Page 45 of Secrets at Seaside
“You guys have always looked at each other like you were more than friends,” Bella said. “I don’t remember it being any different back then.”
“But that never made you wonder?” Amy asked.
Jenna and Bella exchanged a glance that Amy knew meant they had a secret of their own.
“Okay, spill it.” Amy narrowed her eyes and ran them between the two of them.
“Well, we did wonder sometimes,” Jenna admitted.
“But you were always so proper, and he was old enough that he knew how to play it cool.” Bella rolled off her raft and into the water. “Besides, we had no reason to think you’d get together with him and not tell us.”
“Ouch.” Amy had almost slipped out from beneath the guilt of keeping the truth from her friends. Bella’s reminder brought it right back.
“Why does it matter?” Bella asked.
“It doesn’t, really. Although I’m sorry, Bella. I know I’ve jeopardized your trust, and I am really, truly sorry.”
Bella exhaled loudly. “No. It’s not you, Amy. It’s me. I got my feelings hurt and my attitude got the better of me. I understand why you kept it from us. It just slipped out, that’s all. You know I love you.”
She couldn’t blame Bella for having lingering hurt feelings. If anyone knew there were no overnight fixes, it was Amy.
“Thanks, Bella. I know it’ll take time for all of this to get better, and I really don’t blame you for being hurt or for letting me know it. I deserve far worse than that.”
“No, you don’t.” Bella swam over and hung on to Amy’s noodle beside her. “I shouldn’t be so sensitive. I just wish you’d trusted me back then so you weren’t alone through it all.”
“I did. But that’s part of what I’m trying to sort through. I’ve been blaming Tony’s dad and my dad, you know? Telling myself that we were protecting ourselves from them and that I was protecting Tony by shutting him out of my life. But…”
“But?” Jenna jumped off her raft and hung on to the other side of the noodle, facing Amy and Bella.
“But I’m not sure I wasn’t just protecting myself. I was embarrassed to tell you guys that I was sleeping with Tony.”
“What? Why were you embarrassed to tell us? Amy, we weren’t exactly virginal princesses.” Jenna laughed.
“No, you weren’t, but you thought I was.”
“Amy, we wouldn’t have judged you,” Bella assured her.
“Maybe not. I don’t even know if that’s it, but I think there were lots of things going on in my head back then, and after all this time I can only take a stab at what they really meant.” Amy saw Theresa’s car pull into the community, and she was relieved to change the subject. “Theresa’s back.”
Bella swam for the stairs. “Oh, good.”
“Wait.” Jenna grabbed Amy’s arm and pulled her toward the steps. “What’s the plan? Do you have a prank planned?”
“No plan.” Bella wrapped a towel around herself and grabbed her sunglasses. “I’m going to get a drink of water.”
Amy and Jenna’s eyes widened as they gathered their things and hurried after Bella.
“Water. Right.” Jenna pulled her sundress over her head.
“Bella, clue us in,” Amy urged. “What did you do?”
“Nothing. Gosh, you guys. I don’talwayspull pranks.” Bella took one determined step after another and kept her eyes trained on the ground.
Amy knew she was up to something. They followed her into her cottage, where she went directly for her cell phone and began texting.
“Spill it, girlfriend.” Jenna put her hand on her hip and glared at Bella.
“Okay, fine. So maybe there’s a little something brewing. Come on. Let’s get a drink and go out on the deck.” Bella opened the fridge and handed them each a bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
