Toe the Line E-Book

Penelope Ward

• Herausgeber: WS
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 417

Beschreibung

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a friends-to-lovers story spanning more than a decade…

At first, I thought I’d hate spending the summer with Archie Remington—the conceited son of my parents’ friends.

What I knew about Archie: he was gorgeous, pre-law, and had always treated me like I didn’t exist when we were younger.

When our families bought a house together on an island in Maine, he and I were forced to share a bathroom.

The boy I remembered was now a full-grown man—but with the same attitude.

After a rough start, Archie and I unexpectedly started getting along one day and eventually became friends. We shared secrets and bonded during our morning jogs. I discovered that Archie had a wild spirit and that he struggled to conform to his father’s expectations.

Things were cool until I had to go and ruin it, getting drunk one night, and blurting out my fantasy—involving him.

I took it back, but it was too late. Archie had heard me loud and clear. After that, we never quite knew how to toe the line.

When that summer came to an abrupt and shocking end, I headed back to college, unsure if anything would ever be the same again.

Across the miles over the years, he and I stayed in touch as friends, but fate and timing always kept us from becoming more.

You know the saying: If two people are meant to be, they’ll find their way back to each other?

Let’s just say Archie came back into my life in a way I would’ve never expected.

And this time, my heart would really be put to the test.

Leseprobe

First Edition

Copyright © 2022

By Penelope Ward

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, things living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Editing: Jessica Royer Ocken

Proofreading and Formatting: Elaine York, Allusion Publishing

Proofreading: Julia Griffis

Cover Model: Christian Ganon, @christianganon46

Cover Photographer: Martin Traynor

Cover Design: Letitia Hasser, RBA Designs

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Part Two

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Epilogue

Newsletter Sign-up

Other Books by Penelope Ward

Acknowledgements

About the Author

NOELLE

PRESENT

IT’S FUNNY HOW you always remember where you were and what you were doing when something pivotal happens in your life.

I’d certainly never forget being in the art room in kindergarten when I heard my teacher had died in a car accident on the way to school that morning. And I’d always recall getting my period for the first time while bowling with my dad.

Today I had something else to add to that list. I would always remember where I was when I received Archie Remington’s wedding invitation: in the pedicure seat at Wonder Nails, choking back tears after opening the envelope while simultaneously fighting unwanted laughter from the tickle of the loofa being rubbed on the bottom of my feet.

Giggle.

Sniffle.

Giggle.

Sniffle.

I’d taken a pile of my mail with me to sort through while I was in the chair in an effort to maximize my time. In the middle of the stack was an envelope containing a thick piece of crème stationery that read:

Please honor us with your presence as we join our lives in love.

Mariah and Archie

Saturday, October 12th at 5 PM

St. Catherine’s Church

Sonoma, California

Cocktail Hour and Reception to follow at Lindall Estates

For the past seven years, Archie had been my best friend. I’d known he was dating Mariah; I’d even met her once when I flew out to California on business and used it as an opportunity to visit Archie. But surely he could’ve had the decency to tell me he was engaged before sending me this invite? We’d exchanged many candid emails over the years. He’d never hesitated to relay anything going on in his life. So why keep this major piece of news from me and have me find out as if I were a virtual stranger? It made no sense.

I continued to stew over this and fidget as the woman finished my pedicure.

Toes completed and bursting with a sense of betrayal, the second I exited the nail salon, I dialed Archie. Flustered, I hadn’t even bothered to remove the paper flip-flops they’d given me to wear out while I stood on the busy New York City sidewalk.

Archie picked up on the second ring, his deep voice a grating sound against my already-sensitized nerves.

“Noelle?” He paused. “Is everything okay?”

He was likely asking because, while we’d been close over the years, you could probably count on one hand the number of times we’d actually spoken on the phone. Our preferred method of communication had always been email.

“How could you not have told me you’re getting married?” My voice cracked.

“What? How the hell do you know that?”

“You didn’t mean for me to know? What are you talking about? You sent me an invitation!”

The line went silent for a moment. “Shit. All I did was hand over a list of names and addresses. I had no idea they were going to send anything out so soon. I was planning on telling you next weekend.”

Archie and I planned to meet at Whaite’s Island, Maine, where our families co-owned a summer home. Since their half was now half in Archie’s name, he and I were meeting with a realtor to discuss listing the property. I would be going in place of my parents, who’d moved down to Florida. It was a seller’s market right now, so it seemed the right time to unload it. We’d been renting the house to seasonal tenants for several years.

“I’m so sorry, Noelle. Mariah’s mother must have gotten ahead of herself. I swear I would never have wanted you to find out like this. Please know that.”

Swarms of people rushed past me while I stood there in a daze. I concluded that Archie was telling the truth, but despite his explanation, I still felt a pang of sadness.

When the silence on the line grew awkward, Archie said, “I’ll cook you your favorite pasta with vodka sauce next week to make up for it.”

“Yeah…” I muttered. “Okay.” My chest hurt.

Not because of the damn pasta. My best friend was getting married, and that was complicated.

The thing about Archie? He was my best friend now, but at one time…we’d almost been more. That summer I learned the biggest lesson of my life: A good way to have your heart broken by your best friend is to forget how to toe the line.

