Page 51 of Cloudless
My eyebrows disappear into my hairline as I search her face for any sign that was a joke. “You used to be friends with them? I have a hard time believing that. You don’t fit in with them at all.”
She smiles at me as Posey flattens a spot in the sand for the castle. “That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Curiosity runs rampant through me as I fail to imagine Ellie in their friend group. “So, what happened?”
She blows out a breath. “They turned into mean girls when hormones started happening. I chose to ‘become one of the guys’ instead.” Air quotes accompany her eye roll. “I like it better this way. The guys are always honest and there’s no drama. You’ve just got to watch yourself and make sure you don’t ask a question you don’t want to know the answer to.”
I hand the empty bucket out to Posey. “Hey, Jellybean. Why don’t you go get some water so we can harden the sand up a bit?”
Sand coats every square inch of her legs as she stands and runs toward the water with the pink bucket. I smile as her braid floats in the wind behind her. I laugh as I run my fingers along the shadow of the umbrella on the sand. The cool sand transitions to warmth as my fingers move over the shadow. “I can imagine. It’s kinda like that with kids, too. They’ll say whatever they’re thinking if it will hurt your feelings or not.”
She groans. “I made the mistake of asking Kam if he thought my dress looked nice for a date one night. Let’s just say I’ve never worn that dress again.”
I laugh as the image of a fuming Ellie fills my mind. “I bet you didn’t ask him again.”
Her answer is immediate. “Of course I do. Who else will be that brutally honest with me?”
My laughter dies as I think back to the few friends I’ve had in my life. “To be honest, I’ve never really had a lot of friends, especially after we moved here. What few friends I had, I left behind in Chicago. My mom was always my best friend, anyway. And Posey and Jasper after they came along.”
“Well…” Ellie pulls two cans of lemonade out of a cooler next to her. As she hands one to me, the icy chill of the metal seeps into my overheated skin. The wind swallows the sound of our tabs snapping open. She holds her can out to me with a warm smile on her face. “Here’s to new friends. May they last a lifetime and always be your perfect alibi.”
A smile takes over my face as I clink our cans together. “To new friends.”
CHAPTER 24
MY GIRLS
KAM
Waves pull at my legs as the water races toward the shore. A smile touches my lips as Posey races toward the water. She dunks a pink bucket into the crashing waves and tiptoes back up the beach. She leaves blotches of wet sand in her wake as she weaves through the sparse crowd that separates her from our sisters.
I only allow my eyes to return to the water when she disappears into the shadow of the umbrella.
“I’ve got eyes on the girls, Kam. Don’t worry about it.”
I spare a quick glance at Wyatt as the football lands in his waiting hands with a wet slap. I don’t even try to conceal the worry in my voice. “I can’t help it. I’m the one that invited them here. It’s up to me to look out for them.”
He sends the ball flying toward our other teammates as his eyes return to my girls on the beach.
Yeah, that’s right.
My girls.
Wyatt’s voice is a calming balm on my raging nerves. “Not everything rests on your shoulders. Mace and Dax are watching out for Jasper, and I’m watching the girls. Just try to have a good time. You’ve got to share the burden now and then, man.”
I sigh as the ball lands in his hands once again. He passes it to me as I smirk. “Easier said than done.” The ball spirals through the air as streams of water fly off it. The ball lands with a wet thunk in Colt’s hands fifteen yards away. His laugh carries over the water as his fellow freshmen push each other into a coming wave.
Wyatt nudges me in the arm as another wave crashes into my legs. “Uh, Kam?”
My eyes snap to him as the strange undertone of his voice registers. His finger pointing in the girls’ direction has my stomach dropping. What I see, however, practically turns my world upside down. “Fuck.”
Amusement colors Wyatt’s voice. “You’re screwed, man.”
Lila’s bare legs shine in the summer sun as she strips her white dress over her head to reveal a striking pink one-piece swimsuit. My mouth waters as I follow her fingers as she straightens the straps on her shoulders.
A wet slap resounds through the air as the football smacks me in the face. I don’t even feel the impact, as I’m rendered powerless against the waves against my legs and the sheer beauty of Lila Sullivan.
Her golden hair blows in the breeze and falls in waves down her back. I’m captivated by the motion as she throws her head back and laughs at something Ellie says. I’m jealous of the wind as it swallows up the sound before I get a chance to hear it.
