Seriously? As if they couldn’t trust me. I mean, I didn’t screw up that bad, did I? Well, okay fine. So I almost died, but still.

A little trust never killed a person.

They spent the day with me, and I finally caved. I had to tell them about Alyssa. I mean, clearly some sort of action needed to happen if a perfectly healthy eighteen-year-old is smiling like a mad man for hours on end.

They immediately wanted to meet her. Shit, I wanted them to meet her too. I mean she was slowly changing my world.

Around her I didn’t feel like I had to be anything but myself, and I hate to admit it, but it kinda felt like she needed me just as much as I needed her.

With Nat, things always seemed off-balance. It was like I was pulling all her energy, all her affection, everything that made her Nat, and trying to suck it into my black hole of depression. She willingly gave, but I offered nothing back in return. With Alyssa, well, it felt balanced.

I finally feel balanced without pot or some sort of chemical, and it was the best high I could ever experience in my life.

At first Alyssa seemed pissed that Alec was breathing the same air as her, which was totally fine by me. I hated the competition with my brother, and I… I mean, I knew he loved Nat, but it would kill me if Alyssa liked him too.

I’d probably get in another car accident or off myself. I mean, seriously. A guy can only handle so much rejection, right?

But she was freaking awesome. Dude, she even cursed. I laughed aloud, then realized it wasn’t daydream time with Demetri when Alyssa nudged me and lifted her totally cute eyebrows.

“Sorry.” I cleared my throat. “So, you guys hungry?” Wow, good subject change. Almost hurt myself with that one.

“Starving.” Alyssa scooted closer to me. God, I wanted to kiss her again. And the fact that she made me my own taffy? I mean, come on. A year ago I would have laughed in her face.

Today I kind of wanted to cry. Stupid sober emotions rearing their ugly heads again.

“Good.” I pulled her closer. Screw it. I was going to kiss her.

Life’s too short. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. But it was so soft, and at the moment my lips touched her skin I knew I wanted more. I tilted her head toward mine and drank in the softness of her mouth.

“Told you he wanted to make out with her,” Nat announced from the front seat. I flipped them off while still kissing Alyssa.

Mature, I know.

She giggled and pulled away, a slight blush staining her cheeks. I sighed happily and grasped her hand. She squeezed back.

Alec drove us through town until we reached Highway 101.

Alyssa’s hand tensed in mine.

I rubbed her skin with my thumb.

Her hands started getting super clammy. I turned to look at her. Her eyes were closed and she was shaking.

“Lyss,” I whispered in her ear. “What’s wrong?”

“Um…” Her lower lip trembled again. “I just…” Her breathing became really shallow.

I tapped Alec’s shoulder. “Pull over, man.”

“Dude, we just got on the highway, and—”

“Pull the hell over before I slam my fist into your head.”

“Pulling…” Alec whistled and put the car into park. I unbuckled Alyssa’s seatbelt. It was like she was frozen, like she couldn’t move. Could people go into shock like this? I scooped her up and into my arms placing her on her feet just outside the SUV.

“Lyss, talk to me.”

Shaking, she hugged me so tight I almost choked on my next breath. “The — the accident. I haven’t driven this far out of town since the accident.”

Damn.

“Panic attack?” She nodded into my chest. “Shit, Lyss, I had no idea! I can be such an ass, I didn’t even ask.”

She sniffled against my chest. “To be fair, it’s not a normal reaction, so there’s no way you would know.”

“Hey.” I gently pried her away from my body and tilted her chin up with my finger. “Who am I to say what’s normal and not normal? I eat freaking taffy to curb my cravings for drugs. You think that’s normal?”

A faint smile danced across her face.

“Alyssa, look at me.” She did. “I’m terrified of birds. Not just terrified to get attention, but so freaking terrified that if a bird landed right next to us, I’d leave you. No joke. I’d get in the car, and it’s possible you’d hear very unmanly noises coming from my mouth.”

She burst out laughing and wiped the tears away from her eyes. “All birds or just seagulls?”

“All birds. I mean, come on. Have you ever seen an ostrich before? There’s something very wrong about a bird that can look you straight in the eye. Know what I mean?”

She laughed again and nodded. “Thanks.”

“For what?” I grabbed her hand again. She was so small compared to me. I liked protecting her, being next to her.

“Making me laugh during my insane freak out. I promise I can do this. I can ride in a car. How far away are we driving?”

“Ten more miles tops. I promise.”

She nodded. “Okay, I can do it. Just… um I just can’t go any farther.”

I bit my lip. “One of these days you’ll be able to, Lyss, trust me. And when you’re ready to go all crazy and hit up eleven miles or, God forbid, even fifteen, I’ll be there.”

Her eyes widened and for a minute I thought she was going to freak out again. Instead she launched herself into my arms and pressed her lips against mine. “I really like you, Demetri Daniels.”

I sighed against her hot mouth. “I really like you too, Alyssa…” Holy crap. I had no idea what her last name was. I set her on her feet. “What’s your last name?”

