Page 71 of Those Summer Nights (Sweet Cravings 2)

Because we’re running out of time. Delaware was less long distance than California. But I didn’t want to tell him that I might be transferring until I at least talked to my dad about it. I’d call him soon. As soon as I got up the courage to hear his voice and not let whatever he said bother me. Fat chance. But I had to do it. I was thinking I could wait until I heard back from the University of New Castle, but it was taking longer than I expected. And I didn’t want my dad to send the money to SMU by accident.

I was glad J.J. popped the bubble instead of me. I was even happier that he was as content as me. I smiled down at him, hoping that it looked more sincere than his. “Better late than never. Aren’t your friends waiting for us at the pool?”

“Unless you’d rather stay in bed?”

I laughed and sat up. “Oh, I’d definitely rather stay here with you all night. But you promised me we’d win a chicken fight and that’s what I intend to do.” I slid off the bed. I really did love winning. Besides, I was a little curious about how he’d act around all those hot girls he usually hung out with now that we were dating. Or…fucking. Or…I didn’t know what we were. But it felt big and important to me. The kind of important that meant I would 100 percent not be flirting with any other guys. This would at least let me know that he felt the same way. And maybe give me the extra boost of confidence I needed in order to call my dad later.

By the time we reached the pool, the chicken fighting had already begun.

“We’ll join the next round,” J.J. said as he pulled me toward the pool. The wonderful feeling of his hand in mine wasn’t enough to distract me from looking for the blonde girl that J.J. had been dancing with yesterday. Jenn, I think he said her name was. That was a lie…I definitely knew her name. It was seared into my brain just like the way he danced with her was. It wasn’t hard to spot her. She was one of the last two people who hadn’t been knocked into the water this round. And she was battling…Kristen?

“Kristen?” I called.

Kristen turned her head. The distraction was enough for Jenn to knock her backward off Reggie’s shoulders.

She resurfaced in a fit of laughter. “So unfair! I demand a rematch. Mila distracted me. Are you coming in?” she asked me.

“Mhm.” I was happy she was here. Just surprised that neither she nor J.J. had mentioned it. I kicked off my flip flops. “You didn’t tell me Kristen was here,” I said to J.J.

“I didn’t know.” But he wasn’t focused on me or Kristen when he said it. I felt my stomach turn as I started to follow his gaze. I breathed a sigh of relief when he wasn’t ogling Jenn. He was staring daggers at Reggie instead. I should have come clean right then and there about how Reggie had helped me out last night. But diving into the pool seemed a lot easier. So I chose that route instead, letting his hand slide out of mine.

J.J. splashed water all over me when I resurfaced to his cannonball.

I laughed as he pulled me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist, not caring that we were surrounded by people. Apparently he didn’t care that we were around other people either.

“I told you that Reggie was a dick,” he said.

I sighed. I needed to tell him. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too mad. I was about to open my mouth when Kristen swam over to us.

“Sorry I didn’t text you last night,” she said. “I stayed at the party really late and ended up crashing at Reggie’s.”

Crashing definitely meant banging. I wondered if she did the Thanksgiving turkey thing. Luckily that hadn’t come up with J.J. yet. “That’s okay.” I’d lecture her later about murderers and rapists and the importance of texting your besties. Kids these days.

“I see the plan worked,” Reggie said as he joined Kristen at her side.

Oh crap.

“What plan?” J.J. asked.

Before I could figure out the best way to word it, Reggie filled in the blanks.

“The getting J.J. to stop being an idiot and notice Mila plan. I pretended to flirt with Kristen and Mila all night to make you jealous. Although, my flirtations with Kristen ended up being very much real.” He kissed her cheek.

I wanted to focus on how adorable they were, but I was a little preoccupied by J.J.’s face, waiting for his reaction. I was surprised when he started laughing. The breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding finally escaped.

Everyone around us seemed to vanish when J.J. turned back to me, his hands drifted farther down my back. “I guess I was being an idiot, huh?”

“Just a little dense.”

He smiled. “All your scheming worked then.”

Technically, J.J. had claimed he wasn’t jealous last night. Just protective of me. But the getting us together part? That had absolutely worked. I nodded.

“I admit that I was an idiot…but I always noticed you, Jellyfish Girl.”

My heart felt like it was going to burst.

“I guess I owe you a thank you,” he said to Reggie.

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