NOELLE

PAST

THERE WAS NOTHING like that first hint of salty air. I’d come to Whaite’s Island, Maine, for a couple of summers before this one, but the excitement of arriving was just like the first time. It never got old. When you breathed the noxious fumes of the city most of the year, it was easy to appreciate the literal breath of fresh air here.

I stepped out of my parents’ car and looked up at our new summer house. Although I’d seen photos, this was my first time viewing it in person. It was your typical oceanside, shingle-style home, with a wide, spacious porch and tons of large windows. The lawn was beautifully manicured, and bushes bursting with flowers surrounded the property.

“It’s even more stunning than I imagined,” my mother said.

If only this house was solely ours. My dad had gone in fifty-fifty with his friend and mentor, Archer Remington. They were both criminal defense attorneys, and my dad had worked under Archer for a while in New York. When Mr. Remington left to head the West Coast division of their firm, Dad and he had stayed friendly. Archer and his wife, Nora, had one son, Archie, who was a few years older than me and going into his senior year of college as a pre-law student. Previous times we’d met them here over the years, we’d rented our own place. This was the first time my family, the Benedicts, would be staying under the same roof as the Remingtons.

“I can’t believe this is half our house,” I muttered, my eyes wandering across the road to the ocean in the distance.

My grandmother had been ill, so we hadn’t traveled for the past few years, and it’d been a while since I’d seen the Remingtons. They, however, had been coming here consistently during the summers since their son was young. Archie had a ton of friends on the island, whereas I’d kept to myself or hung out with my family during the couple of times we’d been here previously. I wanted this summer to be different and planned to force myself to socialize, even if it killed me. It would be good practice for starting college at Boston University in the fall. Considering we now half-owned this property, it would be in my best interest to make some permanent friends, especially since there were a fair number of people who lived here year-round.

My heart pounded as we approached the front door. I was apprehensive about seeing Archie. I’d always had an unwanted crush on him, even though he and I had never really interacted. In fact, I didn’t like him much at all, and he’d never made an effort to get to know me. But now, under the same roof, we’d have no choice but to acknowledge one another.

The Remingtons’ SUV was parked outside, so they’d definitely already arrived. My dad used the key Archer had sent him to open the door, and I heard footsteps before I spotted a smiling Nora Remington.

“You made it!” She beamed. “Noelle! Oh my goodness—look at you. You’re so grown up.”

The last time Nora saw me, I was about fifteen. I was eighteen and a half now, so I’d certainly changed a lot since then.

“I’m ready for my tour,” my mother Amy said before I could formulate a response.

Archer Remington descended the stairs and patted my father on the shoulder. “How was the ride, Mark?”

“Uneventful,” Dad answered as he looked around the space.

“Where’s Archie?” Mom asked.

“He had some things to wrap up at the university, so he’s coming straight from school,” Nora answered. “He’ll be arriving tomorrow.”

Relief washed over me. I had the rest of the day to acclimate to my new surroundings in peace.

Mr. Remington looked over at me. “When did Noelle grow up?”

I shrugged and smiled shyly, looking down at my feet.

My dad smacked him on the arm. “You’d better have a cold beer waiting for me, old man.”

“Already have a cooler set up by the tennis court.”

“Ah…we’re wasting no time, are we?” My dad chuckled. As he followed Archer out back, I heard him say, “I trust you’re ready for me to kick your ass?”

Archer and Nora Remington were about a decade older than my parents. Nora was nearly forty when she had Archie, so she had to be over sixty now. My dad had been fresh out of law school when Archer became his mentor. Now my dad was a successful trial attorney in his own right. Both Dad and Archer would work remotely from the island this summer, with occasional trips if they needed to meet clients.

“Let me show you to your room, Noelle.” Nora smiled.

“I’d love that.”

As my mother ventured toward the kitchen, I followed Nora up the large staircase.

She opened the door to my room. “I think you have the best view in the house.”

The second-floor window did indeed provide a lovely view of the ocean across the road. I could hear the waves crashing in the distance and could even spot a lighthouse. Something told me I was going to sleep like a baby here.

“I’ll give you a chance to unpack,” Nora said. “Then you should come down for something to eat. You must be hungry.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

My bedroom had a connected bathroom and a large closet. The white linens looked freshly laundered, and the room was decorated in a nautical motif. A weathered wooden anchor hung on the wall, and there was an accent chair with thick navy and white stripes in the corner.

Once I got most of my things unpacked, I joined my parents and the Remingtons downstairs. Nora had prepared a charcuterie board with smoked salmon, olives, and an assortment of crackers and cheeses.

While the parents lingered at the table after we noshed, I decided to take a walk and scope out the area. I’d planned on jogging while I was here, so I wanted to decide on a route before tomorrow morning.

I walked for a bit but ended up stopping at a cute boutique clothing store down the road. A bell dinged as I entered.

I was perusing the selection of beachy wear when a girl around my age came up to me.

“Can I help you find something?” she asked.

“Oh no.” I shook my head. “I was just browsing.”

“Are you a tourist?” she asked.

