Strictly Summer Romance (ON HOLD)

Chapter Twenty Seven, Unspoken Words

"I can't believe I missed your first Rodan's experience!" Alice whines to Aaron. "I'm never drinking whiskey again." That's the third time she's claimed that today.

Alice had been too sick to go with us last night, and Hayden had opted to stay in to keep her company.

Shocker.

The five of us now reside on the sectional, sprawled out and awaiting the storm outside to pass. It's the time of Summer when these are going to be a frequent inconvenience, even if they only last an hour or two.

"It was actually kind of a let down," Aaron sighs. I look down with wide eyes to where his head lays on my lap before looking to the other individuals in the room who are giving him the same look. He pauses for a moment before letting out a laugh and saying, "kidding." Everyone seems to let out a breath at the same time.

Speaking bad of Rodan's is like blasphemy in this family.

"So this is what you guys do when it's raining?" He asks the four of us.

"Pretty much," Mason mutters from his spot next to me. He's lounged against the corner of the sectional, his eyes glued to his phone per usual, and his feet tucked under my leg in claims that his toes were cold. Aaron had given me a look when it happened and in return, I'd attempted to shove him off my lap and onto the floor. I'd failed miserably.

When we'd got home last night, Aaron and I had retreated to my room, and I'd instantly launched into all the reasons as to why Aaron was absolutely mental for stating that Mason harbored any feelings of love for me.

"We're friends," I'd said. "Finally friends. That's all."

"Emery, I'm a guy, so I know how guys work. He's not just your friend," he'd stated simply.

"Why? What profound observation could you possibly have made in the entire eight hours you've been here that I've somehow missed the entire summer?" I'd asked dramatically while rummaging through my closet for something to sleep in.

"He came to dinner."

My fingers had stopped pushing through hangers, and I'd turned slowly to a confident looking Aaron sitting comfortably on my bed.

"Seriously? That's all you've got?" I'd squinted at him like somehow his answer was going to magically make all the pieces click. It didn't. "Aaron, we go to Rodan's all the time!"

"Yeah," he'd shrugged. "But he went with you and me. It was his idea actually."

I'd walked towards him with a slow shrug of my own. "And?" I'd asked, waiting for some hidden ball to drop.

"And," Aaron had sighed dramatically, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed when I'd reached him. "What guy willingly goes to dinner with his ex girlfriend and her guy best friend, whom by the way he's barely met, unless he's either, one: legitimately over the girl and is genuinely okay with being just friends. Or two: he's in love with her, and he's trying to make a good impression on muah," he'd gestured to himself. "After all, the best friend's opinion is a big one."

I'd stared down at him, trying to process his logic. It didn't convince me in the slightest. At least that's what I'd told myself when my heart had fluttered at his words. Aaron was reading way too into things.

Alice's voice pulls my attention back to reality. "We could go into town? I've got some things I need to pick up for our birthday."

Hayden groans next to her, already hating the idea of shopping with Alice.

"You, hush," she scolds.

"Yeah, I'm out too," Mason calls, not even glancing up.

"I thought we agreed to keep it small?" I narrow my eyes at her. Alice and I were born three minutes apart. Her on July third at eleven fifty-eight, and me on July Fourth at twelve-o'one. Another reason we were as close as sisters. We'd discussed what we wanted to do for our birthdays this year, and I thought we'd settled on keeping it simple. Dinner in the city, and then we'd come back and have a bonfire on the beach. But I should know better than to assume Alice knows what the word discreet means.