Page 72 of The Summer I First Saw You
I straighten. Scott thinks I’m the reasonable member of Liam’s friend group. He could use a reminder that I’ve still got five inches on him…and I’m not always reasonable. “Maybe Bridget shouldn’t have convinced her to come home under false pretenses, then. My understanding is she came out here because you guys had separated.”
“Look, dude, I’m not sure why you’re choosing to believe Daisy over me, but for all we know she’s spent the summer living out of a car like her dad used to. Let’s just say…the apple appears to have not fallen too far from the crazy tree, if you know what I mean.”
I’ve got him by the collar so fast that I’m not sure which of us is more surprised by it. “I know exactly what you mean, asshole, so let me explain something to you: I’m not your friend, I think you’re a lying piece of shit, and if I ever hear you imply that again I’ll make you really fucking sorry.”
Caleb’s got a hand clapped on my shoulder before Scott can even reply. “Everything okay here, bro?”
I hold Scott’s gaze for one long moment before I let him go with a shove. “Yeah, I think we’re good.”
“Asshole,” Scott says, fixing his collar with a scowl as he enters the theater.
“What the fuck was that?” Liam demands, approaching with wide eyes. “I thoughtIwas the only one who hated Scott.”
I turn toward him, my jaw grinding. “He was implying, heavily, that Daisy is like her dad.”
Liam shrugs. “I think he’s just worried because they don’t know where she’s staying, and she’s also not graduating on time.”
My laughter is an angry bark. This is why Daisy says nothing—because all the people in her orbit can easily make a case of her failings, the same way I did when she first arrived.Daisy, you ate sand. Daisy, you crashed a golf cart and cut off all your hair. Daisy, you’re graduating late.Stupid, meaningless bullshit that keeps getting thrown in her face. “What thefuck, Liam?Youdidn’t graduate at all.”
His eyes narrow. “Yeah, I’m aware. I dropped out to help raisemyniece, who had both me and her mother on her side, so it’s unclear why you’re suddenly involving yourself.”
I know I need to dial it back. I’m too invested for a guy who theoretically hasn’t seen Daisy in years. I just can’t do it. “If you were actually on her side,” I reply, “you wouldn’t allow anyone to imply she’s mentally ill just because she’s fucking graduating late, and you sure as fuck wouldn’t be the one doing it.”
Liam releases a quiet laugh. “Dude, I don’t know what the hell’s going on with you, but I haven’t seen you this close to throwing a punch since we were in fifth grade. That girl in LA has changed you into…me.”
By force, I release my clenched fists. I really wanted to hit Scott…and I really want to hit Liam too. I never understood why my friends would get so emotional when they were dating someone—why Luke would throw a punch in the lineup over Juliet, why Caleb beat the living hell out of Lucie’s ex-husband, consequences be damned.
Now I get it. I don’t simply want to destroy anyone who gets in her way…I want to destroy anyone who isn’t in her corner.
And that’s not how I should feel about a fling.
It isn’t even how I felt about my wife.
38
DAISY
When I wake the next morning, I’ve got two missed calls from my mother, and the phone is ringing with a third.
“Sorry,” I tell her when I pick up. “I was surfing.” It’s easier than sayingI was sleeping in because your childhood friend Harrison was insatiable all night.“Is everything okay?”
“Scott’s gone,” she says firmly. “For good this time.”
She sounds pretty certain, but we’ve played this game before, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to give up what I have right now just so she can slip back into her old ways a week or two hence.
“Mom, I’m sure it’ll work out—”
“It’s different this time, Daisy,” she says, and she doesn’t sound upset—she soundsresolved. “I spoke with Liam last night, after the movie, about Scott. Honey, I had no idea he was…”
“He was what?” I demand. Because she sure as hell knows he’s been cheating by now.
“He made a comment last night to Harrison about you being…like your father.”
My stomach sinks. “Based on what?”
“Nonsense,” she replies. “I was pretty upset about the stuff Scott said to Harrison when we were both there. But I never knew he was saying things like that behind your back and mine. For him to imply you’ve got a problem over these entirely normal incidents…”
I dig my hands into my hair. “Mom, he’s been doing that for nearly a decade and it’s only bothering you now? Who cares if he’s saying it behind my back? It’s that he’s been saying it to you and that you fucking agreed with him that’s been the issue!”
