I can’t believe he’s here.
I turn to Cam, and she smiles, knocking her shoulder into mine. Together, we look toward the beach house, smiling at the hanging lights my dad added last time we were here.
“I love this place.”
“I can’t believe it’s ours.” Cam laughs. “We can legit come here whenever we want now.”
I chuckle. “Right? Good luck getting us home for school holidays now.”
“Yeah, they didn’t think that one through.”
“Butterfly!” Trey shouts as the music switches, his grin wide. “Mind coming over here?”
Cam giggles, looking to me.
“Go.” I shove her away, and I lean back on my hands.
I let out a long, wistful sigh, smiling at my friends.
Straight ahead, Chase and Brady are playing a game of flip cup with a group of girls, while Parker and Nate start tossing the football around. Mason stands near the heat of the fire, chatting with Lolli and Payton.
He grins, reaching up to tug on Payton’s ponytail, and I shake my head, laughing at the way she entertains his playfulness.
A gust of wind rolls through, so I wrap my arms around myself to keep warm, and not a moment later, a familiar voice meets my ears.
“Cold?”
I look over my shoulder, smiling at the lone walker making his way over.
“You made it.”
He tips his head teasingly. “You were waiting for me, huh?”
I turn toward the fire when it crackles as an excuse to avert my gaze, jumping a little when the bend of his knuckle brushes against my hand, effectively regaining my attention.
“I was only playing.” His voice is soft, but then his mouth curves to one side. “No way am I that lucky.”
“Sit down, Romeo.” I tug my lips to one side, unable to hold back a smile because he totally knows what he’s doing.
A sinful chuckle escapes him and he drops beside me.
“Romeo, huh? I like it.”
I don’t have to look at him to know his mouth is curved; it’s clear in his flirty tone.
“Really, though, sorry I’m late. It took me longer to pack than I would have liked.”
“Well, as you can see” —I gesture to the small crowd around us— “the party survived without you.”
He grins. Leaning forward, he rests his forearms on his thighs. “So, what are we looking at?”
I mirror his position, tipping my head toward Cam and Trey.
Noah smiles instantly. “You should have seen his face when I told him you guys were here today.”
“I can imagine.” Warmth fills my chest for my friend, but unease is still present.
“She looks happy to see him.”
My eyes move his way, studying his profile, taking in the sharp edges of his jaw, the firmness of his shoulders. After a moment, he meets my gaze.
“How much did he tell you?”
He tries his best to shrug it off as if he knows nothing, but I’ve got a feeling…
“Oh my god, he told you everything?” I gape, lifting one knee onto the log as I turn toward him.
Noah lifts his hands in front of him, playing innocent, but I snatch them out of the air.
“Oooh, no you don’t. Spill it, Mr. Riley.” I laugh.
His chuckle is low, his eyes falling to where my hands are still locked onto his. I quickly pull back, but he’s faster, grabbing and flipping my wrist so my knuckles are pointed at the sand.
“All right, I’ll tell you.” Noah begins drawing shapes into my palm, his featherlike touch bringing goose bumps to the surface.
He feels them, because he suppresses a grin, and doesn’t bother to look up as he speaks. “Trey told me he met two fun, free-spirited girls who were out experiencing life on their own for the first time. He told me no matter how hard he tried not to, he fell for one of them overnight, even though he knew she was in love with someone else.” He lifts his gaze to mine. “He told me about her best friend. How amazing and kind and beautiful she was.”
“He did not say beautiful.”
“You’re right, he said sexy, but I was trying to be a gentleman,” he admits, and we both laugh. Noah flicks his gaze to our hands, swiftly bringing it right back. “He told me he knew I would adore this best friend, and he’s not in the habit of being wrong.” He winks at me, his eyes roaming my face as it goes up in flames, but then Noah faces forward. “He missed an important piece, though.”
“And what’s that?” I didn’t intend to whisper.
Dropping his chin the smallest bit, he motions for me to follow his line of sight.
Hesitantly, I break my eyes away, peering out over the flames in search of his intended target.
I find it instantly.
Or should I say, I find him.
Chase stands on the other side of the fire, staring this way, but he looks off the second he realizes I’ve caught him. A hint of embarrassment washes over me, and I turn to Noah, who is far too perceptive for a stranger.