Every summer starts the same. One beach house. Three families. Eight kids who've known each other forever-and one summer that changes everything. I'm Ellie Ashford, and I knows the rules: First day lunch, pool traditions, late-night swims, and secrets whispered on salt-stained porches. The Everett house on Bainbridge Island is our safe place, where time stands still and nothing really changes. But this year, everything's different. There's tension under the laughter, things unsaid between best friends, and sparks where there shouldn't be. The Everett and Brooks boys have always been like brothers to me-until suddenly, this time, it's different. And I'm not sure if it's the ocean air or something deeper pulling us closer. The older we get, the more complicated the summers become. And my mind wanders off, starting to wonder if growing up means growing apart. Tangled friendships, unexpected romance, and the kind of chaos only a house full of history can hold-this is the story of one unforgettable summer, the people who made it home, and the heartbreak of leaving it behind.