right? Like that ever happens. This isn’t some romance novel.”
“Oh, come on, you two are perfect for each other. You cal ed us blind last night? Hi, pot. It’s me, kettle,” Sophia snapped back.
“Hi, kettle, you have about thirty seconds before this pot kicks your ass. Nothing happened. Nothing is going to happen. In case you forgot, he
has a harem, ladies. A harem! And I’m not about to become his third chippie. So you can forget it, okay?” I yel ed, pushing out of the chair, turning
for the house, and running right into a quiet Simon.
“Great! You’re here too! And I see you two peeking through the blinds, idiots!” I cried as Neil and Ryan backed away from the window.
“Caroline, can we talk, please?” Simon asked, grasping me by the arms and spinning me toward him.
“Sure, why not? Let’s make the embarrassment complete. Since I know you’re al dying to know, I threw myself at this guy last night, and he
turned me down. Okay, secret’s out. Now can we please drop it?” I wiggled out of his grip and walked toward the trail to the lake. I heard nothing
behind me and turned to see al five of them, wide eyed and evidently unsure what to do next.
“Hey! Come on, Simon. Let’s go,” I snapped my fingers, and he started after me, looking a little afraid.
I stomped down the trail and tried to slow my breathing. My heart was pounding, and I didn’t want to talk when I was this riled up. No good could
come of it. As I breathed in and out, I took in the beautiful morning al around and tried to let that lighten my heart a bit. Did I need to make this more
awkward that it already was? No. I had the control here, last night notwithstanding. I could make it so last night never happened, or I could certainly
try.
I breathed again, feeling a bit of the tension leave my body. Despite everything that happened, I enjoyed Simon’s company and had to come to
think of him as my friend. I stil stomped along the path, but eventual y eased back into a moderately pissy strol .
I left the trees behind and didn’t stop until I reached the end of the dock. The sun peeked out after last night’s storm, casting a silver light on the
water.
I heard him approach and stop just behind me. I took one more deep breath. He was silent.
“You’re not going to push me in, are you? That would be a bad move, Simon.” He exhaled a laugh, and I smiled a little, not wanting to, but not
able to help it.
“Caroline, can I explain about last night? I need to you know that—”
“Just don’t, okay? Can’t we just chalk it up to the wine?” I asked, whirling about to face him and trying to beat him to the punch.
He stared down at me with the strangest look on his face. He looked like he’d gotten dressed in a hurry: white thermal, wel worn jeans, and
hiking boots that weren’t even laced up, the strings now damp and muddy from the trek through the woods. Stil , he was stunning, the early morning
sun il uminating the strong planes of his face and that scruff that was so delicious.
“I wish I could, Caroline, but—” he started again.
I shook my head. “Seriously, Simon, just—” I began, but stopped when he pressed his fingers against my mouth.
“You have to shut up, okay? You keep interrupting me, and watch how fast you get tossed in that very lake,” he warned with the twinkle in his
eye I’d become so used to.
I nodded, and he removed his hand. I tried to ignore the flames that licked at my lips, brought to the surface by just that little touch.
“So, last night we came real y close to making a very big mistake,” he said, and when he saw my mouth begin to open, he wagged his finger at
me.
I zipped my lip, miming throwing the key into the water. He smiled sadly and continued.
“Obviously I’m attracted to you. How could I not be? You’re amazing. But you were drunk, I was drunk, and as great as it would have been, it
would have—ah, it would have changed things, you know? And I just can’t, Caroline. I can’t al ow myself to…I just…” He struggled, running his hands
through his hair in a gesture I’d come to understand as frustration. He stared at me, wil ing me to make this okay, to tel him we were okay.
Did I want to lose a friend over this? No way.
“Hey, like I said, it’s cool—too much wine. Besides, I know you have your arrangement, and I can’t…Things just got away from me last night,” I
explained, trying to sel it to him.
He opened his mouth to comment, but after a moment he nodded and sighed a great sigh. “We stil friends? I don’t want this to get weird for
us. I real y like you, Caroline,” he asked, looking as though his world was about to come to an end.