“Don’t take too long,” she says, “I bought pie from that bakery that moved in next to the boutique.”
I wasn’t sure who would win out, me or pie, but they easily follow me out on the boardwalk, past the carriage house and tall tree with the swing hanging underneath. The sun sets somewhere west, hidden behind the thick trees along the waterway, and it’s a welcome reprieve from the intense summer heat.
The boys are in their various states; Justin and Pete in their marina work shirts, Nick in a Citadel football T-shirt, and Whit with his shaggy blond hair and sun-kissed skin. They sit on the built-in benches, Whit up on the railing. I find a space across from them. I need to see their faces. Justin’s is lined with worry.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I think so. I just…I want to stay,” I tell them. “For good. I want to leave Vanderbilt and transfer somewhere down here. I have for a long time but I just wasn’t sure if it was the right decision. I spent years fighting for that spot at Vandy but now it’s not the right fit, it hasn’t been for a while, and after everything that’s happened this summer I want to be closer to home. To you guys. To Ocean Beach.”
Pete smiles and says, “That’s…”
I hold up my hands. “Wait. There’s more. Avery said some things while he had me in that camper. Awful things, about me and my relationship with you all and before I make this decision, I have to know the truth; are you really okay with how things are? With all of us being in this relationship together? Not just for the three months we’re here but for the long haul?”
It’s hard asking for the truth like this and even harder being under the scrutinizing gaze of these amazing, handsome men. There’s a moment where none of them say anything although a million, silent thoughts pass through the best friends until Nick stands and walks over to me. With both hands, he lifts me from the bench and slides his arms around my waist. He’s so big and in his arms, I feel tiny but safe. “Trust me, we’ve never been happier. I’ve never been happier. You’ve given me a chance to express all sides of myself. The artistic and the physical, the fun and the serious. Thank you for that.”
He seals this statement with a kiss, the kind I feel down in my toes, the kind I’ve missed over the past few weeks. He’s gentle, careful with my battered body, but I feel his want and desire and I hope I can convey the same. He’s left me breathless but releases me with a tiny shove in the direction of the guys. I’m caught by Pete, who strokes my cheek with the back of his hand and lifts my chin. “I’ve never been more scared in my life when I realized you were gone, and I’ve never felt such exhilaration, finding you alive. If I ever had a doubt about my feelings for you, or us, they were shattered that day. If you left for Vanderbilt, I would have stowed away in your car.” He kisses me sweetly. “You’re not getting rid of me or any of these guys any time soon. Got it?”
My lips are warm and I can still taste him on my tongue. “Got it.”
I turn and find Justin behind me, slow smirk tugging at his lips. “I’ve been waiting for you to figure this out.”
“What?”
“That we’re all in and want you here with us. I mean, the rest of us knew it, we just needed you to clue in.”
“Guess I needed a near-death experience to figure it out.”
He makes a face, his blue eyes flashing.
“Too soon?” I ask.
“It will never not be too soon, babe,” he pulls me into his arms. Justin is a rock, my rock, and I know that if he’s okay with the idea of me moving and all of us continuing on with this relationship, I know it’s real. He shows me as well as tells me, his kiss sexy and sincere. I feel his heart banging in his chest and the heat between his legs. You can fake a lot of things, but not those.
Reluctantly, he releases me and I turn to face Whit, who’s still up on the railing. He’s watched the whole scene, jaw tense. To my surprise, he makes no effort to move.
The guys surround me, and one glance says they’re as confused as I am.
“There’s something I need to tell you all.”
My heart stalls in my chest.
“I’ve been struggling a lot lately,” he runs his hand through his shaggy hair, “and I thought I could tough it out.” His eyes land on mine. “Be the man you think I am, but I can’t. Not anymore. It’s not fair to you or me.”
“Dude, what are you talking about?” Nick asks.
He takes a deep breath and then says in a quick rush, “I’mquittingschool.”
I feel Nick tense next to me before he asks, “You’re dropping out?”
Relief spreads across Whit’s face and his whole body relaxes. “Yeah, I’m done with the bullshit. I hate it. All I want is to be here, work at the surf school, help at the marina.”
“What’s your dad going to say?” Pete asks.
“The same thing he’s said all summer. Nothing. He’s stopped speaking to me because of all this and that’s his problem. I’m not conforming to his twisted sense of tradition.” His eyes meet mine. “I’m with Summer. I want to li
ve the life I want to live, surrounded by the people I love, not tied to obligation and history.”
I step forward and place my hands on his knees. “So, you do love me?”