Page 6 of After You Returned

I glare at her. If she brings up how I spent the night with Miles, she’ll wish the worst revenge I ever committed was signing her up for a pen pal.

“Miles?” Dad grumbles. To say my dad isn’t a fan of my ex-boyfriend is putting it mildly.

“Now, now, dear.” Mom pats his arm.

“Have you been hanging around that boy again?”

A whistle blows. “Swimmers, take your marks.”

Saved by the whistle. “I’ll see you after I win.” I rush off to the starting line before Dad has a chance to stop me.

No way, no how, am I discussing Miles with my dad. My cheeks heat as embarrassment hits me. I am such a fool for that man.

Chapter 3

I probably shouldn’t have smirked.

Two months later

Miles

Iglare at my phone when it rings.Eli calling.I contemplate ignoring him, but there’s no delaying the inevitable. My brothers won’t let me ignore them. They’ll drag me by my ear if they have to. I’m not exaggerating. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Hey, Eli.”

“Where are you?”

At home. Where I want to be.

When I don’t answer, he sighs. “Shall I pick you up?”

“If I have to go, you do, too,” Jaxon shouts.

Jaxon hates family occasions. He doesn’t hate the Raider family. But he finds group outings stressful. He’s a nerd who’s proud to be an introvert. Being married to Blossom has made him more open to social occasions, but he’s still an introvert. All of which to say, if he’s with Eli, he’s going toRumrunnerand there’s no way I can bow out gracefully.

“Fine. Pick me up.”

My house is in Smuggler’s Rest. I can easily walk toRumrunner.Hell, I can – and have – crawled back home from there on occasion.

But I’m happy to hitch a ride since I don’t want to go out tonight. Not when I know Hazel will be at the bar.

If you look up mistake in the dictionary, you’ll find a picture of me. I never should have let Hazel sneak out of my house on New Year’s Day. I wasn’t sleeping. I heard her crawl out of bed and tiptoe out of the room.

Why didn’t I say anything? Why did I lay there and pretend I was sleeping?

And now Hazel scurries the other way every time she sees me. I’m practically banned from theSmuggler’s CoveRestaurant,where she works part-time as the hostess. Whenever I enter, she says ‘nope’ and walks away.

The owner is beyond pissed with me. She asked me not to come around until my ‘issues’ with Hazel are solved. It’s kind of hard to solve an issue when the other person won’t stay in the same room as you.

I hear a honk and drag myself outside. Eli’s SUV is already full but I squeeze in between Blossom and Jaxon.

“Why can’t you sit on the other side of me?” Jaxon asks.

“And miss you complaining?”

“I want to sit next to my wife.”

“It’s okay, nerd boy,” Blossom says. “We’ll get there faster if we don’t have to all change seats.”