Chapter 3
THREE
KAIRI
After ten minutes of toying with my extremely frizzy, knotted, and dry curls while I wait for Colton to return to our table, I throw my hair into a bun again, positive it resembles a bird's nest now. Detangling this later tonight is going to be the death of me.
“First things first,” Colton says, setting our tray of burgers and fries, along with classic strawberry milkshakes on the table before sliding into the booth across from me. “What qualities do you look for in a guy?”
“Uhm…” I pause, staring at him wide-eyed.
He pops a fry into his mouth, studying me. “You don’t know, do you?”
My face flushes and I bite the inside of my cheek. “I do know,” I scowl. “I’m not an idiot.”
But the truth is…I don’t think I have a type. At least not a one-size-fits-all. I’ve been attracted to all kinds of men with different careers, ambitions, personalities. There’s never been one simple description for the person I imagine myself with.
Colton raises a skeptical brow. “Okay,” he says. “So tell me.”
I reach forward and pull my shake closer, taking a long sip to buy myself time. Colton waits patiently, watching me over the rim of his own glass.
“That’s too broad of a question,” I finally say. “It feels like an interrogation.”
He chuckles under his breath, looking away with a smirk as he grabs another fry.
“Okay,” he says once he finishes chewing. “Let’s play This or That.”
“Much better,” I say, leaning back against the cushioned booth with my shake in hand.
“Athletic surfer type,” he starts, “or artsy musician type?”
“Both?” I offer, not needing to think about it for long.
He lifts a brow. “Care to explain?”
“I’d like someone I can go surfing with—someone who can keep up with me. But I’d also like someone artsy too. It doesn’t have to be music. It could be writing, drawing, photography…anything creative.”
He pauses, considering what I said. “Why is it important that he be a creative person?”
I shrug. “The idea of being someone's muse sounds romantic.”
Colton laughs softly and nods knowingly. “Fair.” He reaches for his milkshake. “Okay, what about a charming flirt or a loyal best friend?”
Zale instantly comes to mind because he’s definitely a flirt—everyone knows that. But at one point, before things got complicated, he was also my loyal best friend and maybe that’s why I keep chasing after him…because I miss the person he used to be.
“Loyal best friend,” I finally say, taking another sip of my drink without meeting Colton’s eyes.
He pauses for a brief moment and then clears his throat, continuing. “Grand romantic gestures, or small thoughtful acts?”
“Small thoughtful acts,” I say with a shrug. “But grand gestures are nice once in a while, too.”
“They are,” Colton agrees, wiping his hands on a napkin. “What about flirty banter or deep talks?”
“Is it bad if I want both?”
“Not at all.” He leans back in his seat, watching me over his milkshake. “That just means you want someone with range.”
“Yeah,” I nod. “Exactly.”
“I find that interesting,” he says, a slow smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t think Zale is capable of possessing range, and yet you’re head-over-heels for the guy.”
“Be nice.” I scowl at him as I unwrap my burger. “He’s still your teammate.”
Colton clicks his tongue, his eyes narrowing slightly. “And you’re still protecting him, even when he’s with another girl.”
My stomach drops from the reminder. I feel stupid for letting it bother me, and for letting Zale take up space in my head and heart when I clearly don’t take up any in his.
“Next question,” I say before taking a bite.
“Okay,” Colton says with a shrug. “What about someone who challenges you or someone who comforts you?”
I think about that for a moment, feeling conflicted.
“It’s important to be with someone who challenges me if his intention is to help me grow,” I say slowly. “But it’s also important that they know how to do that right, and when to comfort me instead.”
Colton chuckles, shaking his head as he reaches for his burger.
“What?” I ask, already defensive.
“It’s nothing,” he says.
“No. Tell me what’s so funny about what I said.”
He sighs and pauses before taking a bite. “I’m not laughing at what you said. I’m laughing because I think you might be too good for any of the guys in this shitty little town, Kai, and that means we have our work cut out for us.”
My heart thumps hard in my chest, and my lips part but no words come out. He must notice because he suddenly looks away, the tips of his ears turning a subtle shade of pink.
“But,” he adds quickly, still not looking at me, “I’m sure we can find someone that at least checks off most of your boxes.”
I nod slowly and swallow. We finish our food while making small talk here and there when we’re both not lost in thought, because the more I think about it, the more I start to wonder if the person I’m looking for even exists in Saltwater Springs.
Or anywhere in the world.
“There you are.”
I glance over my shoulder and find Zale stepping down the stairs. He walks over and drops onto the couch beside me, grabbing a handful of popcorn from my bowl on the coffee table.
“Hey,” I say quietly, turning my attention back to the TV, trying to ignore the way his arm drapes behind me.
After nearly two and a half hours of detangling my curls, my scalp is so sore that I can’t comfortably lay down to sleep.
So instead, I came downstairs to watch competition reruns until the pain subsides enough to try sleeping again, but the last thing I planned for was Zale joining me at two in the morning.
“I was looking for you earlier,” he says through a mouthful of popcorn. “Alessia wants to meet you.”
“Your girlfriend wants to meet me?” I ask, raising a brow. “Why?”
