Every single day she thought about calling him. Every single day since she left his house in Newport Beach. Every single day since he’d called her from the bathroom of the club, drunk off his ass. She wondered what happened that night after he hung up. Did he go back out there and take that girl--Francesca--home and screw her brains out on his bed? The thought made her want to vomit. She had no right to be upset with him, but the thought of him with another woman made her sick to her stomach.

“Fuck, Lucy, what did Loops do to you?”

She looked over at Jacob. They were both sprawled out on her sectional watching a movie on television. She’d been in a funk since she got back from California, and Jacob had come over to cheer her up on a Friday night.

“Nothing,” she told him, trying to focus on the movie.

Jacob snorted. “You’ve been weird since you got back. You two didn’t... you know?”

“No,” she snapped.

“Well, what happened? I talked to him a couple days ago and he sounded fucked up, too. Said he was coming back a week early or something.”

“What?” That feeling that soured in her stomach was panic. Pure panic that she was going to run into him and then she’d have to deal with all the feelings she was having.

“Training camp starts in two weeks. He’s coming back a week before. Why do you sound so stressed? You don’t want to see him?”

She shrugged and tried to school her expression. “I don’t care, Jacob. Whatever.”

“Are you two in fucking love or some crazy shit? Because he was schizo when I asked him about you and how your stay was.”

“What did he say?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

Lucy clenched her teeth. “Forget it, Jay. It was a vacation. We went a couple places, had dinner, watched a concert. I read four novels and had a gazillion cups of coffee at this little place just off the beach. Fun times.”

“I thought you hated him.”

“I don’t hate him.”

“So you love him.”

“What? Fuck off, Jacob. I don’t know where you’re getting this.”

“Jesus Christ. You do. You two have a thing for each other. What happened? Did he fuck around?”

Lucy couldn’t breathe. This was not her idea of a fun Friday night. “I’m not going to find out because there’s nothing between us.”

“I’ll ask Loops about it when he gets back, then.”

She pushed herself upright and glared at her cousin. “Don’t you dare. Just leave it, Jay. Please just leave it.”

He looked at her for several long seconds. Finally, Jacob said, “Okay. I’ll leave it.”

************************************

Deanna, Jacob’s girlfriend, called her two days ago and demanded that she come to a bonfire on Cherry Beach. They were inviting a few friends to see off summer since September had arrived and cooler weather was just around the corner. School had started three days ago. It’d be nice to spend some time around adults after worrying herself for three days over remembering all the students’ names and finalizing lesson plans.

“Is Lupul going to be there?” she’d asked Deanna.

“I don’t think so. I think he’s still in Cali. Why?”

Lucy had twisted her hair around her finger. “Because Jacob said he was coming back a week early.”

“I haven’t heard anything or seen him. Why? You pissed at him?”

Lucy wasn’t pissed at him, but she didn’t feel prepared to see him. She drove herself to the beach and parked in the small lot. Her car would be around if she needed to make a quick and discreet escape.

“Lucy!” Jacob yelled out, throwing his hands in the air. He was shirtless, in swimming trunks, and covered with sand. Beer sloshed out of the red plastic cup in his hand when he went to pull her into a hug. It was obvious he’d been at the beach for a few hours already. He looked like he’d have a sunburn tomorrow. The sun had just set and two of the guys were piling up tender for the bonfire.

“Hey, Jay. Don’t get beer on me.”

Deanna grabbed his arm and pulled him away. “Excuse your cousin. He’s a sloppy mess. We found a bottle of tequila in Donnie’s car.” She gave Lucy a once over. “Hey, you look cute.”

Lucy looked down at her khaki shorts that hit mid-thigh and her cotton top that slipped to the side to bare one shoulder. It was all for comfort, not to impress. The flip-flops were going to have to go soon, though. They were already covered in sand.

“Thanks, Dee. So do you.”

They sat down on a log by the bonfire that had just been started.

“So, Jacob thinks something is up with you and Joff.”

Lucy sighed. “He’s wrong.”

“Really? You’ve seemed kinda off since you went out to see him in California.”

She’d felt kinda off since then because a certain hockey player had been on her mind almost all the time. If he wasn’t such a well-known womanizer, she would have been in bed with him by now. Her pride was just a little too strong and kept her from risking the total embarrassment that would come when he either messed around on her or dumped her because he found the next best thing.

“Things might have gotten a little heavy when I was out there. But don’t tell Jacob. He doesn’t need to know,” Lucy told Deanna.

“Hot and heavy or just heavy.”

“Just heavy. Nothing physical happened, but there are... feelings there.”

“Shit, Lucy. I didn’t know. Are you okay?”

She nodded at Deanna. “I’ll be fine. I just don’t think it’s a good idea for me to be hanging around him right now. I brought my car so I can make a getaway if he shows.”

“Luuuuucy,” Jacob called, throwing his soggy, sand-covered arm over her shoulder as he knelt down behind her and Deanna. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“Jay, you smell horrible,” Deanna complained. “I swear, I can’t take you anywhere.”

“I’ve got your favorite person in the world,” Jacob stage-whispered to everyone within a five foot radius.

Lucy jerked her head around to look over her shoulder. Fuck. Lupul. He was standing there in a pair of cargo shorts and a T-shirt. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets and a baseball cap was pulled low on his head to hide his eyes. “Hi,” he said, softly.

“Hi,” she whispered back, swallowing the lump in her throat. He looked good. Really good. His skin was golden and his lips were full and his arms were almost busting out of the thin material of the shirt.

Lupul tilted his head up. “You look good. How was the rest of your summer?”

“Fine.”

“Did, uh, school start back yet?”

“Yeah, a few days ago.”

