Page 29 of The Summer We Played Pretend

I lift a shoulder. “I said I would be.”

Chloe’s lips curve slightly, but up close, the sadness in her eyes is unmistakable. "Of course."

I want to reach out and comfort her, but I hold back. "Beautiful day, huh?" I gesture at the sparkling water.

"Yeah, it's nice."

I study her for a moment, debating how to proceed. It would be a hell of a lot easier if she didn’t look so cute. Her legs seem impossibly long in denim shorts, and her pink t-shirt stands out against her summer tan.

I need to get a grip. Something is clearly wrong, and she doesn’t need me perving on her right now.

"Everything okay? You seem a little quiet today."

Chloe shrugs, her gaze dropping to the sand. "I'm fine."

I'm not buying it, but I don't want to push too hard. "Brendan's not giving you any more trouble, is he?"

Her head snaps up, eyes widening slightly. "No, he's..." She pauses, brow furrowing. "Actually, he's been keeping his distance lately. Which is...good, I guess."

"That's good to hear."

We stand in silence for a moment, watching the waves crash against the shore. I'm hyper-aware of Chloe's presence beside me, the faint scent of something sweet mixing with the salty air.

Chloe's gaze drifts back to the waves, her hair whipping in the breeze and sticking to her glossy lips. She tugs the strands away from her mouth, and I can’t help but imagine leaning in to kiss her until she forgets whatever is bothering her.

"How did you know?" she asks suddenly, her voice barely audible over the crash of the surf. "About Brendan, I mean."

“Tyler overheard something. Your friends have been worried about you.”

She turns to face me, her gaze narrowing. "You talked to him, didn't you?"

Busted. "I might have had a word with him.”

"Jackson, you didn't have to—"

"I wanted to," I interrupt gently. "You deserve better than that, Chloe."

Her lips quirk. “Was he scared?”

“Looked like he wanted to piss his pants.”

Chloe laughs, but the sound fades quickly. She looks down, kicking at the sand with her bare toes. Her smile drops. "Sorry. I’m not in the best of moods today. You don’t have to hang out if you don’t want. I don’t even think Brendan will turn up, so we don’t have to play pretend."

“I’ve got nowhere else to be.”

I wait, giving her space to continue.

She takes a deep breath, and when she looks up, her eyes glisten. "My dad...he's not doing well. The depression's getting worse, and I just...I don't know how to help."

“That sucks.” My heart aches for her. I want to pull her into a hug, but I hold back. “I'm here if you want to talk about it."

Chloe nods, wiping at her eyes. "Sometimes I get so angry, you know? And then I feel guilty for being angry. It's like this endless cycle, and I don't know how to break it."

I take a chance and place a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay to feel that way, Chloe. Your feelings are valid."

"My mom does her best, but I know it stresses her out, and I know I should feel bad for my dad, but sometimes I just…resent him. I resent what he puts Mom through.” She leans into my touch. "I just wish things could go back to the way they were. When I was little, when everything felt...simpler."

"I know it's hard to see right now," I say carefully, "but your parents love each other a lot."

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