I glance around and note that Victoria is also absent. I sure hope I don’t have to beat the living fuck out of my best friend. Sterling’s a great guy, but he’s not exactly boyfriend material. He has so much baggage that he makes mine look like child’s play. Victoria’s also one of my best friends. I really don’t want to have to hurt him when he inevitably hurts her.
“Are you going to just stand there?” Reed snaps me out of my thoughts.
“I figured I could laze around while you handled it, bro.” I jump onto the boat and help him with the last-minute checks. Once ready, we wave everyone on. I don’t miss the way Morgan sticks to Tinsley instead of coming over to me. Disappointment settles in me, but I try to remember we’re newly reunited friends. I can’t expect a change overnight.
Once anchored, most of the guys jump right in, but I hold back with the girls.
“Having fun?” I ask, pulling Morgan into my side.
She looks up at me, causing me to get lost in those emerald green eyes. Fuck if my dick didn’t stand to attention.
“I am. Thanks for inviting me.” She pulls her bottom lip into her mouth, biting it slightly.
Reaching up, I free her lip from her teeth, making her gasp.
“I need to cool off.” I drop my arm from around her before running and jumping into the water.
“You good?” Reed asks from beside me.
“Yep.”
“She’s in your head. You need to decide what you’re doing.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
He shakes his head. “If you don’t know what that means, then you need to reevaluate this situation and get out before it’s too late.”
Swimming back to the boat, he pulls himself up before making his way over to Sage. A spike of jealously hits me as I see how easily he pulls her to him.
Fuck.
This is what he meant. I’m not jealous because he has Sage. I’m jealous of what he haswith Sage. I want that. As much as I hate to admit it, I want that with Morgan. It’s why her name couldn’t be mentioned to me. Anytime it was, I would lose my shit. I never dealt with my feelings for her.
Making my way to the boat, I pull myself up, but instead of making my way to the girls, I call out to Reed.
“Let’s make some burgers.”
✽✽✽
Morgan
Something’s changed. I don’t know what it is. Keaton has been acting differently since we got on the boat. He’s checked in with me more times than I can count. He keeps waiting on me hand and foot. Not to mention the lingering looks and touches.
Something’s definitely changed. I’m not sure I’m ready for it though.
“Brad Pit, Johnny Depp, and Tom Cruise. Kill, marry, fuck. Go,” Tinsley says to me as we sun ourselves on the deck.
“Why do you pick the oldest actors?” I muse, but then answer her. “Kill Tom, fuck Brad, marry Johnny.”
She chuckles. “Now you, Poppy.”
Poppy—someone not exactly in the group but still allowed to hang out—thinks about her answer. “I think I would marry Brad, fuck Johnny, but still kill Tom, though.”
“Poor Tom. I would fuck him. Kill Brad. I mean, he’s overrated. Marry Johnny for sure. Maybe he’d wear the pirate makeup for me.” Tinsley sighs dreamily.
We all bust out laughing.
“Hello, ladies.” I turn to find Ryan, a guy in my chemistry class, hovering beside me.
“Hey, Ryan. What’s up?”
He shrugs before sitting on the edge of my chair. I move my legs over, offering him more room. He gives me a grateful smile.
“Nothing. What are you guys talking about?”
My cheeks burn with embarrassment. I’m not used to talking to guys like this. Ryan’s gorgeous. At least six feet tall, he has broad shoulders and huge biceps. It’s obvious he’s athletic. If I didn’t already know he was on the lax team, I would bet he was into football. He seems like he could take a hit or two.
“Playing marry, fuck, or kill. Want to play?” Tinsley’s eyes twinkle with amusement.
“Sure. Who’s on the table?”
Her grin turns slightly devious. “Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, and Brad Pitt.”
Ryan chuckles. I have to admit it’s not unpleasant. “Obviously, you have to marry Johnny. He’s like a king. Fuck Tom, I guess. He’s not too bad. Kill Brad, though. Only an idiot would leave Jenn for Angelina.”
I burst out laughing. I cannot believe he played along. His eyes meet mine as an amused smile crosses his face.
“Well, I can’t argue that,” Tinsley finally says once she recovers from her own laughing fit.
Meeting Ryan’s eyes again, I can’t help the small smile that covers my face easily.
“I’m going to take a dip. Do any of you fine ladies want to join me?”
The others say no, but I say yes. Once in the water, Ryan stays close.
“So, tell me about yourself, mystery girl.”
I chuckle. “You know who I am.”
He gives me a cocky smile. “I know your name, but I don’t know much about you.”
“When did you start at BA?” My curiosity gets the best of me.
“Last year. I transferred from Central. The lax program here is much better. I’m hoping to go pro, preferably with the PLL and not the MLL or NLL.”
Keaton wants to go pro too—or at least he did. Shit. Why am I thinking about Keaton?
“I see. I grew up here. I went to HDA for dance but came back.”
“What made you come back?” He swims closer to me.
I shrug, swimming around him towards the side of the boat.
“See, mysterious.” His chuckle follows me.
“I’m not trying to be.” I turn back to face him again. “I’m not used to people not knowing about me here. It’s kind of refreshing.” I admit that last part quietly. For so long I was Keaton’s friend. Always defined by my friendship with him.
“Ah, is it because of Yates? I should tell you I’m on the team with him. He warned us all off of you.”
I freeze for a moment before continuing
