[Complete] [18+]
In the picturesque lakeside town, the calm waters mask the storm within Juniper Jenkins' heart. Betrayed and broken by her cheating boyfriend, she flees to the sanctuary of her friend's lakeside house, to work remotely for the summe...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Nora: Where are you? Are you still coming over for game night?
Me: No I'm busy.
Liam: Busy? With what? You don't have any friends here besides us.
Nora: Omg. You didn't actually go hunting with Roxy and her brother, did you??
Liam: Dude. There's no way you're going to last out there with her brother.
Nora: Text the word "Pancake" if you need help.
Me: Pancake? Really?
I slip my phone back into my pocket as the girls walk back onto the patio. Delaney leads the way with a bowl of pasta, followed closely by Ellis, who carries a salad, and Juniper with a bottle of wine. They all snickering with each other about something.
"Can I help with anything?" I offer, rising from the table.
"Nope, that's alright," Juniper replies quickly as she walks past to the other side of the table setting the wine down.
"Actually, you can open the wine if you don't mind," Delaney says setting the bowl down in the middle of the table.
"Sure."
Ellis settles into the chair across from me, and Juniper goes to pull out the seat next to her. However, just as Juniper does so, Delaney slips into the seat.
"Oh, thanks, June," Delaney expresses her appreciation.
"Seriously?" Juniper raises an eyebrow in surprise as she looks down at Delaney.
Delaney looks up at her and explains, "Oh, I thought you could sit next to Wells, you know, since he's your friend."
"That's very considerate of you," Juniper says, as I start to uncork the wine. I try to wipe off the grin that's beginning to form on my face before anyone can notice. She looks up at me from where she stands, and then slowly walks around the table and takes her seat next to me.
"Well, I like to think I'm a considerate person," Delaney says with a quick smile.
I pop open the cork and grab Juniper's glass, pouring the wine into it. She gazes in my direction as I do, but she avoids making direct eye contact. She's been avoiding all eye contact since we left the lake. In fact, it feels like she's been avoiding me in general, and it's starting to frustrate me.
"Thanks," she says softly.
"You're welcome," I reply, handing her the glass. Our hand's brush, and she finally gives me about half a second worth of light brown eye contact.
Ellis clears her throat and wiggles her glass out in the air to me, waiting for me to fill it. "So, Wells, tell us about yourself," she asks as I turn my attention to her and start to fill her glass. "You have a girlfriend? A fiancé? A crazy ex-wife we should know about?"
