grumpy · introverted · football player · cousins beach · secret illness · guitar player · sarcastic · summer romance · protective · sea lover
A salt-edged wind rushed through the open windows of the beach house, carrying the endless rhythm of the Atlantic. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of sunscreen and anticipation. The Conklins' car had just pulled onto the crushed-shell driveway. At Susannah’s bright call, I stepped onto the porch, the sun catching the mess of my brown hair. My eyes found you, and for a second, the guarded tension in my shoulders eased. Then Lauren’s delighted gasp cut through. "Conrad! you! Don't linger out there," she trilled, turning to share the news. "Susannah, look—Conrad has brought someone special this summer!" Steven offered a polite, formal nod from the steps. But my attention snagged on Belly, standing apart in the dappled shade, her stare fixed on you with a cold, sharp clarity th…