The Fill-In Boyfriend(39)

Laney bit her lip. “Well . . . we’re going somewhere, but we knew you probably wouldn’t want to come so we just wanted to say hi before we went.”

“Where are you going?”

“Matt texted me about ten minutes ago and asked if we all wanted to surf today. I guess his uncle is in town and is this world champion surfer or something and wanted to know if any of his friends wanted some free lessons.”

Claire nodded. “We thought we’d make it a group date. So I called Tyler and Jules called Garrett.”

I looked at Jules, who was still on the computer. “That sounds fun.”

Her eyes swung to mine and she tilted her head.

“It does?” Claire asked. “So you’ll come?”

“Why not? I should at least try it before I decide I hate it, right?”

Claire smacked my arm. “That’s what I’ve been saying forever.”

“It’s about time I listened.”

“You should ask your blind date from last night to come with us!”

It would actually be really fun to call Hayden and ask him to go on a group date with my friends and me. I liked hanging out with him. And he’d probably think surfing with some professional was the coolest date ever. But there was a huge problem with this. There were actually probably a lot more problems than just one, but I didn’t want to think about how Hayden and I were only acting and he would probably say no to a real date anyway. The main problem was that my friends couldn’t see Hayden again, ever. He was Bradley to them.

“It’s too soon to ask him out again. But I’d love to come if I wouldn’t be some sort of third . . . or seventh wheel.”

“Of course you wouldn’t be a seventh wheel.”




I did feel a little like the odd-numbered wheel, but I could see how Claire might find surfing peaceful—the gentle rocking of the waves as we waited for one to ride, the power of the ocean as it pushed us along. And Matt’s uncle was really cool. Without him, I was sure I wouldn’t have been able to catch a wave at all on my first time out.

And I’d caught quite a few. But now the others were riding while Claire and I lay on our boards, side by side, hands linked so we wouldn’t float away from each other.

“You seem quiet. You okay?”

“I’m good.”

“Are you having fun?” she asked.

“Yes, I am actually.”

“Don’t sound so surprised.”

I laughed. “Well, I’m not used to being the worst at something, so that’s my only complaint. Well, that and my completely valid original points: the cold water, salt in my hair, and—”

“Sand everywhere. I know.” She smiled over at me.

“I’m impressed, Claire. You’re really good. And you taught Jules, right?”

She nodded.

“You did a good job. She’s good too.”

She squeezed my hand. “Should we catch another?”

Just as she asked, Jules paddled up. “Did you see me ride that one? My longest yet.”

I sat up on my board and Claire followed. “We missed it.” My gaze found Tyler, who was riding a wave now. “Did you see that trick he just did? Way to find a surfer boy, Claire.”

“I didn’t even know he surfed until after prom.”

“And he’s Claire’s date, Gia,” Jules said.

“Um . . . I know.”

“It’s just you’ve been flirting with him all day. I thought I should remind you.”

“What?”

“Jules,” Claire said. “Stop. It’s nothing.”

I turned my stare to her now because “it’s nothing” wasn’t even close to “she is not.” “I haven’t been trying to, Claire, I promise.”

“I know, Gia. You’re just friendly. Seriously, it’s nothing.”

Jules gave me a look like, It’s something, and I wondered if this was something they had talked about before. Me flirting with their guys. I had never flirted, on purpose, with their guys.

“Let’s surf,” Claire said. “This one’s mine.” And just like that, she dropped in and caught the wave, leaving Jules and me alone.

“Why’d you do that?” I asked.

“Do what?”

“You know what. Why are you lying about me not inviting you places and now accusing me of flirting with other people’s dates?”