Page 38 of Those Summer Nights (Sweet Cravings 2)

“Touché,” she said.

“Touché.”

Chapter 11

Wednesday

Advil and ice cream had done wonders for my hangover. Now I was just sober and miserable. There was still at least half a box of wine with my name on it waiting for me back at my apartment. As soon as my shift was done I had a date with me, myself, and I. The thought made time pass even slower.

Usually I could at least look forward to the possibility of my lifeguard showing up. But that was done. He had said he wanted to remain friends. I knew he was lying, though. Men and women were never just friends. We'd probably never even talk again. I couldn't believe I

had let myself get caught up in the idea of dating him. It was like I didn't know how to be alone. The way he had kissed me didn't make him easy to forget, though. And I wasn't sure if I wanted to forget. No one had ever kissed me like that before. Just thinking about it made me feel overheated. Or maybe it was just the fact that it was always a thousand degrees in the ice cream shop.

"I don't like seeing you cry."

Hearing his voice made me smile. I immediately pressed my lips together, forcing the smile to disappear. What was he doing here? I took a deep breath, tossed my washcloth into the bucket of water, and turned around. My lifeguard was leaning on the counter. I thought I might have imagined his voice, but he was definitely there. It was so good to see him. I mean bad. It was bad to see him.

“I’m not crying.” I was happy my voice sounded sassy instead of sad. Apparently my new diet gave me quite the attitude. At least on the outside, because on the inside I was dying.

“I meant at the beach yesterday.”

Oh. My sudden weird confidence was pulverized. "You saw that?" I had tried so hard to hide it.

"Yeah. And I'm sorry that I did that to you."

"I wasn't crying because of you, J.J. It had nothing to do with our conversation. I had just gotten some bad news earlier is all." I looked away from him.

He didn't say anything. But his silence made it seem like he didn't believe me. What did it matter if he knew I was crying over him. He already thought I was a mess. He didn't want to date me. He didn't want to be my friend. Why was I always so worried about what people thought of me?

"It's okay," I said quietly. "Don't worry about it. Really." It wasn’t like he was the first person to give me the boot.

"It's not okay. I acted like a complete dick.”

What an appropriate word choice.

“I approached that whole conversation wrong. What I should have said is that I like you. I've missed you the past few days. When I wake up, you're the person I want to hang out with. If I'm being honest, I used to look forward to seeing you on the beach on Tuesdays and Thursdays even before we met. I don't care if that makes me a stalker." He flashed me a smile.

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. "I looked forward to seeing you too."

"But you're going back to California at the end of the summer. You're only going to be here for two more months."

There was no point in telling him about my application to the University of New Castle. It didn’t matter either way. "I know."

"And I know you aren't looking to date anyone. I'm not in any place to date someone either. I get that it's complicated. It's messy." He sighed. "I don't want to hurt you. That's why I said we should just be friends."

"I know." I didn’t actually know that. And it was really nice to hear it. I exhaled, not even realizing I had been holding my breath while he spoke. He still liked me. I stared at him. Did I still like him? My eyes traveled to his lips. Affirmative. But I really wished I didn’t. Especially since he was only offering me friendship.

He tapped the counter. "Are you hungry?"

It would be easy to turn him down. I could tell him I was working a double shift. But I didn’t want to push him away. I just wanted him to want me, even though it was pathetic. And he was standing here telling me he was sorry. That he still wanted me in his life. Us being friends didn’t exactly break my new diet. I looked at the clock behind me. I still had a few minutes left of my shift, but my replacement was already here. "Is it okay if I get going early?" I asked her.

"Absolutely." She looked at my lifeguard and then winked at me.

I laughed and pulled off my apron. Before I walked out of the shop, I turned to J.J. "Would you rather go get dinner or just have ice cream?"

"Bring me my ice cream, woman!" He slapped his palm on the counter.

I laughed, grabbed two bowls, and put a few scoops of Pink Dream ice cream in each one.

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