“I’m hurt, you don’t even know?” She swatted me as I led her back to the SUV.

“Well, one of us is famous, so it’s not my fault you already know mine.” I opened the door for her and motioned for her to go in. She crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Guess you’ll have to do your research, huh?”

I grinned like a fool and nodded my head. “Guess I better.”

We got into the car where Alec and Nat were fighting. Of course they were.

“Okay, guys, we can go now.”

“No, we can’t.” Nat crossed her arms.

“Why?” If the murderous expression on Alec’s face was any indicator, Nat was a few seconds away from death.

Nat flipped around and directed her attention toward Alyssa. “You a fan of One Direction?”

Alyssa’s deer in headlights expression didn’t help matters.

She looked from Nat to me then finally exhaled. “Okay, honest moment, and if you ever tell anyone I’ll swear I never said it. But I used to be obsessed with Justin Bieber to the point of stalking his Twitter account daily, and though I haven’t listened to music in a while… If One Direction is that new British boy band I keep hearing about then, yes. I’m sure I’ll love them.”

Nat grinned and gave Alyssa a high five. “We shall be friends forever.” She turned back to her seat and nudged Alec.

“The ladies have spoken. Give us our boy band!”

Alec cursed and flipped the volume up where One Direction was playing their newest hit.

I wanted to punch the seat in front of me. I totally shared Alec’s sentiment. I mean, those guys were competition. You don’t see the Seahawks painting their uniforms red in order to support the 49ers. It just wasn’t done.

Finally, after Nat belted out the chorus and Alyssa began moving in her seat next to me, I yelled. “Cheaters! Both of you!”

“What?” they yelled in unison.

“Competition!” I pointed at the radio. “That’s blatant cheating. From here on out, I say you girls can’t listen to any guy music, unless it’s us.”

“Agreed,” Alec muttered another curse in Nat’s direction.

Her response was to stick out her tongue. Clearly the honeymoon phase was over.

“Denied,” Alyssa piped up next to me and gave Nat a high five, shoving me out of the way. I felt my nostrils flare as I repeated Alec’s curse and glared at both of the traitors.

It was going to be a really long ten miles.

**** Alec pulled up to the restaurant and turned off the car.

When we first got to Seaside last fall, things got so crazy that the only place we could actually go to eat was this old run-down bed and breakfast on the beach. It was owned by an elderly married couple who, I swear, were alive before electricity was discovered.

Their great-grandkids were also huge fans, which meant they didn’t think twice about closing the place down for us if we needed it. But considering it was a bed and breakfast, it wasn’t too crowded at dinnertime.

I grabbed Alyssa’s hand. It was warm and fit perfectly in mine. I sighed in excitement. Everything about her felt so right. She smiled up at me, and my heart stopped in my chest. She had no idea what she did to me. She was so beautiful, like my own personal light. I couldn’t help but grin back. I felt my cheeks heat.

How did a girl make me blush?

“Boys!” Old Mrs. Miller greeted us and swatted Alec with a towel when we walked in. “I just saw you on TV a few days ago!

Are you back for good now?”

Alec grinned and pulled Mrs. Miller into a side hug. “Nope, just here for the day, but Demetri’s here for a while. Did you know he works at Seaside Taffy? Show her the jingle, bro.”

Damn brother and his inability to keep his mouth shut. Mrs.

Miller looked expectantly in my direction. I managed to get through the jingle in record time. Alyssa and Nat clapped. Alec pursed his lips together and looked away. Payback’s a bitch, and I was going to get him one way or another.

Mrs. Miller, bless her heart, just sighed and patted my hand.

“That’s so nice, Demetri. Good for you! It’s good for a boy to work.”

Why was everyone under the impression that I didn’t work?

I nodded and gave her a hug once Alec released her. “Where’s Mr.

Miller?”

“Oh, he saw your car pull up and knew you’d want some dinner, so he’s firing up the grill out back.”

Excellent. And that was why I loved them. “Come on in. Sit, sit.” It was a really warm night, even though the breeze from the beach was a little cold.

She led us outside to the porch, so we could watch the waves, and passed out blankets to the girls. Our chairs surrounded the little outdoor fireplace.

“What can I get you to drink?” Mrs. Miller pulled out her little notepad and stared at the blank page, her pencil hovering over the paper.

“Coffee for me.” I looked to Alyssa. She tilted her head for a minute.

“Hot chocolate?”

“Ooo, me too,” Nat agreed.

Alec ordered coffee. Straight up black coffee with no sugar, no cream. Boring and gross, but Alec ordered food according to his personality sometimes. I always wanted to add spice to things. He was perfectly happy with the natural state of everything.

And this is what I mean about losing my mind. How did I get from coffee to our personality differences? Why did I have to be addicted to all drugs? Clearly I needed something to pull me out of my estrogen-like state. I shuddered and had half a mind to roar or something just to remind myself that I was a dude.