Page 31

Jackson

T he first drops of rain hit my face as Ethan points out the donut stall.

"Haven’t you got enough there?" I joke, forcing a tight smile as I nod toward the burger and soda in his hand.

We’re trying our hardest to return to normal after nearly beating the crap out of each other, but I don’t think Ethan’s realized I can’t stop scanning the fair, looking for Chloe.

Ethan grins. "You know me—always thinking with my stomach."

I laugh, but it feels hollow, the sound of it barely convincing even to myself.

“I swear to God it rains every year,” Ethan mutters, squinting up at the sky as the drizzle picks up. “They need to choose a better date.” He shoves the burger into my hands. “Hold this. I’m grabbing more food before they call this thing off.”

Shaking my head, I laugh again—a real one this time. I missed Ethan, especially when he wasn’t trying to kill me for dating his sister.

I step back toward the nearest food tent, tucking myself under the edge of the awning for some shelter from the rain.

“You look like you’re trying to murder that burger.”

I glance over my shoulder to see Sara standing a few paces back, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. My stomach sinks. Sara doesn’t let anyone get away with crap, and I’m not in the mood to be her next project.

“What do you want, Sara?” I mutter, dragging a hand through my damp hair.

Sara steps closer, peering up at the rain as it starts to come down harder. “We need to talk about Chloe.”

My chest tightens at the mention of her name.

Pathetic.

“Not your business,” I say, turning my gaze to the lights of the fair as they blur and ripple in the rain.

“Oh, but it is,” Sara shoots back, sidestepping until she’s standing beside me. “She’s my best friend, Jackson. I don’t like watching her mope around pretending she’s fine when it’s obvious she’s not.”

I clench my jaw, staring straight ahead. “She’s going to college soon. She doesn’t need me complicating things.”

Sara tilts her head, giving me a look like I’m the dumbest person she’s ever met. “So what? You’re trying to do the noble thing? Pretend like she doesn’t matter to you?”

“It’s not like—”

“Cut the crap,” she snaps, jabbing a finger at me. “We both know you’re full of it. I’ve seen the way you look at her. And Chloe? She’s falling apart because you’re too much of a coward to deal with it.”

Her words hit like a punch to the gut.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, but the denial feels weak, even to me.

“Don’t I?” Her tone sharpens. “She didn’t deserve to get her heart broken twice this summer. You were supposed to be better than Brendan. Not worse.”

The name makes my pulse roar in my ears.

“Yeah,” she says, her voice colder now. “That’s what you’re doing to her. Hurting her. Just like he did. The difference? Brendan was a selfish jerk. You’re just a scared idiot.”

My fists curl at my sides. I can’t explain it to her—hell, I can barely explain it to myself.

Sara lets out a sigh, shaking her head. “You don’t have to tell me what’s going on in that messed-up brain of yours but let me make one thing clear—Brendan isn’t out of the picture.

He’s been sniffing around Chloe again, and I’m worried she’s too hurt to figure out he’s going to use her all over again. ”

I snap my head toward her. “What?”

Sara shrugs, the casual motion at odds with the sharpness in her tone. “He’s been making a big show of being apologetic. Acting like he’s changed.”

"Chloe wouldn't go back to him," I say, my voice firm. “She’s too smart for that.”

“She’s also heartbroken,” Sara counters, jerking her thumb toward the pier in the distance. “I just saw them heading down there while I was on the Ferris wheel. Alone.”

The thought of Brendan anywhere near Chloe makes my stomach churn with something darker than jealousy. Something a whole lot closer to fury.

“Just think about it, Jackson,” Sara says, her voice softening slightly. “If you don’t figure out what you want—and soon—you might lose her for good. And it won’t be Brendan’s fault. It’ll be yours.”

I stare at her, the truth of her words slicing through me. I know I’ve been stubborn. Stupid, even. But I was only protecting the both of us from further hurt.

The dumb thing is, this hurts worse than if we’d fallen apart after she’s gone to college. At least I’d have known we tried.

I glance at Sara then at the road toward the pier. "Damn it," I mutter, shoving the burger into her hands before I duck out from under the awning.

The wind off the coast hits me like a slap, cold and relentless. Rain quickly soaks through my clothes, clinging to my skin, but I don’t stop. My feet pound the pavement as I head toward the pier, my heart racing with every step.

Through the sheets of rain, I spot two figures moving up the pier. Chloe’s pace is quick, her body language tense. Brendan follows close behind, his posture too aggressive.

She’s running from him.

Shit.

When I reach the pier, the wooden planks groan under my weight, and the wind howls around me.

She's standing dangerously close to the edge, her body language tense. The sight sends a jolt of fear through me. Despite the rain pelting down on my face, I quicken my pace toward Chloe and Brendan. My heart is pounding in my chest as I try to figure out what’s going on between them.

"Leave her alone!" I yell, but my voice is swallowed by the storm.

Chloe moves against the pier railing, waves splashing up around her, and Brendan steps closer, gesturing wildly. I pick up my pace, but it’s too late. The old wood gives a sickening crack beneath her feet, and Chloe tumbles backward into the dark, churning water.

"Chloe!"

Brendan freezes, staring at the waves. I shove past him, my shoulder slamming into his as I reach the edge.

"Move!" I snarl and kick off my shoes.

"You’ll drown,” Brendan says in a weirdly detached tone as he stares sightlessly at the waves

I dive in, the cold water closing in around me. I pull hard toward her, my muscles screaming in protest. The waves threaten to drag me toward the wooden struts of the pier, but I have to get to her.

Nothing else matters. Not the cold. Not the storm. Not even my own safety. Just Chloe.

As my fingers brush against her arm, I make a silent promise. I'm never letting her go again.

I yank her close as waves threaten to tear us apart and I loop an arm about her waist, pulling her close as I kick furiously against the current.

The waves crash over us, threatening to tear her from my grasp, but I hold on tighter.

Thank God for those lifesaving classes my Dad forced me to take as a kid.

Her body is limp, and panic surges through me.

Fighting to keep both our heads above water, every stroke toward the shore feels like an eternity.

The rain is disorientating mixing with the saltwater that stings my eyes.

When I finally feel sand beneath my toes, I dig my feet in against the pull of the ocean and haul Chloe into my arms.

I carry her up the beach before collapsing onto my knees with Chloe still in my arms. She coughs violently, expelling water, and I've never been so happy to hear such a terrible sound.

"Jackson?"

I brush her wet hair from her face, my hands shaking. "I'm here, Chloe. I've got you."

Our gazes lock and all the reasons I've been pushing her away seem ridiculous. I nearly lost her. The thought makes my chest constrict painfully.

Without thinking, I pull her closer and press my lips to hers.