Chapter 17

It was finallythe Fourth of July, the only downside being that it was going to be one of the hottest days so far. I quickly pulled my wavy hair up into a clip to keep it off my neck and threw on a loose t-shirt over my swimsuit before I made my way outside to the dock.

The water was smooth and reflected the hovering trees and blue sky so perfectly it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. I dangled my feet in the warm water, watching the sun dance across the lake, lost in thought.

But the calm was quickly interrupted.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping in or something?" Boston asked as he came into view, trudging toward me on the dock.

"Could ask you the same," I countered as I looked back at him—all broad shoulders and annoyingly handsome.

"And miss out on this view?" he winked. "Never."

"I'm flattered," I joked, pushing a few strands of hair out of my face. "You just can't resist my company."

"Guilty," Boston admitted as he sat down beside me, his shoulder just barely touching mine. His presence was a blend of comfort and unease. He stretched out his long legs, mirroring my position, and we both stared out at the water for a moment.

I had been avoiding him, still unsure of how to feel about the bracelet. But I knew I couldn't continue like this forever, always wondering and avoiding my real feelings when it came to him. It was time to step out of my comfort zone and take a risk, even if it meant being vulnerable and in the spotlight of my own life.

"Why did you keep it all these years?" I blurted out.

I glanced over at him, taking in his windswept hair and the strong line of his jaw, unsure of where this was going. I knew I had to finally face my childhood crush, whether it would lead to rejection or it would change everything between us.

He raised an eyebrow. "Keep what?"

"The bracelet. The one I gave you when we were kids." I was hardly able to get the words out, almost too afraid of what his answer was going to be.

Boston met my gaze, his sky-colored eyes searching mine. His jaw tightened, and he seemed to weigh every word that was about to come. "I've just held onto it since the day we first met," he said, carefully.

"So..." I began, searching for the right words. "Does the bracelet mean something to you?"

Boston looked down, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Of course it does."

"Why?" I pressed. "Why would you keep it?"

He was quiet for a long moment before responding. "You know your brother is my best friend, right? I'd never wanna cross a line with him—or your parents, for that matter. They treat me like one of their own."

He trailed off, his expression conflicted, like he was trying to let me down easy. I felt my heart sink. I guess part of me hoped that he felt the same way about me that I've always felt about him. But now I knew that was never the case.

"It's okay," I said softly, giving his hand a squeeze before letting it go. "You don't have to explain anything else. I get it."

Boston looked like he wanted to say more, but he just nodded silently. We sat on the dock a little longer. The space between us felt wider than ever.

I wasn't just hurt because he was letting me down but I could tell that even after I was vulnerable with him, that he was still holding something back, and I wasn't sure what it was but I knew that he wasn't being completely honest.

He stood and offered me his hand. "C'mon, we should head back. I'll make us breakfast."

After a moment, I took it, allowing him to pull me up. We walked back down the dock together, but things felt different. We both felt it.

After breakfast, I went to Willow's and stormed into her room, collapsing dramatically onto her bed while explaining what had just happened with Boston.

Willow's eyes went wide. "No way. Boston had the bracelet this whole time?"

"Yes!" I shouted, sitting up. "I saw it tied into his baseball glove. Can you believe it? He kept it all these years and never said anything."

Willow gave me a knowing look. "So what does this mean?"

I sighed, flopping back down onto the mountain of pillows. "I don't know. He didn't really explain what it meant. He basically just said he's Parker's best friend, so he'd never go there. And I have this thing starting up with Reese now, anyway."

"Right, how could I forget?" Willow said with a smirk.

"I know he's trouble, and I shouldn't do it, but there's just this connection between us, you know? I think I need to see where it goes."

Willow nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I get it. Just follow your heart and it'll all work out how it's supposed to. I mean, both are hot, and baseball studs—you can't go wrong with either."

I smiled at her gratefully, feeling a bit better. "You always know just what to say."

My phone buzzed with a new text message. I picked it up from Willow's nightstand to see who it was.

Reese: Boat day? Best way to watch the fireworks. And yes, you can bring Willow.

"Reese just invited us on his boat," I said, trying to force a smile.

Willow sat up, intrigued. "Perfect timing… let's do it!"

I didn't hate the idea of Reese's arm around me as we watched the fireworks. A welcome distraction from everything swirling in my head about Boston.

"This is just what I need," I said with a contented sigh as I hit send on the text to Reese, letting him know we'd be there.

Willow gave me an approving nod. "I have just the swimsuit for this little soiree."

