Rather than take a towel from the stack, I lie down on the sun-warmed stones surrounding the chlorinated water, absorbing the bright sunshine like a lizard. Birds call in the distance. The scent of freshly cut grass wafts by. Warmth soaks my damp skin. It’s been a while since I allowed myself to slow down long enough to do anything but sleep. My skin is dry and my mind empty by the time I rise and start to take lazy steps toward the deck.

Then, I freeze. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

Gray exhales as he approaches. “I know.”

“Then, why are you here?”

“Because I want to talk to you.”

“You could have called. Or texted,” I add quickly. Calling means something different between us now. Something different than what I meant. He made his choice about calling and I don’t want to discuss it.

Gray doesn’t answer. He continues walking toward me until he’s only a couple of feet away. He sinks his hands into the pockets of his shorts and studies me. I wish I had more clothing on.

“We don’t have to do this.”

“Do what?” He passes me and takes a seat by the pool.

I follow and sink down beside him with a sigh. Looks like…we’ll be having this conversation.

“This. The whole smoothing things over, let’s go back to normal thing. I’m fine. We’re fine. I’m, you know, basically over you.”

That last sentence amuses him. “You are, huh?”

“Yep. Figured it was…time.”

He smiles, but it fades fast. He leans back on his hands, then sits up straight.

He’s nervous. “Look, I—”

“Gray?”

We both look to the left. Juliet Phillips is standing on the other side of the landscaping that separates their property from my parents’, holding a watering can and wearing a shocked expression. She obviously had no idea he was home.

There’s a pause as she absorbs his presence and we absorb hers. I wasn’t expecting this to take place at all—for him to come here. He wasn’t expecting Juliet to appear.

“Hi, Mom.” Gray stands and traipses through mulch to give his mother a hug.

“You said you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow,” she says.

“I know. My schedule changed last minute.”

I glance away at the pool, because I have a feeling the conversation is about to shift to me.

Sure enough, she says, “What are you doing in the Collins’ backyard?”

“Asking Evie out.” He says it so casually, so easily, that I’m certain I misheard him.

He didn’t say that, right?

Juliet’s shocked gasp makes me think he actually did.

“Your timing sucks, Mom. I’ll come over in a bit and we can talk, okay?”

“I—okay.”