Chapter 32 #2
“I’m really sorry,” I said, feeling like a jerk. But it would be better for both of us in the long run. “We’re toxic together. It’s not normal to break up all the time. When you find the right guy, you’ll never want to break up, okay?”
Tears started up and in two seconds, they streamed down her cheeks like small rivers. She threw her head back, opened her mouth, and howled like Netflix had just canceled her show.
I heard Magnolia scoff with disgust all the way across the water.
Oh, good grief.
Blue chuckled in the background. “Man, I love it when we all get together.”
Theo leaned against the food table, arms crossed, his face carved into pure disappointment. He shook his head slowly. What did he want from me?
I caught Mom’s eye, sending a silent plea for help. Thankfully, she was already on her way.
“Hey, Nova,” Mom said softly, taking her by the triceps. “We’re ready for you to put your square in the quilt.” She guided her in the other direction. Nova hiccuped sobs as she walked away.
On the trampoline, Magnolia settled onto her side, hip protruding, her back to the beach. Liam faced her, smiling like he couldn’t have been happier to have her to himself.
I narrowed my gaze and peeled off my shirt.
“Bowen,” Fletch warned. “What are you doing?”
“Too little, too late, Fletch.” I jogged for the shoreline.
He sprinted to catch up, jumping in my way.
Eyes wild, he grabbed my shoulders, pushing me back.
His measly efforts were laughable. Sure, he might’ve won Regionals in wrestling back in eleventh grade, but the second he got his diploma, he never did another bench press or pull-up again.
“She’s poison, remember? The cause of all your problems.”
He was just following protocol, spitting back the words I’d drilled into him two years ago in case he ever caught my will power weakening. But at that moment, I didn’t see a friend trying to talk me down. I saw an imbecile with a death wish.
“Move,” I seethed.
“Fletcher.” Charlie clapped at him. “Let him go.”
But my best friend since middle school was determined to be loyal to Past Bowen’s definitive instructions. Even if he had to die to do it. “Do I need to slap you?” he asked. Before I could respond, he did just that, once on each cheek.
My jaw rolled, cheeks stinging. “You moron.”
“You’re the moron—” Abilene inserted “—if you think there’s any way Maggie’s giving you the time of day.”
Fletch glared at her, teeth bared. “Back off, travel-sized Doctor Barbie.”
“Thank you.” Abilene curtsied. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Fletch scanned my face like he was seriously concerned. “Have you been bitten by zombies?”
“No. I’m finally seeing everything clearly. Now move. I’m going to get my girl.” I pushed him to the side. Too hard, apparently. He stumbled backward and fell on his butt. “Sorry,” I called as I took off again, vision tunneled in on Magnolia.
“Remember what Team Bowen’s motto is?” Fletch screamed, the echo bouncing off the shores of Lake A.
I flinched, certain he wouldn’t say it out loud.
I turned back just in time to see him puff his chest and bellow at equal volume, “Magnolia Hollis: The Bermuda Triangle of hearts! She looks like paradise! But she’ll leave you a disaster! ”
Theo released a noise that sounded like a chicken being strangled.
“Wow.” Abilene slow-clapped, rolling her eyes at me. “Genuinely impressive. I didn’t know the bar could go that low.”
“Oh, Bowen,” Charlie said, hands pressed to her cheeks.
“Dude.” Cash shook his head. “Not cool.”
I threw my hands up. “We made it up after the Spartan Race, okay? That was like…forever ago.”
Unfortunately, Magnolia had heard the whole thing.
I knew because she called me a nasty name that floated right across the water and into my eardrums. I turned to see her standing on the trampoline, curves backlit by the setting sun, looking utterly gorgeous and downright pissed.
But then she shook her head and plopped onto the mat like she didn’t care because she was way past me.
“Just…awesome.” I was never digging myself out of this hole. But I had to try, so I started toward the water again.
Suddenly, someone dove for me from behind, arms coming around my knees.
I stumbled, nearly tripping face-first. “What the—?”
“I’m s-saving you from yo-selv!” Fletch sputtered. I looked down to see him lying on his belly, legs locked around my ankles, his face covered in sand. I had to give it to him. Fletch would utterly humiliate himself—and had many times—in the name of friendship.
Abilene cackled behind us. Cash and Theo snickered. Charlie looked horrified.
“Fletch.” I sighed. “The first rule of any team is that the captain—” I tapped myself in the center of the chest “—can shift allegiances at any time, and the rest of the team—” I pointed to him “—has to shift too. I promise, I have not been attacked by zombies and I don’t actually believe Magnolia is the Bermuda Triangle. If anyone is, it’s me.”
“Facts,” Abilene said.
I ignored her and pointed behind me to Magnolia, needing him to understand. “She’s my future. I know that now. I was just too scared to let myself see it before.”
