Page 153 of The Perfect Spiral
I could really use one of his comforting hugs right now. His arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder.
“I really like Hannah,” he confessed, his words muffled against my shoulder. I couldn’t help but smile at his admission. I ran my hand over his arm that was wrapped around me, pressing a kiss to it.
“I’m glad, honey. She can’t stop talking about you.”
“Really? She’s so beautiful, Alex. Every time she talks, I get so lost in her words that I zone out and just stare at her. I thought I’d creeped her out a few times by now,” his chuckle vibrated against my back, making me giggle.
You could tell he was smitten by the way he looked at her when she was around.
“She said the same thing to me last night when she slept over. I haven’t seen her this smitten with anyone. She usually picks really shitty guys who treat her like crap.
But I know you won’t be like that. I’m glad you two found each other. You both deserve the best. Even if it’s not with each other.”
“I’d like to take her out before I leave, to spend some alone time with her, just the two of us without any interruptions. Any recommendations? You are her best friend after all!”
“Aww, Ben, that’s adorable! Who knew you’d be such a romantic. She’s an active girl, loves sports, she’s not one for just going out for a meal to a fancy restaurant. How romantic are we talking?”
“As romantic as possible. I want to woo her.”
I laughed out loud, shaking my head as I nestled into him.
“Well, I strongly recommend going hiking and having a meal up there. If you want, I know a guy who can set it all up for you. Do it at sunset, there’s a specific spot for it and it’s one of her favorite places.”
“Oh yeah? That would be perfect, sweet cheeks. You’re the real MVP, not Carter!”
“Don’t mention him, you ruined the romantic effect. But yeah, I can direct you to the place and the guy will have it all set up, plus he’ll give me a deal. He owes me a favor so it won’t be too expensive.”
“Money doesn’t matter to me. Just as long as it’s perfect.”
“I’ll call him the moment you ask her out and she says yes!”
“How do you know she’ll say yes?”
“Trust me, I’m her best friend. She will.” I kissed his arm once more, feeling his smile against my shoulder as he returned the gesture.
I know it looks like we’re a couple, but honestly, we’re not. There’s nothing more than friendship between us. Neither one of us has tried to make a move, it’s just too weird.
“Come on, I could use some food right now. Plus, the waves are dying out.” I agreed with him and jumped back on my board, paddling to keep up with him as we made our way back to shore.
After drying off a bit, he gave me a piggyback ride to the house. We stowed our boards in the shed and headed into the kitchen, me still clinging to him.
Knox was sitting at the counter with his mom and Adam. My mom was bustling around the kitchen, preparing breakfast for everyone when they woke up.
Knox was shooting daggers at the sight of me on Ben’s back. I couldn’t help but smirk to myself.
“You two are up early?” Delilah asked, sipping her morning tea and eyeing us curiously.
“Yeah, Ben hauled me out of bed because he noticed the waves were big. We usually surf together,” I explained.
Sliding down from Ben’s back, I greeted Delilah and my mom, planting a kiss on Adam’s head as I passed by. I muttered a morning greeting to Knox, careful not to meet his gaze.
“You should come down more often when you have time, Ben. We love having you here. I’m sure Alex would love seeing you here too,” my mom suggested, to which I nodded enthusiastically while reaching for a strawberry.
“I would love that, Annie. It all depends on the workload. Always love seeing my sweet cheeks,” he teased, pinching my cheeks in a patronizing manner. I swatted his hand away, laughing.
“I might come back at the end of the summer too. This place is great!”
Just then, Sam and Tyson walked into the kitchen, drawn by the delicious aroma of the food being cooked.