“Don’t be weird,” he says, frowning slightly when he spots the bandage on my forehead, but he doesn’t ask about it. “You know she’s just a friend.”
“A friend you fuck, who flew across an entire ocean to share a bed with you for the summer.” I snort. “Sure sounds like a friend to me.”
“You and I have fucked before,” he reminds me, “and we’ve shared a bed once or twice too. Aren’t we friends?”
Pain pierces through my chest so sharp it steals the air from my lungs. Maybe I’m overthinking what he said, but hearing our complicated twenty-year history reduced to something so casual—something comparable to this random girl he met abroad only a year ago—hurts.
“Well,” I swallow, forcing the words out. “If all your friendships with other women are the same as ours—”
His loud exhale cuts me off. “That’s not how I meant it, Kairi.”
I return my attention to the TV, wishing he’d just go back upstairs.
“Why does she even want to meet me anyway?” I ask, frustration bubbling to the surface.
“Because you’re my friend,” he says, like it should be obvious. “One of my best friends.”
I let out a humourless laugh. “So that means you told her we’ve fucked before?”
He pauses for a moment before shrugging. “I might have mentioned it.”
I nod, pressing my lips together. “I hope you know she only wants to meet me so she can stake her claim on you.”
He rolls his eyes. “Don’t be ridic—”
“Zale?” A voice calls from the top of the stairs.
Alessia.
Just my luck that she’s awake too and searching for Zale. She’s the last person I want to see tonight, and now I have no choice. We both fall silent as we listen to her make her way down the stairs, and when she finally steps into view, she pauses.
Her eyes immediately land on me and linger for so long that the awkwardness begins to feel suffocating. Based on the daggers she’s shooting at me, I already know there’s no chance we’ll be becoming friends this summer—or in this lifetime.
“I woke up and you were not in bed,” she says, her Italian accent thick.
“Sorry.” Zale stands and walks toward her. “I got up to use the toilet and heard the TV on down here.”
Her eyes slide back toward me. “Who is this?”
I bite the inside of my cheek and stand, walking over to her with a forced smile.
“You must be Alessia,” I say, holding out my hand. “I’m Kairi.”
Her eyebrow lifts and she doesn’t take my hand right away, a silent warning passing between us.
Finally, she slides her hand into mine, her nails digging into the back of my hand and leaving half-moon impressions.
I last less than a minute before yanking my hand from her grip and glancing at Zale, but he looks completely clueless.
“I’ve heard so much about you, Kairi,” she purrs, grabbing my attention again.
“Hopefully only good things,” I say lightly, forcing a polite smile before pushing past her. “Anyway, I should probably get some sleep. We have practice in a few hours.”
“Good night,” Alessia says quickly.
“See you at practice,” Zale adds.
I head up the stairs two at a time, and once I’m back in the safety of my room, I press my back against the door and slide down to the floor feeling hopeless.
I wish Maliah still lived here. She’d be up with me right now, talking me through this crappy feeling. Hell, she’d probably be chasing Alessia out of the house using her hair straightener as a weapon.
And even though Eliana is still living here with Griffin, they moved into Maliah’s old room for more space and privacy. The last thing I want to do is wake them both up over something as stupid as my own jealousy.
Footsteps creak in the hallway, and I hold my breath, assuming it’s Zale and Alessia heading back to the room, but when there's a knock on my door, I blink in surprise and stand, cracking it open to find Colton standing in the hallway.
His blond hair is slightly messy from sleeping on it, but aside from that he looks like he’s been awake for a while.
“Hey,” he says softly.
“Hey,” I reply, my voice shaking despite my best effort to sound fine.
He takes one look at my face and sighs quietly, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe and pushing my door open wider. “I’m guessing you finally met her.”
I nod. “What gave it away?”
“Heard her calling for Zale earlier.” He studies me for a moment before speaking again. “And you also look like you’re about to burst out crying.”
My throat tightens and I swallow the feeling away. “I’m fine,” I say, but I definitely don’t sound fine.
Colton nods, sighing deeply. “Do you want to get out of here and go for a night swim?”
Before I can answer, Alessia’s laugh echoes up the staircase and panic shoots through me as it gets closer and closer.
Without thinking, I grab Colton’s arm and yank him inside my room, shoving the door shut and pushing him against it.
When he opens his mouth to speak, I slap a hand over it and pin him with a frown.
“Shush,” I hiss.
Zale and Alessia’s voices drift down the hallway as they pass my door, the floorboards creaking beneath their feet.
Only when I hear Zale’s bedroom door close do I finally exhale, and that’s when I realize my body is flush against Colton’s.
His hands are on my waist, steadying me, and his eyes are on mine—dark, and focused.
The room suddenly feels too small, and too quiet. My eyes drop to his throat as his Adam’s apple bobs when he swallows.
“Sorry,” I whisper, pulling my hand away.
His hands slip away from my waist, falling to his sides, and I step back quickly, my heart hammering in my chest.
“So, yes to a night swim?” he asks again, clearing his throat.
“Yeah,” I say, breathless. “Let me just change. I’ll meet you downstairs in five minutes.”
He nods, then opens the door, glancing back at me one more time before stepping out. When the door closes behind him, I press a hand to my chest, trying—and failing—to slow my heart down.
What the hell was that?