Page 106 of Chasing You

My face pulls into a frown. “I don’t know how I'm supposed to take that.”

“Can I listen now?” Isla asks, and I just laugh and nod at herbefore finding my spot at the edge of the pool. “Does this mean he showed you the house?”

“What house?” May asks.

My brows pull together. “Wait, you knew?”

Isla just smiles. “I helped him pick it.” My heart jumps in my chest. She knew he was buying a house with me in mind. “Well, I didn’t have to help much when he got to that place. His mind was made up.”

“Okay, someone please fill me in,” May kicks her feet in the water to get our attention, her wide eyes stuck on me, waiting for me to explain.

“Miles kind of bought us a house.”

“Hewhat?!” She leans forward, her mouth wide open.

“We actually went and bought pretty much all the furniture for it yesterday. It’s perfect, May,” I sigh, and Isla just looks at me like she knows everything I’m about to say. “It’s the kind of thing I’ve always dreamed about. It’s got huge windows and the most amazing kitchen! And the backyard of my dreams, I just—it all feels too good to be true.”

“It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to this point,” Isla says. “It’s not like it’s necessarily been smooth sailing for the two of you.”

“Yeah,” I shrug my shoulders, “I don’t know.” I put my hands over my eyes so I don’t have to look at them while I say this. “There’s a part of me that wonders if I’m going to spend so much of my time in that house alone.”

“Aw, babe.” I hear the sound of water moving, and when I move my hands, I see Isla standing in the water right in front of me, and May appears by my side.

“Have you guys talked about his plan?” Isla asks. I just shake my head.

“Do we really think he would’ve bought a house here in Ruby Cove if he wasn’t planning on staying?” May adds.

That’s the problem. I don’t know.

“Do you know anything?” I ask Isla, it might be crossing a line, but I have to ask.

She gives a small shake of her head. “All I know is that the only thing he could talk about the last time I saw him was you.”

“I don’t know.” I groan as I lie back, closing my eyes against the setting sun. “You guys know him better than I do?—”

“No, we don’t,” they both echo.

I sit back up, confused. “Of course you do. Isla, he’s your brother.”

“My brother that I didn’t see for years, and whenever I did, it wasn’t for long. I haven’t known my brother—-likereallyknown him since he was eighteen.”

I just tug my bottom lip between my teeth, unsure where to go from here.

“There’s one thing I do know. This unending drive towards his career, thatneedto keep on going until he reaches the top? That’s not who my brother is, not at his core. That’s him falling under the weight of intense pressure. I think in a way, you lift that pressure away, Marina. He seems light around you, like there’s nothing holding him down.” She shrugs before floating back in the water. “That’s all I want for him.”

I tip my head, trying not to tear up as I look at one of my best friends telling me she wants me to be with her brother. Part of me was worried it could change our friendship, but it hasn’t changed a thing. I

“I know it’s something we need to talk about,” I say. “But I can’t help but want to stay in the now, cherish the ignorant bliss for as long as I can.”

May grabs my hand where it sits between us. “Whatever you want to do, we’ll support you. We just want to see you happy.”

Isla nods in agreement from her spot in the pool, and once again, I’m holding back my tears. “You know, I always thought that I would never be close with girls. I had one girlfriend in Sorrento, but other than that, I just haven’t connected with many women in my life, not until you two.” I sniffle back my tears. “Ihope you know how grateful I am for you.”A tear runs down my cheek and I swipe it away.

“Marina!” Isla swims up to me, resting a hand on my knee.

“We love you too,” May says and I let out a watery laugh.

I wave my hands in front of my face, trying to dry the tears welling in my eyes. “Sorry, I’m hormonal,” I laugh. Both of them freeze, eyes wide as they look at me. “Oh my god, I’m not pregnant. I just started on birth control.”And it’s apparently affecting me already.I’m trying not to freak out about it.

---