“My family just bought a house here, so I guess I’m not exactly a tourist anymore, although I’ll only be here in the summertime.”

“Where’s your house?”

“On Shady Oak Drive.”

“Nice.” She paused a moment then asked, “Is it you and your parents or…husband?”

“No husband.” I laughed. “I’m only eighteen.”

“I figured you were close to my age. I’m nineteen.”

I nodded. “It’s just my parents and me. We bought the house together with some family friends. Do you know the Remingtons?”

Her eyes widened. “I do, actually. My sister dated Archie one summer.”

“Oh wow. Okay.”

“Yeah. He broke her heart, ended things before he left for college. She sort of hates him now.” She shrugged.

“I’m sorry.” I frowned. “I mean, I don’t know Archie very well. But that really sucks.”

She tilted her head. “You don’t know him, but you’re living with him?”

“He’s not even here yet. Our parents are friends, but the past summers I spent here, he acted like I didn’t exist. So I’ve barely spoken to him.”

“Ah, I see.” She nodded. “Anyway, I’m sorry. I should’ve properly introduced myself. I’m Cici. I live here year-round, and this is my mother’s shop.”

I looked over at a mannequin in a terry-cloth swimsuit coverup. “I’m Noelle. This shop is really nice. I’m just kind of wandering around today.”

“If you’re bored and want to chill, a few of my friends and I get together by the clam shack at the beach most nights. There’s usually live music and a bonfire. It’s pretty much where everyone goes to hang out.”

“That would be awesome. I don’t know anyone here.”

“Well, you do now.” She winked. “Give me your phone. I’ll enter my contact information.”

“Cool.” I handed it to her.

“I’ll check in with you tomorrow,” she said as she gave the phone back to me.

“Sounds good.”

I walked out of there with a new pep in my step. I’d vowed to meet people while I was here, and I’d done it within the first couple of hours. All I needed was one person who knew their way around this place, and it seemed I’d found her.

• • •

The following morning, I started my day with a run at sunrise. I left the house right around 5 AM before anyone else got up. It was as if I had the entire island to myself, and jogging with the beautiful Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop was like a dream.

When I returned to the house, my parents were at the kitchen table with the Remingtons. I joined them for breakfast and listened as they discussed plans to charter a boat later that day. That sounded like a recipe for barfing, with my tendency toward seasickness, so I opted out of that.

Once they’d departed, an anxious feeling loomed over me, as I knew Archie would be here sometime today. I had no idea what time he was arriving and hadn’t wanted to seem interested by asking.

Rather than hang around the house with my nervous energy, I texted my new friend, Cici, to find out what she was up to. She told me she had to work at the shop until two but would be free after that.

At 3 PM, I rode my bike to Cici’s house. The property was just as beautiful as the one we now co-owned. Gorgeous hydrangea bushes surrounded the home, which had a wide staircase leading up to the front porch.

I texted her that I’d arrived, and she met me out front.

“Hey! You found it.” Cici’s long, blond hair blew in the sea breeze as she came out to greet me.

“Yeah.” I stepped off my bike and parked it. “It’s beautiful.”

“I was just making some lemonade to bring out to the pool.” She waved me in. “Come meet my friends.”

Cici led me through the house to the pool out back. Her parents didn’t seem to be home.

She introduced me to two girls who were sunbathing on lounge chairs.

“This is Lara. And that’s Crystal.”

I lifted my hand. “Hey.”

While Crystal offered a simple wave, Lara held her hand up to her forehead to block the sun. “Nice to meet you, Noelle.”

Just then another girl burst through the French doors at the back of the house.

“Hey, have you seen my Michael Kors wedges?” she asked Cici.

“They’re in my room.”

The tall blond gritted her teeth. “Stop taking my shit.” She stormed away.

Cici turned to me. “And that rude bitch is my sister, Amanda.”

“I see.”

I assumed Amanda was the sister who’d dated Archie Remington. It was no surprise that she was beautiful and bitchy. I would expect no less from him.

“Where are you headed in the fall?” Cici asked.

“Boston University.”

“Oh, cool. What’s your major?”

“Journalism. Not sure what I want to do with it after graduation, but I’m gonna give it a go.”

She nodded. “At least you have some idea what you want. I can’t decide. I’m in general studies at U of Maine.”

“Nothing wrong with that.”

The conversation continued to be pretty light the rest of the afternoon. We swam in the pool and drank lemonade—which Cici had spiked with vodka. I limited myself to two since I had to bike home.

When I returned to the house that evening, the parents weren’t home—still out boating, I supposed. The house seemed quiet, so I assumed I was alone and Archie hadn’t arrived yet.

Mr. Remington had mentioned a clam bake tonight for dinner to celebrate his son’s arrival, so rather than eat anything now, I figured I’d just clean up.

Upstairs in my room, I untied the top of my bathing suit and let it fall to the ground before slipping out of my bikini bottoms, readying to hop in the shower.

Then I opened the door to my bathroom and froze at the sight of him.

“What the fuck?” he growled, running a hand through his thick, golden-brown hair.

My heart pounded in my chest. Archie stood before me, his sizeable dick hanging freely in the air.

