Sincerely, Carter(50)

“How about Marina Cove?” Carter finally shattered our silence. “Epsilon Chi is throwing a get-together there today.”

“Sounds good.”

“One of your beach bags is in my trunk. Do you need to go home and get anything else?”

I shook my head and he left a twenty on the table. Standing, he grabbed my hands and pulled me up, leading me to his car. He even opened the door for me.

I slipped inside and he cranked the engine—starting the one hour drive to a private cove that was near the shore. The waves lapping against each other to our left were the only sounds between us, and I tried to pretend like our hands weren’t entwined behind the gear shift—like his fingers weren’t caressing my knuckles at every stoplight.

As he veered the car onto the expressway, I put on my shades and stole glances of him every now and then. How the boy with itchy hair and gangly height from fourth grade had grown into the dominant and sexy man sitting next to me, I’d never know…

When we pulled up to the cove, our hands disentangled as we parked.

Several familiar faces from the EPIC party were setting up volleyball nets and grills, and Josh was yelling our names and walking over.

“Hey!” He looked surprised to see us. “You two decided to come after all, huh? Do you now have a change of heart about Epsilon Pi?”

“Hell no,” we said in unison, laughing together.

“Then why are you here?” Josh crossed his arms.

“Looking for something to do,” I said. “The beaches are cluttered with tourists and there’s a big wedding at the pier, so we figured crashing your party and making you feel somewhat important would be a much better way to spend our day.”

“Once again…” Josh said. “Out of all the girls in your elementary school, this is the one you chose to befriend?”

“You’re just jealous it wasn’t me and you,” I said.

“I hate to break it to you, Ari,” he said, “but it would’ve never been me and you because I would’ve hit it a long ass time ago.”

“Never.” I opened Carter’s trunk, taking out my beach bag. “I’m going to go change and lay out near the rocks. Whenever you guys start grilling, let me know and I’ll help.” I walked away and headed toward the restroom villa, hoping the brand new tension between me and Carter wasn’t obvious.

I pulled my hair into a bun and found a perfect spot to rest. I lay against the rocks and took a short nap as the sun warmed my skin.

Josh called me over to help marinate some of the chicken just as I flipped over, and for once, we actually managed to be together for more than ten minutes without arguing.

With each hour that passed, more and more people pulled up to the marina—beach towels and beers in tow, and even though everyone was genuinely nice and friendly, the only thing I really wanted to do right now was lay against Carter again.

At sunset, a familiar hand grabbed mine and pulled me along the shore.

“Careful,” I said, letting go of his hand. “People might actually think we’ve had sex.”

“We have had sex.”

“You know what I mean.” I blushed. “They’ll think we’re together now, and I’m pretty sure we’re not.”

“We’re still best friends, Ari.”

“Best friends do not hold hands.”

“I was only holding your hand to let you go,” he said, looking amused. “We’ve walked along the shore and talked for hours far too many times to count.”

“Yes, well…”

“Well, what?”

“Excuse me if I’m still adjusting to something that might’ve happened last night. Unlike you, I’m doing my best not to do little things that give you an inkling of an idea that it may happen again.”

He suddenly stopped walking and stared at me. Then he pushed me into an oncoming wave.

My body hit the water and I laughed—swallowing salt water as another wave washed over me.

Standing up, I immediately ran toward him and chased him up and down the shoreline, trying to get back to him.

I never did catch him, though. Whenever I got close, he would grab me by the waist and push me into another wave. Then he started chasing me.

Eventually surrendering, I held my hands up. “I’m going to take a break by the bonfire. I’m going to remember what you did, though.”

“You won’t.” He smiled and I blushed for the umpteenth time today.

“Hey, Carter…” A brunette walked right between us. “And you’re Arizona, right?” She acknowledged me without glancing my way.

I shot Carter an “I’ll be over there” look and found a spot near the fire. I grabbed one of the vegetable skewers from the grill and watched as that girl fawned all over him.