He shifted his weight to the other foot. “So, a whole new class of kids, eh?”

“Yep.”

Jacob stood up. “Come on, baby, let’s go find some more beer. Loops needs a drink.” He pulled Deanna up off the log.

She resisted, grabbing for Lucy’s hand. “Are you okay?” she whispered.

Lucy forced a small, tight smile and nodded.

When they left, Lupul took Deanna’s seat. The temperature had dropped to the mid-sixties since the sun had gone down, and the wind off the water had become chilly. “So, unfortunately, I’ve missed you,” he said.

“Ditto,” Lucy replied, picking at the hem of her shorts.

“I’m sorry I called you that night when I was drunk. That was out of line.”

She shrugged. “It happens.”

“I need you to know something, though.”

Finally, she screwed up enough courage to lift her eyes and look at him. He was so close, and she could smell his cologne. It made her want to crawl into his lap. “What’s that?”

“I didn’t take her home. I left the club alone.”

Her heart was banging against her ribcage. It was a miracle she was still drawing breath. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Lupul. It’s your life.”

“I know. Just throwing it out there. Take it how you want.”

They sat in awkward silence for several long minutes. It made Lucy want to weep. They’d been so good together as friends. Comfortable banter, laughs, great conversation. Now they were just sad and awkward and hurt. She felt like it was her fault. Either put out and get burned alive by him or stick to her guns and watch this friendship wither away into a shell of itself.

“So, looking forward to the upcoming season?” she asked, unable to take the silence any longer.

“Yeah, camp starts next week. I’m anxious.”

She bumped his shoulder with hers. “You’ll do fine.”

Lupul bumped her back. “You don’t even watch hockey, Lucy. How would you know?”

“I’ve got faith in you.”

He leaned forward with his forearms on his knees and turned his head back to look at her. “I wish you trusted me, too.”

“Don’t start,” she said. “I don’t want to do this here.”

He looked away and sucked in a deep breath, blowing it out of his mouth in an audible exhale. “So, what have you been listening to lately?”

“I’ve been playing the shit out of that new National record. And The Antlers. It all feels like autumn to me.”

“We should get together one day and listen to some albums.”

She watched him carefully. He didn’t seem to be playing games. His eyes were genuine and hopeful. “Yeah, that sounds nice.”

Lucy tensed when she felt an arm drape over her shoulder. “What’s up, lovebirds? I got beer.” Jacob was pinching the rims of two red cups together in one hand and giving Lucy a hug from behind with the other.

Lupul didn’t say anything; he just took one of the cups. Lucy shrugged off her cousin’s heavy arm and took the other. She had to bite her tongue not to say anything about the lovebirds comment. She didn’t want rumors getting around that she was Lupul’s new plaything.

“Hey, Lucy! Can you help me?” Deanna was a few yards away, motioning for her to come over.

“Uh, sure.” She glanced over at Lupul. “Hey, good to see you back in town. Text me sometime. Or whatever.”

That said, she walked over to where Deanna was. “Are you okay?” Dee asked.

“I think so.”

“I thought you might need a rescue. Jacob is convinced he can play cupid.”

Lucy shook her head.

Deanna linked her arm with Lucy’s and pulled her a little ways down the beach. “At first he was pissed that Joff might be after you because, well, Joff’s a little bit of a whore.”

“You don’t have to tell me that,” Lucy replied.

“Yeah, well, Jay was pissed about it. And then he talked to Joff last week on the phone and suddenly he was all about getting you two alone.”

“Why?”

Dee shrugged. “No idea. Jay totally lied to me about Joff being here. I thought he was still in Cali. He wanted you in the dark so he could surprise you. It’s weird. I don’t know what they talked about, but it had to have been about you.”

“I don’t like being played with,” Lucy said. “Maybe I should just leave.”

“Lucy, don’t. I mean, they’re not being assholes about it. Maybe Joff is serious about you.”

“Serious about me for two weeks and then he’ll have his dick in some other chick.”

*****************************************

It was almost midnight and she was flagging. The temperature had dropped another ten degrees and her little cotton, off-the-shoulder, shirt wasn’t keeping her warm. It had been a long day and all she wanted was to go home, crawl into bed, and sleep in. Sundays mornings were great for sleeping in and being lazy.

The bonfire had been built up and most everyone had gathered around it. She was sitting cross-legged a few feet away from the crackling wood, nursing her third beer of the night and talking to a couple friends. They disappeared to find more beer, and Lucy sighed. She needed to get up and leave. But first she needed to track down Jacob and tell him goodnight.

“Are you cold?” It was Lupul. He had appeared beside her.

Lucy looked up at him. He was so fucking perfect it was disgusting. “Yeah, a little. I’m getting ready to leave.”

“You should have worn something warmer than this,” he said, settling down in the sand behind her.

She glanced back at him. “What are you doing?”

“Keeping you warm,” he replied, opening his legs and scooting up behind her.

“Lupul, I don’t....” she trailed off as he nestled her between his legs and wrapped his arms around her. Her back came to rest on his chest and stomach. Instantly, she felt like she was on fire. A few moments later, the burning had settled into a slow, dull warmth that made her want to stay there forever, just enjoying the feeling of his arms around her.

“You’re freezing,” he whispered in her ear.

She felt her stomach flop over because he felt so damn good. “You’re hot,” she replied.

Lupul chuckled. “Hot to the touch or just hot?”

“Both.”

“Well, you’re cold to the touch, but you’re hot, too.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m cute.”

His mouth was on her ear. “You’re beautiful.”

“Stop right now or I’m leaving. I can’t do this with you.”

His grip on her relaxed, but he didn’t let go. “I’m sorry. I just missed you.”

Notes