Mortified, I stepped back out of the bathroom and closed the door behind me, my heart still hammering. Okay. What a difference a few years made. Not the Archie I remembered. That was a grown-ass man in there. A total Adonis. Rippled muscles. Tattoo on his arm—when did he get that? And a huge cock from what I’d gathered in the millisecond I saw it.

“Have you ever heard of knocking?” he finally called from behind the door.

Seriously? His attitude pissed me off. “Knock? It’s my bathroom!”

“Your bathroom? Then why does it connect to my room, too?”

Ahhh… I hadn’t bothered to actually open that other door. I’d only hung my robe on the back of it. “I thought that other door was a linen closet,” I answered after a moment.

Throwing a T-shirt over myself, I sat on the edge of my bed and bounced my knees. As the shock started to wear off, it hit me that Archie had also seen me naked. Seems he’d put that together, too.

“You look different than I remembered,” he said from behind the door. “Can’t put my finger on it.” He paused. “Oh, that’s right. The last time I saw you, you were wearing clothes.”

“Jerk.” I laughed. “And your…” Dick wasn’t on display. “…hair wasn’t that long.”

“You’re pretty funny-looking when you’re shocked.” After a few-second pause, his voice softened. “I’ll be right out so you can come in and do your thing.”

“Okay,” I breathed.

I suspected my “thing” would consist of replaying the past couple of minutes repeatedly under the shower—half mortified, half turned on by what had just happened.

NOELLE

PAST

ARCHIE WAS THE last to stroll into the dining room that night for dinner. A piece of his longish hair fell over his eyes as he plopped down into his seat. I was seated between my parents on the other side of the table.

Nora turned to me. “Did you and Archie have a chance to say hello to each other yet?”

Archie looked up at me with a mischievous grin. “We sure did,” he said. “We were hanging out.” He lowered his voice. “Everything was hanging out.”

I cleared my throat, wishing the floor would somehow magically open under me so I could disappear.

My mom placed her hand on my arm. “Are you okay, honey?”

“Yeah, of course,” I lied. I was probably red as a beet.

Once we dug into the pot of steamed shellfish and corn on the cob, I was able to focus my attention on the food and avoid making eye contact with Archie.

At one point, Nora turned to her husband and whispered, “Are you gonna tell him?”

“Tell me what?” Archie mumbled, sounding annoyed.

Archer straightened in his seat. “The alumni association is granting me its distinguished alumni award. As is tradition with alumni who have children attending the college, they’ve asked that you be the one to present it to me.”

Rumor had it Archer had pulled some strings to get Archie into his alma mater, Ford University, which was located on the outskirts of San Francisco.

“What does that entail?” Archie poked at his food.

“It entails you writing something poignant and articulate.”

Archie dropped his fork. “I’m supposed to write a speech about you?”

“That’s what I said, yes. Just a few kind words about your dear old dad.” Archer smiled tauntingly. “Surely, you can handle that, can’t you? It’ll be good practice for you—writing instead of those foolish doodles you do in your free time.”

“Yeah,” Archie muttered. “Sure.”

He did not look happy. He actually seemed very on edge.

After another tense moment, Nora interrupted his silence. “How was your flight, Archie?”

“It was fine.”

“Do you have plans tonight?” she asked.

“Not sure yet,” he murmured. Then he looked up from his plate, making eye contact with her for the first time in a while. “How are you feeling, Mom?”

Nora seemed to force a smile. “Good, honey. I’m great.”

“Good.” He reached over and squeezed her hand, a surprisingly tender gesture.

The dynamic between Archie and his mother was certainly different than the one he seemed to have with his dad.

I kept waiting for Archie to say something—anything—to me during dinner, but he never did. After his initial joke about our encounter, I’d ceased to exist to him. Things were just as I’d always remembered them to be.

Just when the tension from earlier seemed to have dissipated, Mr. Remington reignited it.

“I was talking to Rodney Erickson the other day, Archie. He says he can get you in for a law internship at his practice here on the island this summer.”

Archie sighed. “Can’t I just enjoy my summer in peace?”

His father glared. “It’s a great opportunity and will look good on your law school applications. Now is not the time to be burying your head in the sand. I’ve already discussed it with him. You can’t embarrass me by not showing up.”

“It doesn’t take much to embarrass you, does it, Dad?” Archie shook his head. “Yeah, sure. Give me his number. I’ll call him.”

“Good.”

Things once again went quiet. Archie’s face reddened, the stress seeming to emanate from him despite the silence. His father definitely had some kind of hold on him. “Dinner was great. Thank you, everyone,” he suddenly announced. His chair skidded against the floor as he got up from his seat.

Everyone watched as Archie swiftly left the dining room—even before the dessert I knew Nora had made. As expected, he’d graced us with the bare minimum of his presence. But given his father’s antagonizing nature, I couldn’t say I blamed him.

• • •

It wasn’t long before I saw Archie again. That night, rather than ignoring me at home, he was ignoring me in front of a bunch of people at the beach. I sat on the sand across from him, yet no one would have known we lived under the same roof.

