Page 94 of Oh, Puck!
Instead I've been a ghost. Buried in my own wreckage, forgetting she's drowning in hers too.
"Been busy," I say.
Zoey doesn't say anything for a second. She just looks at me, head tilted off to the side.
"Declan."
She leans closer to the camera.
"You don't get to do this," she says. "I watched you shut down with every single person who ever tried to get close to you, and I get it. I'm a divorcee too, remember? So believe me, I get it."
I roll my eyes and look out at the ocean.
"But don't be a jerk about this. Don't be aguyabout it, Dec. Don't just start pulling away the second it starts meaning something, because meaning feels dangerous."
"Zoey—"
"You're not a regular guy."
Her eyes are glassy now, and I don't think this is just aboutme. I think it's about everything that's going on. Dad, Mom, the whole rotting foundation we've been standing on our entire lives.
This is my sister's way of letting it all out.
"You're better than that. You always have been. And if this girl can see that, if she's already seeing it—which, according to Beck, she is—thenlether, Declan. Don't run from the one good thing because the world is burning around you. Runtowardsit."
Outside, a car horn blares, followed immediately by Beck's voice hollering something about missing our flight.
"Listen, Zo. I have to go," I say.
"Of course." Zoey nods, swallowing hard, pulling herself back together. "Go. Win some games. Be amazing."
"Love you, Zo."
"Love you too. Take care of your brothers."
Take care of your brothers.
Like I haven't been doing that since I was twelve years old.
I end the call, grab my bag off the counter, and walk out into the blinding Beachside sun. I pile into a car full of brothers who don't know the truth yet, heading towards a road trip that's supposed to save our franchise.
But that's not even the hardest part.
The hardest part is that Zoey's right. I've fallen for a woman that I haven't let myself have yet.
All because I'm too busy trying to hold everyone else together.
Some things never change.
Chapter 15
Josie
The private jet is filled with the usual chaos that I'm quickly learning follows the Beachside Bears wherever they go.
"Beck.Beck.If you eat one more bag of those pretzels, I am confiscating the entire snack cart."
"You can't confiscate the snack cart,Tyler," Beck groans, snatching the bag back. "It's notyours.It'sours.It's a team asset."
