“Homecoming looked pretty serious to me.”
She sighed. “I know. I warned Miller not to get involved with Amber and he did it anyway. Now he’s trying his best to be a good guy. I’m sure he even likes her, but I’m not sure he’ll ever be over you.”
I tried to keep my face neutral and my voice steady. “So why not break up?”
“Because he’s doing the honorable thing. Because things went too far that night, and he doesn’t want to bail on her. Because he is a good guy, even if he’s stubborn as hell.” She arched a brow. “You two have that in common.”
I shook my head. “What am I supposed to do, Shi? Barge into their relationship and then what? What happens next? It’s not like my fears of us being ruined have magically evaporated.”
“Uh huh. And how’s not even talking to him working out for you? He’s miserable but so are you. Neither one of you are capable of being happy without the other. At the very least, you guys need to fix your friendship. Start there and see what happens.”
“How do you know all this stuff about him and Amber anyway? From her?”
Shiloh began to walk, and I followed to catch up. “And him. I’m getting it in stereo.”
“Does Miller…talk to you a lot?”
“Sort of. I’ve been hanging out with the so-called Lost Boys at their beach shack under the Lighthouse Cliffs.”
Jealousy stabbed me in the gut. “I wasn’t aware that they had a shack.”
“Because you’ve been so busy with your college apps and study loads and not talking to Miller.” She smiled and looked away. “It’s nice. Bonfires at night… The guys drink beer and behave like horses’ asses most of the time, but it’s…nice.”
“Miller invited you?”
“No, Ronan.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Really? Since when are you two friendly? He sits right next to you in our History class and you never
talk.”
She waved a hand. “He’s an asshole. I can barely tolerate him, but it’s worth it to sit and watch the ocean, and nothing smells better than a beach bonfire. And I say all this because it’s high time you were there too.”
“I’m not going anywhere I’m not wanted, Shi,” I said. “Being stood up at Homecoming in front of the entire school aside, I still have a shred of dignity.”
“On that note, Miller told me Evelyn Gonzalez stole your phone that night, took the video of him singing ‘All I’ll Ever Want,’ and put it on her vlog.”
My mouth fell open. “She did what?”
Shiloh pulled out her phone. “I was hoping you gave her permission, but I guess she even didn’t tell you.”
“She returned it to me the next day but didn’t say a word about Miller. She and I haven’t been…close lately.”
But she and Miller are?
I watched the vlog footage, marveling through my shock at Miller’s beautiful voice, his talent, and that sexy-as-hell way he’d taken off his beanie to run his hand through his hair. Moments after that song ended, he’d kissed me…
The video finished. “That explains why everyone’s been smiling and being nice to him.”
“Oh, you noticed that too?” Shiloh put her phone away. “Yeah, he’s suddenly the town famous person.”
“They should be nice to him, but they should’ve been nice to him this entire time. Not just because of this.”
“Agreed.” Shiloh put her arm around me. “You’ve always treated him the way he’s deserved to be treated. Come to the Shack. You’re wanted there. Believe me.” She gave me a squeeze. “And not just by me.”
A few days later, I worked up the nerve to take Shiloh up on her offer. As the sun set behind the ocean, she led me on a crazy path over jagged, porous boulders, while the tide washed over our ankles.
“You’re not taking me out here to murder me, are you?” I asked, tripping over a tangle of seaweed while protectively clutching a paper bag holding the six-pack of beer I’d stolen from Dad—an offering to the Lost Boys for having me at their bonfire. My Converse were drenched, and the rolled-up cuffs of my jeans were damp. “This is getting a little rough, Shi.”