He’d also wasted no time hooking up with some girl. A blond clung to his side, laughing at his every word. How does one step off a plane in the afternoon and have a girl at the ready that same night?

Cici’s breath smelled like alcohol as she leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Archie’s back in town, I see.”

“Yep.”

After the introduction in the bathroom and the tense dinner, I was kind of hoping I could forget about him for the rest of the night. Instead, my eyes constantly wandered over. If Archie was upset about anything that had happened over dinner with his dad, you wouldn’t know it now. He stood talking and laughing, soaking up attention from not only the blond but from everyone around him.

It was interesting how you could have a miserable personality but still attract so much attention based on looks alone.

My observation of Archie was interrupted when a couple of guys entered our space.

“What’s up, Cici? Who’s your friend?” one of them asked.

“Noelle, this is my cousin, Xavier.” Cici pointed her cup toward him. “X, this is my new friend, Noelle, from New York.”

Xavier had a full-sleeve tat, a lip piercing, and wore a knit hat despite the warm weather. “Well, hello, Noelle from New York,” he said.

“Xavier actually goes to school in Boston, too,” Cici told me as I nodded his way.

My eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’m at Berklee College of Music.”

“Oh cool.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“Heading to BU in the fall.”

“Nice. We should exchange numbers before the end of the summer and meet up in the city.”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

I ended up spending the next half hour chatting with Xavier. He was apparently a talented bass player. He seemed nice enough, although he got a tad touchy-feely with me, occasionally placing his hand at the small of my back as we talked. I didn’t mind it too much, but it seemed a bit forward, especially considering how close his hand was to my ass. Before he left, we made informal plans to “hang out” more this summer, although I wasn’t entirely sure what I thought about that.

I spent the remainder of the evening hanging with Cici and her friends while sneaking glances at Archie. After a couple of hours, I figured I should head back. Overall, I felt good about how my first night out had gone. I’d met new people and was already managing not to be a loner, unlike the other two summers I’d spent on Whaite’s Island. And even though Archie had never bothered to acknowledge me, he had to have noticed I was there. At one point, he’d gone off somewhere with that girl, and I’d lost track of his whereabouts.

Despite my unhealthy preoccupation with him, I went home that night in a great mood. That is, until I got back to my bedroom, turned the knob on the bathroom door, and realized it was locked.

His voice was jarring. “I’m in here.”

He’s home already? “Well, nice to see you know how to use the lock,” I said.

“And once again, you didn’t knock,” he responded. “Hey, that rhymes.”

Damn it. He was right. If he hadn’t locked it, I would’ve walked right in on him again. But I really hadn’t thought he’d be home yet.

I sighed. “Just let me know when you’re out.”

Listening to the on-and-off sound of the water running, I paced in my room as I waited.

“That guy you were talking to is a douche, by the way,” he called out.

Hmmmm… “I’m surprised you noticed me there tonight.”

“What does that mean?”

The vodka lemonade Cici had poured into my cup now granted me a bit of liquid courage. “Seriously, Archie? You’ve never bothered to get to know me at all. Mostly you pretend I don’t exist.”

“Have you bothered to get to know me?” he spat back.

I guessed I really hadn’t. I’d always assumed he thought he was better than me. But maybe that’s because somehow I believed he was better than me.

The door opened.

I swallowed. Archie was so handsome. The sight of him entering my room took my breath away for a moment. He had changed into a fitted white T-shirt and gray sweatpants. He was tall, muscular, and had the angular features Disney prince faces were made of. And let’s not even talk about that thick mane of hair or the way he smelled—freaking amazing. Very few people had this effect on me, but Archie Remington was certainly at the top of the list. And that sucks.

Clearing my throat, I chided, “Who’s the one not knocking now?”

“That was pretty crazy earlier, huh? The way we first ran into each other?”

Uh, why is he bringing that up? “Not my finest moment,” I mumbled.

“You should’ve seen your face.” He laughed.

I rolled my eyes. “I can only imagine.”

He grinned. “Actually, you want to see your face?”

“What are you talking about?”

He then presented a piece of paper I hadn’t realized he was holding behind his back. “I drew you.”

He handed me a sketch. It was a female…who looked remarkably like me. She was totally naked. And upon closer inspection, her body looked like mine, too—from the shape of her breasts to the amount of pubic hair. Okay, so this was a full-on portrait of me. I’d assumed he barely had time to notice my features, but apparently not.

“My, don’t you have a photographic memory,” I said, continuing to stare at the drawing. Then I noticed a caption underneath: Naked and Afraid, AR

A and R were his initials.

“Consider it a peace offering.” He smirked.

“You could’ve given me, oh, I don’t know…flowers, instead of a frighteningly accurate naked portrait of myself.”

He chuckled. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“Anyway…” I looked down at it again, noticing even more details, like the freckles on my chest. “You’re really good.”

“Well, my dad would disagree. He calls my artwork doodling, so…”

“Don’t listen to him,” I snapped. “You’re talented.”

His eyes darted to mine and stayed there a few seconds before he looked away. “Anyway, who the fuck puts a bathroom between two bedrooms like this, anyway? It’s like…pick one or the other.”

“I think it was designed for siblings to share or something.”

