Page 36 of Forever Never
She laughed, enjoying the brush of his arm against hers. She adored Spencer. He was like her aunt’s overenthusiastic golden retriever, pretty and always happy to see her. But there was something about his big brother that always had her pulse kicking into high gear. She liked being close to him. Liked talking to him. He was a man of few words and even fewer smiles, but every once in a while, when she pried one out of him, she felt like she was on the first drop of a roller coaster.
“Oh, I know. But he entertains me. Besides, we’re not really together anymore.”
There was a slight hitch to his stride. “You’re not?”
“Well, we’re still hanging out. But we’re not having sex anymore.”
This time he actually tripped. She reached out and steadied him.
“Jesus, Remi.”
“Honestly—and keep this to yourself—I think he might have a thing for Audrey. I think they’d be good for each other.”
“So, you’re not mad?” He sounded confused, concerned. It was adorable.
“What’s there to be mad about? You can’t fight fate. It’s a waste of time and energy when there’s a lot of other fun to be had.” She shrugged and stuffed her hands in the pockets of her sweatshirt.
He was silent next to her for an entire block, walking half a step behind her. Downtown was bustling that night with tourists, freshly scrubbed up from their days, wandering back to hotels and rentals after dinner out. The shops were closing up, herding everyone toward the bars and ice cream shops that stayed open late.
“Aren’t you grounded, girl?” Agnes Sopp, still dressed in her round of golf finery, called from the street corner where she held a towering triple-dip strawberry ice cream cone.
“Hi, Agnes,” Remi called back unperturbed. “I think it’s more of a suggestion than an actual order. But I’d be grateful if you didn’t mention to my parents you saw me.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Agnes promised, shooting her a wink.
“She’s gonna tell every person on the island,” Remi’s grumpy companion predicted.
“She’s gonna tell every personexceptmy parents,” Remi insisted.
“You’re exhausting,” Brick decided.
She rolled her eyes. “I know I’m a handful. I know I’m a lot. But it’s not my fault if people can’t keep up.”
“You don’t need someone who can keep up. You need someone who can lock you up.”
“I’m not opposed to either. I assume the right guy will be able to do both,” she quipped.
The silence stretched on, and the tension between them mounted. She wanted him to break first. To start a new conversation. To make an effort.
“If it’s not Spence, whodoyou like?” Brick asked, finally.
The man sounded disinterested, annoyed. But he wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t really want to know.
She tossed her hair over her shoulder and shot him what she hoped was a saucy wink. “I’m keeping my options open.” Throwing a little extra swing into her hips, she quickened her pace and veered off the sidewalk in the direction of the dock. Spencer had found a group of friends outside the fudge shop, but there was no sign of Audrey.
Remi jogged down the dock, tickled that Brick’s footsteps picked up behind her. The man probably thought she was going to throw herself into a boat and take off. Briefly, she considered doing just that in Duncan Firth’s spiffy little runabout. Everyone knew he left the key under the life preserver. But the idea was discarded when she remembered she was here to save her friend, not push more of Brick’s buttons.
“Psst! Audrey?” she hissed into the dark.
Audrey’s head peeked around the weathered shed. She looked pretty and pissed off in cut-offs and a bright yellow tank that looked killer against her dark skin. Remi jogged to meet her, admiring Audrey’s new hair cut, tapered on the sides with tight curls at the crown. She was glaring at Remi through purple-rimmed glasses.
“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting— Oh, heeeey, Brick. Remi, did you bring my…calculus notes with you since we have that test to study for?” Like Spencer, Audrey also sucked at lying.
“It’s okay. He knows,” Remi told her. “He’s being the fun police and keeping us away from the actual police who are raiding Elle’s party.”
“You’re welcome,” Brick grumbled.
Audrey’s brown eyes widened, and her thick lashes fluttered. “Wow. Thanks, Brick. That’s really n…awesome of you.”
