I hang up. “He’s not coming home. And I know just where to stay. Let me call and see if they have any rooms.”

Cooper and I get to the iconic Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica and check into the Presidential suite. It was all they had available and I would pay just about anything to stay on the beach tonight.

After we get checked in, I immediately swing open the balcony doors and take in the fresh ocean breeze.

I get a crazy idea that Cooper will probably never agree to. But I check anyway. I pop on Facebook and pull up Mark’s profile. He always posts the night before where they are surfing in the morning.

There across my phone are the words: Manhattan Beach is where it’s at.

“You better get some sleep tonight,” I tell Cooper. “We’re getting up at sunrise and going surfing.”

Cooper stops drinking the beer he just pulled out of the refrigerator. “No, we are not.”

“Yeah, we are. We’re going to Manhattan Beach. It’s nowhere near Malibu. Some of B’s old surfer friends are going to be there.”

“I think it’s a bad idea.”

I smile at him. “So’s going to sit out on the beach right now, but I’m still going to do it.”

“I’m coming with you and you’re going to pretend to be with me. Understand? Like we’re a couple.”

I grab his hand. “Come on then, sexy. We’re going to make out in the moonlight.”

I drag him down to the beach and plop down in the sand.

He wraps the blanket he took from the suite around us.

I close my eyes and take it all in. The smells, the sounds. All of which feel like home.

Except.

Not quite.

“Tell me about your sister,” I say to Cooper.

He shakes his head. “It’s not a pretty story.”

“I’m sure it’s not. Please. I need to know.”

“She broke up with her boyfriend because he was cheating on her and that’s when things changed. He started showing up at her apartment unannounced. Standing outside her car waiting for her after work. Sending her flowers and leaving her notes. Of course, she told him they weren’t getting back together, and that he needed to leave her alone. He did for a few months until she started dating again. Then, one night he was waiting for her when she got home. He told her she was his and that if she ever even looked at another man, he would kill her. Before he threatened her, she considered him more of an annoyance, but after that, she was scared. They tried to get a restraining order at that point, but didn’t have any proof. So, she started noting all the times he was around. Saved his cards and letters. Finally got a restraining order. Two days after he was notified of the order, he went to her apartment, raped her, and killed her.”

My hand flies up to my mouth. “Oh my god.”

“The neighbors heard the shot and called the police. There was a standoff and he shot himself.”

“That’s awful.”

“My parents still blame themselves. They tried to get her to stay with them, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“She was trying to live her life,” I say, sort of understanding.

Tuesday, November 8th

The single biggest reason.

5am

Cooper and I get up early and drive to Manhattan Beach.

Last night I asked the hotel to get us wetsuits, swimsuits, towels, and changes of clothes. We didn’t pack anything since we weren’t planning on spending the night.

“Have you ever surfed before?”

“On a summer vacation to Hawaii.”

I carefully look at the surfers who are assembled, double checking that Vincent’s not one of them. Or even to see if there’s someone who looks like they don’t belong.

I spot Mark and wander over to him.

“Keatyn!” he says, giving me a full body hug. “What’s up, girl?”

“Not much. I was back in town and saw this was the place to be. I don’t even have a board.”

“Aw, hell. I’ve got three in my van. You can borrow one.”

“Thanks. This is my friend, Cooper.”

Mark gives Cooper a fist bump, and I say hey to the guys that I used to surf with almost every day.

“Brooklyn is shredding it up on the tour,” one says.

“How is he?” another asks.

“He’s living his dream,” Mark answers for me, coming back with two boards.

Wherever they take him, I say quietly to myself as the sky brightens.

I was so worried about how his leaving would affect me that I didn’t once stop to think how good this would be for him. He’s already changed so much. The boy I left has grown into a man.

I sit down in the sand and call him, knowing he’s already awake. “Hey, guess where I am.”

“Are you safe? That's all I care about. Tommy and James told me about everything that happened at the airport and how Garrett fired your bodyguard.”

“Two things I want to tell you before we get into that.”

“What's that?”

“I’m proud of you for living your dream, and I'm really sorry I wasn't more supportive.”

“Keats, you're the one who encouraged me. I'll never forget you telling me to follow my dream that night at the Undertow.”

“I was so afraid you were never going to kiss me.”

“I told you I've been researching stalking cases, but I’m not loving what I'm finding out. So I'm going to come up with another way.”

“Okay.”

“We're gonna be together again, Keats. On the beach, where we belong. Don't lose sight of that dream, okay?”

I look out at the waves, the guys surfing, and feel calm.

I feel like he's right.

“Are you at the beach?” he asks.

“How did you know?”

“I can hear the waves and a seagull.”

“I’m at Manhattan Beach surfing with Mark and the boys. They say hi.”

“How many sunrises have we watched together, Keats?”

“A lot.”

“My favorite part of the day.”

“I’m gonna go catch a few waves before we have to go.”

“Show those boys a little chaos.”

“I’ll try.”

We’ve been surfing for a couple hours when Cooper pulls me aside and says, “I'm starting to get nervous about being here.”

“Why?”

“He knows you like to surf. He probably went everywhere and offered a reward to anyone who tips him off when you show up. I don’t like the way those two guys over there are looking at you.”

I smile. “Maybe they just like my bikini.”

“They took your picture, made a phone call, and seem to be watching you even closer. I'd like to get out of here.”

“If you’re right, we won’t want them to see our car. You go get the car. Drive up two blocks. I’ll meet you.”