The sun sparkled off the calm gray water as I stepped from the dock onto Reese's sleek white boat. He held his hand out to steady me, a dimple flashed in his cheek as he smiled and said, "Welcome aboard, Hartford."

Willow followed behind me and Reese helped her on the boat. Some of his friends were already lounging on the seats at the bow, with drinks in their hands.

Reese grabbed two bottles from the cooler and handed me one. "Cheers," he said, clinking his bottle against mine. I took a sip, enjoying the fizzy sweetness.

"Thanks for inviting us today," I told him.

"Anytime," he replied. "I thought we could all use a little sunshine and relaxation."

Willow cranked up the music and I found myself enjoying the melody, swept up in the playful mood. With the sun on my face and the peaceful water all around, I felt lighter than I had in a while. Maybe this day out on the boat was exactly what I needed.

After we tied up to a row of other boats in a nearby cove, Reese set his drink down and took my hand, pulling me toward the back of the boat.

"Let's get away for a sec," he said, offering me his hand with a daring smile.

"Lead the way," I said, my voice slightly shaky as I steadied myself. Reese flashed his annoyingly handsome smile, guiding me to sit at the stern of the boat. We sat with our feet dangling in the warm water.

Despite the others on the boat, it felt as though they were worlds away as I sat there with Reese. The ease with which we connected, the effortless conversation that flowed between us, made it seem like time stood still.

"Can I ask you something?" I wondered, suddenly curious to know more about him.

"I guess," he responded, genuine interest flickering through his eyes.

"Tell me more about you, about your family," I said, searching for his expression.

Reese's eyes darted away from mine as soon as the words left my mouth, and then he scratched the back of his neck.

"Why do you want to know about my family?" he asked, dodging the question.

I wasn't going to let him get away with being vague. "I want to know where you come from. Tell me about your parents. What are they like?"

Reese hesitated, the smile fading from his face. "My dad is always working. And…I don't really like talking about it, but my mom left when I was a baby. My dad said she couldn't handle how much their life changed from expensive restaurants and parties to staying in and taking care of a baby."

I felt sadness and guilt tightening around my heart as I absorbed the weight of his words. It had been easy to think his life was perfect, because nothing seemed to bother him, but I knew he must have been hurting. Every boy needed his mother, and I couldn't imagine how a mother could ever leave their child. I squeezed his hand understandingly as he shared his pain over his broken family.

"And this pendant necklace I always wear," He looked down, his voice softening. "My dad says it belonged to her." His thumb caressed the pendant. "I don"t even remember her, really. But wearing this... it"s like a connection to her or something. Maybe the only one."

"And my stepmom..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

I traced the tip of my fingers along the veins on his arm, trying to be consoling, while waiting for him to continue talking.

With a sigh, Reese met my gaze again. "She tries her best to be a mom. She's a great one to my little sister, but they're always traveling with my dad for work. He represents high-profile clients, so they're never in one place for long. I get random texts or calls from her saying they're in Prague or Milan or wherever." He gave a bitter laugh. "Sometimes they're gone for weeks at a time."

My heart ached for him. No wonder he kept everyone at arm's length.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "That must be really hard."

"It is what it is." Reese's voice was thick with emotion. "I'm used to it by now and spend most of my time on baseball, anyway."

He quickly composed himself, the casual mask slipping back into place. But I had glimpsed the real Reese underneath—lonely, hurting, in need of love. I gently squeezed his hand, hoping he knew he wasn't alone.

We sat there for a moment as the waves rocked the boat gently. He pulled me against his chest. I could feel his heart beating steadily against mine. Reese's hand came up to cradle my face, his thumb grazing my cheek. Slowly, he leaned in, and I thought for a moment he was going to kiss me, but then he pulled back.

"So listen, the Bayside Ball is coming up in a month," he began as his expression turned serious.

I nodded, my stomach fluttering nervously. Willow said the Bayside Ball was the biggest event of the summer but I hadn't really thought too much about it.

"Yeah?" I said, trying to sound casual.

"I am kind of in search of a date. Someone who can handle the whispers and bullshit that comes with being on my arm." he laughed. "I can't promise you'll have a good time and I know you don't think it sounds that fun, but there's usually never a dull moment with me."

The directness of his request, his smooth charm, sent an unexpected jolt through me.

"Carrington, are you asking me to be your date to the ball?" I asked, needing to hear him say it, to confirm that this wasn't just him messing with me.

"Only if you say yes," he said with a half smile.