Both of them nod. The taller one looks genuinely embarrassed, which is not the worst outcome.
"Kick those rocks back," Levi tells them, nodding toward the pile. "Back toward the tree line, away from the bank."
They do it without arguing, which tells me they've made their decision and it's the right one. I watch them scatter the pile, and when they're done, I give them a nod.
"Go find something else to do with your day off," I say, and they don't need to be told twice.
Levi and I stand there while they pack up and head back toward the road, and once they're out of earshot he lets out a slow breath. "You think they'll be back?"
"Not today," I say. "Maybe not ever. Hard to say at that age." I pull my phone out and check the time, then pull up my texts before I put it away, because I want to ask Molly about tonight before I forget and the day gets away from me. I type it quick, just asking if she's free and if she wants to go bowling with me so I can watch Lucy and her fucking date.
She reads it almost immediately. I can see the three dots appear.
M: Did your sixteen-year-old sister just plan our second date?
A laugh works its way out of my chest before I can stop it, and Levi glances over at me with his eyebrows up.
"Nothing," I tell him, tucking the phone away. "Let's walk the bank before we head back."
He gives me a look that says he knows exactly what nothing means, but he falls into step beside me anyway and lets it go, because that's the thing about a best friend. He knows when to push and when to leave it alone.
I'll tell him eventually. I always do.
But for right now, Molly is mine, and I'm not ready to share that with the people that matter just yet.
Chapter 8
Molly
I'm trying to figure out what the hell I'm wearing tonight. Magnolia Grace is sitting on my bed, and watching as I go through most of the clothes I wear.
"Tell me again why it matters what you're wearing to go bowling with Dakota and his sister? She asked you to go, right?"
Magnolia is getting suspicious, if the squinted look she's giving me is any indication. "Yeah," I try to play it off. "I mean who knows who I might meet out there? Could the one I've been looking for my entire life."
"True," she laughs. "I mean I didn't realize I was going to end up with Levi, but here I am."
And end up with him she has. Those two are so happy that it's almost sickening. I want what they have, but I'm scared to admit it at the same time. "Maybe I'm ready to meet my Levi," I give her a grin, before shuddering. "You know what I mean."
She laughs, throwing her head back, and grabbing her stomach. "I know exactly what you meant. So what is it you're going to wear?"
I wish I knew. "It's still pretty cold outside, so I think it would be smart for me to wear a sweater, and those jeans that have a rip in the knee, but hug my ass just right."
"I would agree with all of that. Keep your hair curly and play up your eyes, and whoever it is you're looking to impress won't be able to say no."
There's a part of me that wants to argue with her, that I'm not looking to impress anyone, but the truth is I am. This will be the first time Dakota and I are going out in public, even though no one knows that we've been dating in the background of life. If they're going to see us, I'd prefer I looked good. "Thanks for coming over, Mags."
"You're welcome. But now that you're set, I'm gonna have to get out of here. I have a huge order to finish for tomorrow."
Walking over to where she sits, I wrap my arms around her neck and hug her tightly. "Thank you for taking time out of your day and coming to help me."
"What are best friends for? And to be honest, I feel like I've kind of been slacking in the best friend department since Levi and I got together." She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. "I'm sorry about that. It's just that everything with him is so..."
"All-encompassing?" I finish for her, because that's how it is with me and Dakota, even if I don't want to admit it to anyone other than myself. "You want to be around him all the time, and we're not with him, you want to know what he's doing?"
Her eyes flash in recognition. "Yes, exactly. Are you sure you're not seeing anybody?" She tilts her head to the side, examining me with a gaze that is almost too inquisitive.
I choke on my own spit. "I'm sure. It's just what I want," I play it off.