“Dumb.” His eyes lingered on mine again. “I know I joked about it earlier, but you do look a lot different than I remember.”

My cheeks burned. “What you mean to say is you don’t remember what I looked like before because I was invisible to you.” I glanced down at the drawing. “Based on this, I sort of wish I was still invisible.”

His eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? Of course, I remember you. Even if you seem to think I was a dick and anti-social, I remember you. You used to wear two different-colored socks and pull them up to your knees.”

Wow. That was my thing when I was fifteen. “That was in back then.”

“You also used to have braces, and now you don’t.”

I shook my head. “I’m blown away that you remember those things.”

“So, anyway, as I was saying earlier, Xavier is a douche. Stay away from him. Those girls you’re hanging out with? Douchettes. They’re trouble, too.”

“Who in particular?”

“Cici Kravitz.”

“You don’t like her? Didn’t you used to date her sister?”

“Ah, we’re doing our research, are we?” He raised a brow. “I did, for a brief time the summer before my freshman year of college.”

“Well, it seems you hurt her pretty badly.”

“I guess you believe everything you’re told.”

“It’s not true?”

“I never promised her anything. It was a summer thing. She’s bitter, so she talks shit about me. Just remember what I said about them. They’re no good. I’ve been coming here every summer since I was a kid. I know everyone. You want to know whether someone’s legit, just ask me.”

I lifted my brow. “And you’re so respectable yourself?”

His eyes widened. “You really dislike me, huh?”

“No.” I shook my head and chuckled. “I don’t know you. I can’t hate someone I don’t know.”

“You’ve just assumed certain things in the meantime.”

“Yes, because of how distant you’ve seemed in the past.”

“Maybe I was just shy. Did you ever think of that?”

“I doubt it.”

“Let’s clear some things up.” He moved to sit on the edge of my bed, putting me on edge. “What’s one impression you have of me?”

“That you’re stuck up,” I said immediately.

He crossed his arms. “I could’ve assumed the same about you—that you were a smart, know-it-all, overachiever who wanted nothing to do with the dumb jock son of your parents’ friends. Because you also never made an effort to get to know me.”

“I don’t think you’re dumb.” My eyes narrowed. “And who said I was smart?”

“Your parents are always bragging about you.”

“Yeah, well, your mom brags about you, too.”

“Exactly.” He huffed. “My mom, not my dad, right?”

Crap. I’d touched that sore spot. “Yeah…your mom always has amazing things to say about you.”

“And yet you think I’m an asshole, for some godforsaken reason.”

“You know what? You’re right. I made assumptions about you. You’ve just always been elusive.” I crossed my arms.

Archie stood up and inched closer, putting my body on high alert. “If you want to get to know me, then get to know me. But don’t make assumptions without anything to back them up.” He looked me in the eyes. “And I promise to do the same.” He then stood and walked backward toward the bathroom door. “Anyway, the bathroom’s free. But FYI, only the door on your side seems to lock from the inside. So while I can lock you out, you can’t lock me out. I’ll be extra careful to knock first, though.” He winked and turned away. “Unlike some people.”

Great. “Thank you.”

He turned around one final time. “Nice to actually meet you, Noelle Simone Benedict.”

He knows my middle name? Interesting. “You, too,” I murmured.

He headed through the bathroom and disappeared into his room. It felt a little like that bathroom was a gateway to heaven—or hell, depending on how you looked at it.

Imagining him listening to every move I made, I washed my face and brushed my teeth as quickly as possible. I almost opted to go to sleep without using the toilet for fear that I’d fart or something, but then I figured out that I could run the water to hide any potential sounds. He was just too close for comfort.

I had trouble getting to sleep after that, albeit with a reluctant smile on my face. Because Archie Remington? He was a bit different than I’d imagined. He was…alright.

• • •

The following morning, I dragged my butt out of bed at 5 AM for another morning run. I spent a few minutes watching the sun beginning to rise over the ocean as I stretched, the sound of seagulls the only sign of life.

But about a minute after I took off down the road, I heard footsteps on the gravel behind me. My heart raced. It sounded like I was being chased—until the footsteps caught up with me. My adrenaline waned after I turned to find Archie jogging beside me.

“You scared the shit out of me,” I panted.

“You shouldn’t be running this early by yourself.”

“Why not? This is a nice area.”

“It’s not as nice as you think. There are plenty of lowlifes lurking around, ready to take advantage of people they think deserve it because they’re rich and entitled. People travel here to prey on others. And you’re the perfect victim, all alone out here with no one else around. It’s practically the middle of the night. The sun isn’t even fully up yet.”

“How did you know I went running?”

“Well, your fucking alarm woke me up, for one. Then I looked and saw you stretching out front. Figured I’d catch up with you.” He turned to look straight ahead. “Anyway, I run too and don’t mind having a partner.”

“Well, I don’t exactly need one, so…”

He shook his head. “You were upset because I was anti-social, and now you don’t want my company? Isn’t that a bit of a contradiction? I get no points for effort here?”

Speeding up a bit, I said, “I like running alone to clear my head. And I can already see you talk too much.”

