Page 117 of Next to Everything We Wanted

“If something’s really hurting you, it isn’t something that you ‘just get over.’ That’s why I wanted you to let everything out. If you ever want to talk to me about something, I’m here for you.”

She scooted closer to me, her shoulders brushing against mine. “Thank you for understanding.”

I smiled. “It’s what best friends do.”

She shifted in her seat, her chest touching my side. The damp fabric of her bikini rubbed against my skin as she leaned closer, her hand stroking each wave of my wet hair. The warmth in her eyes returned, the brown glistening into a golden color.

For a moment, I stopped breathing. Was she going to kiss me after everything we just talked about? My stomach twisted as I thought about how much I’d loved moments like these when we were dating. Goosebumps rose to my skin as I looked into those heavy eyes, but the feeling withered.

I waited for it to return, to give into the memories and press her mouth to mine, except it never did. When I looked at the girl I used to love, I felt the same way I felt about Forrest. A best friend who deserved the world. When I thought about kissing her, a pair of amber eyes and red lips popped into my mind instead.

“We can’t do this.” I scooted away, nearly falling off my stool. “We can’t get this close.”

She leaned back, blinking at me. “B-But you were looking at me like you used to. You had that look in your eyes.”

“I was thinking about the past,” I admitted. “It’s the past for a reason.”Please don’t erase all the progress we’ve made. Don’t have this conversation be for nothing.“And I can’t live in what I can’t return to.”

“I’m sorry.” She swallowed, her cheeks flushing as she looked away from me. “Let’s just . . . go back outside.”

By ten thirty, the entire house was sleeping. I, however, couldn’t stop tossing and turning. That conversation with Celeste had left a sour taste in my mouth.

Sighing in frustration, I went into the kitchen to get something to drink. Dapper followed me, his tail having more energy than my entire body.

“Gavin?”

I turned around to see Asher standing behind me. “Why are you still awake?”

“Why areyoustill awake? You usually sleep like a baby here.”

I shrugged, grabbing orange juice from the fridge. “I didn’t drive today. Not as drained.”

“How is your head feeling?” He pressed his cold hand on my forehead. “Does it still hurt?”

“Only a little. My head isn’t what I’m worried about.” I poured my juice into my cup. “It’s everything else.”

“Sienna?”

I blinked. “How did you know?”

“You keep brushing it off when Mom or Dad mentions her. Which means you care.”

“Brushing things off means I care about something?” From the way Asher had snapped at me in the past, I’d assume he’d think the opposite.

He nodded. “If you didn’t care, you’d talk about it because it’d be easy.”

“Have you thought about studying psychology?”

“Science is boring.” He waved a hand. “But you need to thank Sienna for helping you when you passed out. You could’ve died.”

“Gosh, Asher, it wasn’tthatserious. It wasn’t like I’d choked on my vomit or broken my skull.”

“She could’ve left you there.”

“I doubt she’d want someone’s body in her front yard.”

His eyebrows knitted together. “I thought it wasn’t serious.”

“It’s not—” I grunted. “I’ll save it for when I’m ready to talk to her.”