Not Another Summer Love Story

Chapter 30 - The Last Gathering

Maisie squeezed my hand before taking Logan up on the beer offer. I gave him a wry smile and picked up a cider from the esky instead.

Somehow, our relationship was slowly falling back into place, and I was even starting to come to terms with the fact that maybe he wasn't the devil-incarnate. It was strange to know the same lips that pulled into a smart-ass smile had kissed mine so warmly, and it even borderlined on confusing. But it didn't awaken the deep stirring that had been churning through my chest since I'd realised who I'd really been falling for.

The afternoon was golden, the sun refusing to cease spreading its warmth as it lowered closer and closer towards the horizon. The waves crested in bubbles of silver and the cawing of the gulls was the sound of farewells. With Lottie and Alastair signalling the first of us to leave, this would be the last proper gathering.

Zoe stepped towards me and enveloped me in a hug. "I can't believe you're going to the other side of the country!"

"Me either," I admitted, closing my eyes momentarily to take in her floral perfume. It was little things I didn't always appreciate that I was beginning to realise I'd miss the most.

"You have to make Sandy Cove proud," she said.

"So do you! Perth is a pretty big deal, you know," I reminded her.

"Yeah but that's where everyone's going. You're taking a step into the unknown."

Her words made me shudder a little. I mean, like going there wasn't daunting enough.

Zoe moved on to greet Maisie, just as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun around to surprisingly see Lottie facing me, a wry smile on her glossed lips. "Hey."

My stomach did a little flip of anxiety. I really wasn't one for confrontation at all, but at the same time, I didn't exactly want to act like her best friend either. "Hi, Lottie."

Lottie's smile weakened a little as she leaned down to the esky beside me to fish out a beer. Over the past three months, she'd developed a taste for the stuff. "My brother seems to think I owe you an apology. I guess I do."

This surprised me a little, I mean, I didn't expect it to come so easily. "Why did you do it?"

"You know why," she snorted, straightening up. "I guess I'm just not very good at keeping information. And, it was a pretty hard piece of information to keep. This little town was getting boring, and if I stirred things up a little then Alastair would have a chance to stop pining for you for a second. And, well, I was kind of interested to see Logan's reaction."

I narrowed my eyes. We really were entertainment to her all along, like a soap opera. "Do you do that to your friends at home?"

She let out a little laugh. "I guess things are just different here. Nobody would be surprised if that happened at home. Mind you, we don't exactly make deals like that."

My cheeks flamed, and even though she was only a year older I suddenly felt like a tiny child. But, she eased my embarrassment a little by putting a hand on my arm.

"But seriously, I didn't mean any personal harm. It's just... the way he talks about you. He brings you up at least once every ten minutes I swear, and he never gets like that with girls at home. Think of me as just being your wing woman."

I couldn't help but scoff, but her words made me slightly dizzy. Did he really talk about me that much?

When I didn't answer, Lottie pursed her lips and put a hand on her hip. "You like him don't you?"

"Hmm?" I said, acting distracted in a bid to stall an answer. There was no way I was telling his twin sister, not when I knew she was bound to meddle further.