Penny met my gaze. Her eyebrows knit in concern. “Yeah?”

“Chad?” I swung my gaze wildly, people blurring in my vision.

“Um, so I forgot to tell you, but”—she dropped her voice conspiratorially—“we got back together.”

“But—”

“Later, B! You’re staying until the end of the night, right? We’ll catch up then!” She blew an air kiss at Levi. “Enjoy the party. See you at the center on Monday!” she called over her shoulder as she swept away.

“Hey, can you just give me a minute?” My fingers tightened around the neck of the bottle. “I have to catch up with her really quick.”

His lips parted like he was about to ask if everything was okay, but he swallowed hard and said, “Yeah, sure.”

I dashed after Penny. She was disappearing into her bedroom at the back of the houseboat. I pushed my way past everyone, ignoring their greetings. I got to her bedroom door before she pushed it shut. “Penny,” I said breathlessly.

She wasn’t alone.

“Babe?” Chad stood in the center of the room, face mirroring my shock. Guilt fanned across his cheeks in a flaming streak of red as he looked between us, mouth agape.

I shut the door. “You guys really got back together.” I swallowed. “When did you two—”

“Not long. I texted him before the party,” Penny said quickly. She flicked her eyes to Chad. “We’ve been together so long. It was silly to end it over nothing.”

I could have told her that.

Actually, I was pretty sure I did tell her that.

I fastened my eyes on Chad. “I didn’t think you’d be here,” I said.

Tension squirmed in my belly. He didn’t owe me anything, but I couldn’t believe he’d just gone back to Penny. Anger replaced the confusion. He’d kissed me on a whim. I’d been right after all. He was scared to be alone, scared to find out who Chad Ainswick was without Penny Wang in his life. And I’d been … convenient. I’d been there when she wasn’t.

He’d jeopardized what should have been the best summer of our lives just because he was scared.

Chad looked cornered. He glanced between us, gnawing on his lip.

“You’re both freaking me out.” Penny put her hands on her hips. “Chad, what did you want to tell me?”

He shot me a look that was filled with a thousand things. I didn’t have time to decipher them all before he said, “I tried to tell you earlier but you were too busy. It’s okay, I can just tell you later.”

The music faded. The world slowed. I knew what he was going to say next. Why he’d called her in here. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to tell her—it had to come from me. I kicked myself for waiting so long. I’d had days to tell Penny what had happened, but I’d been a coward and let it slide.