“Two blocks? No way. What if Vincent shows up or they try to grab you?”

“Surfers are territorial. All I have to do is say the guys are creeping me out, and that they took my picture. They still think of me as B’s girl. While they confront them, I’ll sneak away.”

Cooper grins at me. “That’s a good plan.”

I walk up to Mark and tell him the guys are creeping me out. He immediately grabs three guys and goes to confront them.

When he does, I take off running.

I hide behind cars, dodge behind a restaurant, and then sprint down a sidewalk.

I see our car ahead, idling at the curb.

I jump in the car, slightly out of breath. “It worked. Go!”

Cooper drives all over, making sure he’s not followed. Then we head back to the hotel, where we get a different rental car, just in case. We order room service and eat it on the deck overlooking the water.

“I could get used to this,” Cooper says, looking out at the beach and down at his huge breakfast.

He flips through the paper while he eats.

“Oh, wow.”

“What?”

“Look at this.”

I read a small piece about how Vincent cut short the Miami tryouts and won’t be back, much to the outrage of fans who had waited in line for up to three days to audition.

“That really sucks for them,” I say, feeling bad.

Cooper cocks his head. “I never paid attention to the name of his film company before. Have you?”

“Uh, no. What is it?”

“A Breath Behind You.”

A shudder runs down my spine. “Think that’s directed at me?”

“I’d say so, considering it spells out ABBY.”

Wednesday, November 9th

We’ve changed.

7:30am

Cooper and I got back late last night. I woke up to a sweet text from Aiden.

Hottie God: I missed you. Breakfast?

After all the excitement of the last two days, I decide to wear a really cute uniform look.

Then I meet Aiden for breakfast.

“So, how was your trip? Was your sister surprised?” Aiden asks as we sit down in the café.

“She was so surprised.”

“So tell me more about the party.”

I wish I could tell him everything. How scary it was to see Vincent at the airport. How amazing it felt to sit on the beach and to surf again. How I’ve been wanting to go home so badly.

But how home has changed.

“Well, she loved my presents. Used them to put on a little play. She got chocolate chips, and the stage she wanted, and she got to build sandy castles with . . .”

“With?”

“My ex. He was there when I got there. I had called him because she asked for something special from him. I just wanted him to send her something, but he actually gave her what she asked for.”

“And what was that?”

“She wanted to build sand castles with him. He bought her a sand box.”

“But if your family is just visiting Vancouver, how did that work? Were you at a hotel?”

“Um, no. Uh, they leased a house because my stepdad has business there. Hotels are tricky with four little kids, a dog, and a nanny.”

“Oh, so they’ll be in the country more often?”

“Yeah, I think maybe. We didn’t really talk much about that. It was all about the party.”

“And what about the Keats guy? How was seeing him?”

“Emotional.”

“Emotional, how?”

“Like, a lot of emotions. First, I was shocked that he was there. Then I was touched that he was. Sometimes it felt normal, like we’d never fought. Like we were friends again. Other times it felt a little awkward. Some of the things he said made me want to cry. Other things made me want to laugh.”

Aiden laughs. “That is a lot of emotions.”

“I know.”

“You didn’t mention love. Are you still in love with him?”

“I think part of me will always love him. But right now, no, I’m not in love with him. I can’t be.”

“Why can’t you be?”

“Because we can’t be together. I’m here. He’s off doing his thing. He’s grown up a lot, though. Going abroad has been really good for him.”

“Did you kiss him?”

“Right when I was getting ready to leave, he kissed me. Once, on the lips.”

“And how did it feel?”

“Different.”

“Why is that?”

“Because we’ve changed.” I gaze into Aiden’s eyes. “Because, he’s not you.”

Aiden’s eyes search mine for the truth. He must see what he’s looking for because he puts his hand behind my neck and guides my lips toward his.

And when they touch, I realize why the beach didn’t feel like home anymore.

Because Aiden wasn’t on it.

After we kiss, I say, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For listening to what happened without getting mad and walking away.”

He murmurs into my ear, “I’m never walking away again.”

I owned your rug.

History

I bring Riley a cup of coffee to history class.

“Oh,” he snaps. “I have a pickup line I meant to tell Dallas.”

“And the coffee reminded you of it?’

“Yeah. Next time he’s standing in line for coffee and there’s a hot girl there, he should say, Do you like it steamy or creamy?”

“How is that even a pickup line? You just made a naughty comment.”

“I have one I’d like to say to Ariela right about now.”

“What’s that?”

“I say we bypass all the bullshit and just get naked.”

I give Riley a fist bump. “You and I think a lot alike. I’d like to say that to Aiden too.”

“Ooooh. You wanna get naked with Aiden?”

“Mr. Johnson, Miss Monroe, I’m trying to give a lecture here.”

Riley and I roll our eyes at each other. Then sit here bored to tears.

I whisper to him, “You know, it seems silly in this day and age that we have to take notes.”

“I don’t take notes. I let you take them for me. I’m a good delegator.”

“You’re not a delegator. You’re lazy.”

“You’re the one working while I’m texting my sexy girlfriend. What does that make you?”

I shake my head. “Why can’t he just email notes to us? Although, if I didn’t take notes, I’d probably fall asleep. And is it naughty texting?”

“Just stuff,” Riley says with an adorable grin. I swear, he’s gotten even cuter since he and Ariela started dating. He still has that cocky swagger, but he just beams all the time.