Page 169 of P.S. I'm Still Yours

Vince and Scar may be drunk, but Cal is wasted. He can barely hold himself up.

I’ve just remembered the weird text he sent me earlier, asking me if I was going to the bonfire, when he notices me sitting alone.

I shoot him a polite smile, expecting him to resume his beer pong game, but he doesn’t, telling the guys something I can’t hear and heading straight for me.

I barely have a chance to register what’s happening before he’s plopping down on the towel next to me.

“Hey, stranger.” Cal gives me a lazy smirk, his breath reeking of alcohol.

Discomfort scampers down my spine. We haven’t really talked since the night I told him we weren’t going to work out. I know it was a hot minute ago, and his flirty demeanor is most likely the result of alcohol, but this feels so awkward I want to put a few hundred miles between us.

“Why are you sitting all by yourself?” He nudges me with his elbow.

“Water break.” I gesture to my water bottle with a forced smile.

“Boring. Who drinks water at a party?” Cal teases, scooting way too close to me.

At first, I play it off like him crowding my personal space doesn’t bother me.

But then he rests his hand on my thigh.

Nope, I can’t.

“On second thought, I’m going to get another drink.” I push to my feet, practically racing to the cooler sitting in the sand a few feet away.

Cal doesn’t take the hint, rising off the towel and following after me. “I’ll come with you.”

Great.

I throw the cooler open under Cal’s scrutiny, begin digging through it, and grab a can at random.

Cal proceeds to get himself another beer, and I can’t seem to keep my concern to myself. “You sure you want another one? You’ve already had a lot. Maybe too much.”

But it’s no use. He’s already twisting the cap off and throwing the beer bottle back.

“On the contrary.” He wipes his mouth with his hand. “I’ve had just enough. Otherwise, I’d never have the guts to tell you this.”

I don’t like the sound of that at all.

“Tell me what?”

He flashes a lopsided smirk as he stumbles closer. “How much I like you.”

Oh, dear Lord.

Don’t tell me I’m going to have to reject this guy twice in one summer.

I cringe. “Cal…”

“I know, I know. You’re not looking to date right now, but summer will be over soon, and I… I just feel like this could be something great, and we haven’t given it a fair shot.”

My gaze darts to the guys gathered around the beer pong table. They’re listening to every word, not even bothering to hide it. I can only see Kane’s back from where I am, but his fists are rolled into tight balls, a clear sign that he’s not happy about what he’s hearing.

“You said it yourself. Summer will be over soon. Why would you tell me this right as we’re about to leave?”

“Because I’d hate myself if I left without at least telling you how I feel. You and I… we have a connection. Now, I’m not saying it would be easy, but Chapel Hill’s not that far from Boone, and I—”

“Stop.” I chew down on my bottom lip. God, I hate that he’s making me say this. I hate that I didn’t just tell him I wasn’t into him instead of making up an excuse about not being ready for a relationship after we went out.

---