The Program (The Program #1)(8)

James darts a panicked look in my direction as if telling me not to leave Miller alone. I’m not sure I can handle anymore today, but as Miller rounds the truck, I call to him. “Wait,” I say. “I’ll keep you company, and James can meet us there.”

“More time for me to undress,” James says, taunting us. “Maybe I’ll even find someone else to rub lotion on my back.”

“Good luck with that.” Miller laughs and climbs into the driver’s seat. I look back at James one last time, and he gives me his signature smile, wide and cocky. But it’s not real. Sometimes I think it’s never real.

James is the best at hiding the pain, disguising the feelings. He knows what it takes to stay out of The Program. He’ll keep us safe.

He promised.

CHAPTER THREE

“YOU’RE WEARING FAR TOO MANY CLOTHES,” JAMES calls from the river as he swims toward me. I’m sitting in the grass, the glittering sun making James’s eyes that clear blue. They stop me from saying something smartass back. They’re gorgeous and arresting, and I love the way he looks at me.

As if reading my thoughts he stands up in the water, shaking out his hair. “You should come in,” he tells me. He’s not naked. Completely. He’s wearing black boxer briefs that hang low. I grin, watching the water drip down his skin as he walks my way.

“Dude, put on some clothes,” Miller says as he appears over the hill. He’s wearing his swimsuit, two towels over his shoulder. He throws one at James.

James shoots me another glance and winks, as if telling me I missed out on a great opportunity. He’s probably right. Not that I would have gone swimming. I don’t even know how.

James wipes his hair with the blue-striped towel. “Sorry if my physique is intimidating you,” he says to Miller. “I didn’t have time to go to my house.”

“Or you’re avoiding it because you stole your dad’s car,” Miller adds.

James smiles. “Something like that.”

“Does anybody have food?” I ask, leaning back on my elbows. I squint my eyes against the sun as I look over my shoulder at Miller. His face is still pale, and I know he must be thinking of Lacey. She used to come swimming with us too. She used to be one of us.

“Energy bar?” He fishes in his pocket and then tosses one to me. I look down at it and groan.

“I hate peanut butter.”

Miller shakes his head. “Sorry I didn’t have time to bake you a lasagna, princess. Next time I’ll be more considerate.”

“Good to hear.”

James lays his towel on the grass next to me and then stretches out on his stomach, watching me open the wrapper. “I like peanut butter,” he says nonchalantly. I laugh and hand the PowerBar over to him. Before he bites into it, he narrows his eyes and nods his chin to me.

“What?” I ask.

“Give me a kiss,” he whispers.

“No.” Just a few feet away Miller is stretching and putting down his own towel, getting ready for a swim.

Yes, James mouths.

I shake my head, not wanting to make Miller uncomfortable. Before it wouldn’t have mattered. He and Lacey sometimes spent the first half of our swim dates back at the car. But now it seems wrong to kiss in front of him. Salt in an open wound.

James’s eyebrows knit together as he seems to realize it too. He lays his cheek on his folded arms and watches me solemnly. I reach to stroke my fingers down his shoulder, over the names on his arm: Brady. Hannah. Andrew. Bethany. Trish.

And they’re just the ones who died. The list doesn’t include the ones who were taken away by The Program. It doesn’t even include Lacey.

“Is the water cold?” Miller asks, staring at the river.

“Hell yeah,” James responds, not looking away from my eyes. “Feels good though.”

Miller nods, then walks to the water. Once he’s wading out, I lower myself down to rest my cheek on James’s arm, my face close to his. My heart is aching. My confidence is worn thin.

“Tell me it will be okay,” I say seriously.

He doesn’t hesitate. “Everything will be okay, Sloane. Everything will be fine.” He puts no emotion behind his words, but I can believe him. He’s never given up on me.

So I lean in and kiss him.

There is a splash behind us, and we both look at the water. I hold my breath as the river seems to swallow the ripple, smoothing it down with the slow current. James sits up next to me, staring at the water. And it isn’t until Miller breaks the surface again, yelling about how cold it is, that we ease back down. Grateful that he came up for air at all.

• • •

When we leave, I drive home with James, my head resting against the window as I watch the road. He’s taking the long way, the route that winds through the farms and hills. It’s beautiful and peaceful, and for a minute you can almost believe we live in a beautiful and peaceful world.

“Do you think Lacey will come back to us eventually?” I ask.

“Yes.” James reaches to turn on the radio, flipping through the stations until he finds some horrible pop song with a catchy hook. “Want to go somewhere this weekend?” he asks, pretending that I never mentioned our friend. “I’m thinking of camping on the coast.”

I look sideways at him. “Don’t do that,” I say. “Don’t change the subject.”