Surprisingly, Abilene had no reaction to that.
Charlie, on the other hand, sighed.
Fletch looked up at me, his entire face scrunched because he had sand in his eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said calmly. “I’ve never been more sure in my life.”
With that, he unlocked my legs, rolled onto his back, and gazed up at the sky. “Winter yields to spring. Finally.” Then he jerked, and jerked again, acting out his own death scene, slammed his eyes shut, and let his head loll to the side.
“I’ll miss Fletch,” I heard Theo say as I sprinted for the water. “He was a good man.”
And then I was swimming. Like a moccasin slipping silently through reeds, my hands sliced over the surface, propelling me closer to Magnolia. Who was oblivious to my impending arrival because she and Liam were talking in hushed tones. Probably about me.
I scrambled up the ladder and popped over the edge just enough to see her backside in all of its near-naked glory—legs silky smooth, skin bronzed from the sun, toned shoulders, her perfectly curved hip tipped up toward the sky, begging me to run my hand over it.
Liam must’ve felt it begging too because just then, his hand hooked around her hip, resting over the tie of her bikini bottom.
A surge of jealousy ripped through me like I’d never experienced before.
I didn’t even form a plan. Just burst onto the mat, landed once, and sprang into the air.
As I soared up, up, up, in what felt like slow motion, Magnolia squealed—half fear, half disbelief.
Liam swung his head up so fast you’d think he heard a gun cock. His eyes were wide with fear…
And then I landed.
They went flying, legs flailing wildly. Liam’s body rocketed at a diagonal, like he’d been shot out of a cannon. Magnolia did a sloppy front flip, screaming bloody murder. Okay, maybe I jumped a little too hard.
Liam swore when his shoulder skidded across the mat. He popped to his feet, steaming mad, his shoulder red and raw. “You gave me a mat burn!” I was going to give him a lot worse if he didn’t keep his hands off her.
Magnolia tumbled onto her bottom, seeming fine.
I’d gotten them on opposite sides of the tramp. Mission accomplished.
As Liam prowled toward me, I kept jumping. Hard. Bouncing him every time I landed. “Sorry if you’ve lost all your trampoline skills,” I said. “That’s what happens—” Jump “—when you sign your life—” Jump “—away.” Jump. “Hope it’s worth it.” Jump, jump, jump.
He glared at me, turned, and headed for Magnolia.
Nope. I pounced, sending him airborne again, higher, uglier, and even less coordinated than before.
Magnolia screamed.
“You little pecker!” Liam shouted. “I can’t jump. It’s—”
“Not in your contract?” I asked in a baby voice. “What’s wrong?” I wore a pout. “Is wittle Wiam afraid—” Jump “ —of a teeny—” Jump “—bouncy bounce?”
When he tried to take another step towards Magnolia, I sent him flying again and again.
“Bowen,” Magnolia said, voice tight, hugging the edge of the mat. “You’re going to hurt him.”
“Is this what you want?” I asked her. “A man who has to live in a bubble?” Jump. “A man who doesn’t even own his own body?” Jump. “All so he can sit on the bench?”
I was being a complete tool. But if Liam touched her one more time, I would go ballistic. And then Liam would drown me. So yeah, this was simply self-preservation.
Liam’s nostrils flared, every muscle flexed. “I’m gonna kick your —”
“You can’t,” I said with a cocky chuckle. “You know why?” Jump. “No roughhousing.” Jump. “Wrestling.” Jump. "Or fighting.” Jump. “It says so in your contract.”
His face turned an alarming shade of tomato. If I’d had any sense, I would’ve run—er, swum—for my life. I didn’t.
His eyes darted past me. “Maggie!” he called. “Don’t leave.”
I turned to see her crawling to the ladder.
“Oh no, you don’t!” In two bounces, I was across the mat, cutting her off. “I need to talk to you.”
“I don’t want to talk to you,” she snapped, like that was final, proving her best friend’s prediction correct.
Was she really over me?
Admittedly, I shouldn’t have spoken my next words. But my pride and the panic I couldn’t shut down rendered me temporarily insane. “Oooh. Got it.” My head bobbed as if she hadn’t hurt me at all. “You don’t care who you get with, as long as their last name is Dupree.”
She blinked, eyes watering, like I’d backhanded her.
Crap.
Liam exhaled a frustrated laugh. “Oh my gosh. Dude. You are so freaking dumb. Like the dumbest.”
I swung around to look at him, and Magnolia launched herself off the trampoline. When I turned back, all that remained was the churn of water where she’d disappeared.
I heaved my arms behind me, about to go in after her, but Liam grabbed the waistband of my shorts and flung me onto the mat. My left shoulder blade burned. “Gah!” Now I had road rash.