“Now I talk too much?” He chuckled. “Damn, you’re hard to please, Noelle. How about if I agree to shut up while we’re running?”

God, he looks fucking hot right now. He wore a Dodgers cap backward, which was barely able to contain the golden-brown hair peeking out from under it. And his black athletic shirt hugged his muscles impeccably.

“Okay…” I sighed. “I can deal with running and no talking.”

As requested, the remainder of the jog was surprisingly quiet, though his mere presence next to me was overwhelming and seemed to be all I could focus on. So much for clearing my head when all I could do was breathe his delicious scent and focus on his nearness.

We stopped for a break at the top of a hill.

Archie leaned his hands against his knees. “You’re pretty fast, Benedict. Impressive.”

“I was trying to lose you,” I teased.

“You’re a brat.” He laughed.

I shook my index finger at him. “You don’t have to force yourself to hang out with me just to prove you’re not an asshole. I told you I wouldn’t assume anything about you anymore.”

“I do feel bad that you thought I was intentionally ignoring you in the past, but that’s not why I’m here. I came because I didn’t want you running alone this early.”

If that was true, it kind of warmed my heart. I looked up and noticed the way the sun caught his eyes, making them appear even icier than they already were. I cleared my throat. “Well…thank you for your concern.”

“Translation: fuck off.” He grinned.

I smiled and shook my head. “No.”

After a minute, we resumed our run, heading back toward the house.

When we stepped inside, our parents were at the kitchen table having coffee. My mother’s jaw dropped at the sight of us together.

“Nice to see you two getting along,” Nora said.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Archie muttered, smirking over at me.

“He was nice enough to accompany me so I didn’t have to run alone,” I said.

“We appreciate that, Archie,” my mom said. “I’ve always worried about her running alone so early. She does it at home, too.”

Archie came up behind me as I popped a coffee pod into the machine, his closeness sending a shiver down my spine. “You wanna shower?”

My face flushed with heat. My thirsty brain interpreted that question entirely incorrectly. But then…duh…we shared a bathroom. I cleared my throat. “I’ll just use my mom’s bathroom. You go ahead.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

Nora smiled over at her son before he disappeared up the stairs. Then she sighed. “It’s so good to have my baby back.”

“I’m sure we’ll feel the same next year once Noelle’s away in Boston,” my dad said.

“Archie needs to start getting serious,” Archer interjected. “This time is precious. I’m afraid he’s wasting it. He needs to call—”

“He just got here!” Nora said. “He’ll call him. Don’t worry.”

Has this guy never heard of summer vacation? I brought my coffee to the table and joined them, reaching for an apple fritter.

To my surprise, Archer turned his attention toward me. “Noelle, your mother tells me you’re majoring in journalism at BU?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“You don’t think that’s a bit of a waste?”

My chewing slowed. “How so?”

“Well, journalists don’t make much money, from what I understand.”

I straightened in my seat. “Someone has to document what’s happening in the world. Whether journalists get paid a lot or not, it’s an important job. You can’t deny that.”

“Just because someone has to do it doesn’t mean you should. Are you going to become a garbage collector because someone needs to take out the trash?”

God, he’s so condescending. “There’s nothing wrong with that, either,” I responded.

I was definitely starting to understand how Archie felt around his dad. I was a confident person, but he had a way of making you feel less-than. I wasn’t entirely sure what my father saw in him. I wondered if Dad mainly associated with Archer because it helped him professionally.

I glanced around the table, but my parents and Nora stayed quiet. It would’ve been nice if someone had come to my defense. But I suspected no one in this room quite knew how to stand up to Archer. So it would have to be me.

I opened my mouth again, unable to help myself. “Even if I don’t end up becoming a journalist, I think a major in journalism shows prospective employers that my writing and communication skills are strong. Those things can be applied to many different industries.” I took another bite of my apple fritter and spoke with my mouth full. “Many people end up majoring in one thing and landing in another field. You don’t have to commit to anything based on your major.”

He shook his head. “If you’re smart, you will. I would consider switching to business. BU has a great school of management.”

Feeling disgusted, I stood up from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to take a shower.”

Upstairs in my parents’ bathroom, as the water rained down on me, I replayed the conversation in my head. That was only five minutes, but life must be like that for Archie all the time.

• • •

I didn’t see Archie for the rest of that day until dinner. And we didn’t say much to each other during the meal. I mostly just listened as his dad grilled him yet again while I stole glances at Archie’s gorgeous face, broad shoulders, strong forearms. The way the overhead light brought out the gorgeous blond streaks in his hair. Yeah, I was pathetically hot for him.

At one point, Nora started posing questions that I remembered her asking the other night at dinner—how Archie’s flight here had been, among other things. It perplexed me, and I wondered if she was just making shit up without thinking as a distraction in the hopes that his dad would pipe down.

Archie was once again the first to leave the dinner table. Could I blame him? Absolutely not.

NOELLE

PAST

LATER THAT EVENING, Cici’s cousin, Xavier, asked me if I wanted to go for a walk on the beach. It seemed harmless enough, so we went for a stroll and talked—him mostly about his musical aspirations and me mostly asking him questions about life in Boston.

