Page 26 of Best Vacation Ever

“Are you cold?” Adam asks, and without waiting for an answer, he gets up and grabs a sweatshirt from his suitcase, holding it out to me expectantly.

I stare at the hoodie like it’s covered in slime. How many times have I daydreamed about wearing Adam Murray’s hoodie?

How many times have I daydreamed about being alone with him in a bedroom?

I take the hoodie, which somehow seems familiar to me, and shrug it on with a mumbled thanks. It smells like him, and I try not to let my inner fangirl embarrass me even more than it already has.

He sits back down on the other bed, facing me. There’s a random show playing in the background, but it’s not in English.

I try not to squirm under his gaze.

“So,” he starts, “that was cool what you did back there, saving that girl.”

I didn’t even see him at the party. I wonder where he was when he saw that.

I shift uncomfortably. “Thanks. It was kind of automatic, I guess.”

“I almost forgot that you’re a lifeguard. You were amazing.”

I wrap my arms around myself and snuggle into the hoodie, then I notice why it’s so familiar; it’s one that Jenna always wore.

The realization slaps me right in the face. About two weeks ago he was literally sleeping with the girl responsible for making high school hell for me.

“Yeah,” I start. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in a pool.

Oh, wait, your girlfriend pushed me into one at prom.”

Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Did Iactuallysay that? I’ve never said anything like that to him about Jenna before. Why did my mouth decide to do that now?

To his credit, he has the decency to look sheepish.

“She swore up and down that was an accident.” He rubs the back of his neck with his hand, accentuating the lean muscles in his torso. “But I’m sorry it happened.”

I’m taken aback for a second. He’s never apologized or said anything about Jenna’s behavior before. Not even when I went up to him at our eleventh-grade semiformal to say hi, and she “accidentally” spilled the entire punch bowl on me.

“Yeah, well, it was only one of many times she ruined high school for me.”

Who is talking right now? Why am I suddenly brazen enough to badmouth Adam’s ex-girlfriend toAdam?

He shifts, looking just as uncomfortable as I was earlier at the pool when everyone was staring at me.

“Maybe I should’ve said something more to her, but Jenna was jealous anytime I was even around you, never mind mentioned your name. It didn’t help that you’re always at the house. Plus . . .”

His eyes roam my face, and I sit there, stunned as he moves closer to me, our knees basically touching in the space between the two beds. “You’ve always been the most gorgeous girl in the room, Lor, and Jenna knew that. I’ve always known that.”

My heart leaps into my throat and impairs my breathing.

Did I fall asleep in the hallway and I’m actually dreaming this right now?

Adam Murray told me I’m gorgeous.

I’ve had countless fantasies about him saying something like that to me.

“I know you probably don’t believe me when I say that, but it’s true.”

Is he moving closer to me?

Before either of us can decide what to say or do next, the door swings open, and Kellan saunters in.