. Go home.”

He seems like he’s about to relent, but then he shakes his head and squares his shoulders. “I’m only going home if you’re coming with me. I’m sure you’ve had a ‘super fun’ time doing crafts and hanging out in the woods, but it’s time to come back where you belong.”

Anger bursts inside me like a flame. “I’m exactly where I belong, Aaron.”

And as soon as I say the words, I know they’re true.

Static erupts from my walkie-talkie, and I hear Jessie’s voice. “On our way back, Hill.”

“Please go,” I tell Aaron.

He opens his mouth to protest, then closes it again. It’s obvious that he’s frustrated and annoyed by all the time and effort he put into flying up here, arranging the photographer, picking out a ring—not to mention taking the time off work. All that, and he didn’t get what he wanted, which probably hasn’t happened many times in his life.

But he is most definitely not heartbroken.

I can’t believe I ever thought it would be a good idea to settle for someone like him. Someone who couldn’t be bothered to put a single personal thing about me into his proposal.

“I thought this was what you wanted?” he says, his voice low and sullen.

“I thought so, too,” I tell him honestly.

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