When we arrived back in the general area of the bonfire, we stood closer to the shore, away from people. Xavier reached out and caressed my hair.

“Your eyes are so striking, Noelle.”

I stiffened. “Thank you.”

“Seriously, they’re like…translucent. I love your dimples, too.”

I looked down at my flip-flops and repeated, “Thanks.”

When I looked up again, he was still staring at me. Then suddenly he went in for the kill. My body tensed. I hadn’t been expecting him to kiss me, and I definitely hadn’t been expecting the rough way he shoved his tongue down my throat. Flailing my arms, I leaned back to try to get him to stop, but he only pushed forward, kissing me harder. It didn’t help that he was a little drunk.

It was too much for me, all of it—the kiss, the weight of him. There were people not that far from us, but I still felt totally alone.

Then the weight lifted. When I looked up, Archie’s hand was around Xavier’s neck.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he demanded. “Could you not see she was trying to push you off?”

“Hey, man, calm down.”

Archie shoved Xavier across the sand, causing him to land on his ass. “She clearly didn’t want it, and you kept pushing,” he spat.

Xavier looked over at me, his eyes groggy. “I didn’t do that, did I? Tell him.”

In total shock, I shook my head and stammered, “Umm…I think you should leave, Xavier.”

Xavier stood up and stumbled away.

Archie was out of breath. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I exhaled. “He was drunk. I don’t think he meant anything by it—”

“Don’t make excuses for him! I saw it. You were trying to get him to stop. He didn’t. End of story.”

I took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m just a little rattled. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before.” I smoothed out my shirt. “I guess you were right about him, huh?”

Archie gave me side-eye. “That doesn’t make me feel good, by the way.”

“How did you see us all the way over here?”

“I saw you walk away with him earlier, so I kept an eye out. When I noticed you down by the shore, I came to make sure you were okay.”

I straightened the wrinkles in my shirt. “I’m sorry for not listening to you.”

“Well, I guess I haven’t given you a reason to trust me yet.” He tilted his head toward where his friends were congregated in the distance. “Come on. Let’s go over there.”

The waves crashed behind us, and I looked over at him as we walked. “You must be right about Cici, too. What’s the deal with her? You were never specific.”

He raised a brow. “You really want to know?”

“Yeah.”

“I was dating her sister, as you already found out. Like I told you, it was just a summer hookup with Amanda and nothing more, despite what Cici might have told you. That stuff about me breaking her heart is a total joke.” He sighed. “Anyway, one night, we were all hanging out down in their parents’ basement. Amanda was drunk. When she went upstairs to throw up, Cici tried to go down on me.”

My mouth dropped.

“I bet she’d deny it if you asked her,” he added. “But she did. You can’t trust someone who would stab her own sister in the back like that.”

That news really rubbed me the wrong way. “Yeah. No shit.” I’d only hung out with Cici a couple of times, but that seemed like a betrayal.

“Anyway…” he said. “The people you see me with, they’re all cool. Good people I’ve known for years. You should hang out with us instead.”

Well, alright then. “You mean the girl you’ve been sucking face with this summer? She’s the only person I’ve seen you with.”

“I wasn’t really referring to Bree. She’s part of the crew, though.”

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“No. I don’t have a girlfriend. She’s just someone I…” He hesitated.

“Someone you fuck?”

Archie squinted. “Why does that word sound wrong coming from Little Miss Goody-Goody?” He laughed. “We’ve hooked up, yeah. I’ve known her for years. She’s just a friend.”

“With benefits,” I added as jealousy burned my cheeks.

“I suppose. But we have an understanding about it. So it’s all good.”

We arrived at the spot where his friends always hung out, and he waved me closer. Until now I’d only gazed over at this group.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll introduce you.”

Three guys, Bree, and another girl were talking and laughing.

“Guys, this is Noelle. She’s the daughter of my parents’ friends—the ones we share the house with now.”

Archie’ssomething-or-other held out her hand as her long hair blew in the breeze. “Hey. I’m Bree. Nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

Bree was the opposite of me looks-wise: tall, skinny, and blond to my short, brunette, and curvy.

A guy smiled and waved. “I’m James.”

I nodded. “Hey.” Dark-haired James was cute, although only a little taller than me.

Archie then introduced me to Linus and Sean, along with Sean’s girlfriend, Sarina.

It turned out Archie’s friends were pretty cool. They were all around his age—a bit older than me—and everyone was home from college. I stayed quiet and mostly listened as they told stories from summers past on the island.

Bree was still hanging all over Archie, but he seemed unfazed as he chatted with the others. Out of everyone, James seemed the most interested in getting to know me. He stood next to me and kept asking me questions about myself.

“So how did you and Archie’s family become friends?”

“Our dads work for the same law firm. Mr. Remington was my father’s mentor for many years, and then they decided to invest in a property together. So we’re all staying for the summer.”

“Gotcha.” He dug his feet in the sand. “Archie’s a good dude. I’ve known him for years.”

“You’re from here?”

“Yes. Born and bred. It was a great place to grow up.”

“I would imagine. It’s so idyllic. But it’s probably a little strange when everyone converges on you in the summer, huh? When you have to share it with us city dwellers?”