The beach wasn’t as crowded as it had been. The thought struck Cady, even if she didn’t spend much time on it. The beach was busy, but it felt emptier than what she remembered. It felt less like Spring Break. Way more adults. Less bickering between the Cherry Hills chicks and the Fraternity friends. There weren’t any party yachts in the distance.
Cady felt like she’d slept through their flight home. Which, she really hoped not, because then she’d have to explain it to her mom and her agent and her friends’ parents and there wasn’t a text chain strong enough to not break under all of that pressure, because they pretty much formed a family coalition within a four block radius and she was pretty sure her agent would rent a house in Sherwood just to be part of it.
She’d promised everyone back home that it would be a great time and they’d see each other soon. If they were a day late because they ate some weird tropical plant that wiped their memories and knocked them out… Sally would think of a good cover story. Cady really prayed that she’d tell them a good story.
As preoccupied as she was, Cady didn’t notice Max until he was right by her side. When she turned to look at him, her laugh was surprised and relieved and her joy was genuine. In one swift motion, she embraced him, hugging the one person who seemed real since she’d woken up. Her smile caught in her throat when she said, “Come here often?”
Pulling back, Cady’s hands flopped to her sides and she looked both ways, an unspoken gesture asking what is going on right now? Shaking her head, she asked, “Where have you been?”