They walked back to the cabin in silence, but it was a different silence. Because under the surface was something else. A shared secret; a kiss she vowed to remember for all eternity.
The porch light was still on, like it was earlier, but so much had changed since they left. She’d walked out that door as an innocent girl, and come back with that part of her missing.
He walked ahead of her up the steps, pausing a moment before pushing the door open. As if he was waiting for something. For her to stop him, for her to tell him it was a mistake. But she remained silent, and eventually he walked into the house ahead of her.
“Thanks for coming out tonight,” he said, as he held the door wide for her to enter.
She ducked under his arm, careful not to get too close, then nodded. Because for the life of her, she couldn’t think of anything else do. Her mind was still mush, her pulse still racing. She tightened her grip on her towel and chewed her inner cheek. Because God help her, she was completely unaware of what happened next. Did they talk? Not talk? She looked up to the loft, where Renee’s faint snore still traveled down the staircase. Guilt washed over her and she turned back to Tristan.
He stood against the closed door, his face intense, but his body relaxed like always. She wanted to explain, to tell him she should never have let it happen. But before she could, he pushed himself from the wall and walked down the steps to the basement. He didn’t say a word, and was gone from sight before she could even comprehend his leaving.
But he left the door open—just a crack, and she knew what it was. An invitation for her to join him—and she couldn’t stop staring at it. Her stomach flip-flopped, and her knuckles became white where she clutched her towel too hard at her chest. It was an invitation for another kiss. To get to know the man she’d never allowed herself to truly see. But as sure as she was about the invitation, as sure as she knew he wanted her to take it, she couldn’t do it.
She turned toward the stairs, not allowing herself to think about what happened. Not allowing herself to wonder what would happen if she were to follow him down to his bed.
She fetched her pajamas from her suitcase, slipped them on, all while hoping and praying Renee wouldn’t wake. She climbed into bed on the queen-sized mattress, thinking she’d just made it, when her best friend turned around and grumbled in her sleep.
Renee’s expression was groggy and tired, and she slowly opened her eyes. “What time is it?” she asked, with a voice full of gravel.
“Almost eleven,” Samantha whispered.
Renee closed her eyes, but her lips transformed into a reluctant smile. “Those girls from the lake came over tonight,” she whispered. “Just a little while ago.”
Samantha’s throat went dry, and her stomach churned with sour grapes. They told her. They told Renee what they saw. Told her about her and Tristan.
Renee rolled to the nightstand and grabbed a red and white can of soup from the bedside table, before turning back. “They brought me this,” she said, shaking the can half-heartedly in her hand. “Chicken noodle.” She studied the label, tracing the words over and over with her fingertip. “Do you want to guess how long it took them to ask about Tristan?”
Samantha shook her head, her eyes shut as hot tears threatened to spill through her lids. A thousand excuses rushed to her mind, but none of them were good enough. None of them would make a difference. She’d kissed Tristan willingly. She’d kissed her friend’s brother, and the only reason she’d stopped was because those girls had interrupted them.
“Do they think I don’t know?” Renee asked, her head tilted to one side as her face filled with disgust. “Do they think I’m so stupid that I don’t realize what they’re doing?” She placed the can back on the end table, the frustration and emotions oozing from her skin. “I’m so sick of people being nice to me just to get to my brother.” Her voice was harsh and broken, but there was something else there, too. She was defeated.
Samantha pulled in a sharp breath, realizing what her friend was telling her. That those girls hadn’t told her what they’d seen in the woods. In fact, they’d probably come from seeing Renee when they found her and Tristan on the rocks.
Renee closed her eyes, sandwiching her hands beneath her head and pillow as she faced Samantha. “At least I have you.” She yawned. “The only person I can trust.”
A hundred bricks landed on Samantha’s shoulders. She knew exactly what Renee was trying to say. Because up until this point, Samantha was the only girl who hated Tristan as much as she did.