“Ben?” I have to be seeing things. Why on earth is Ben in Sunrise Bay?
“X? What’s up?” He stops short and does a whole handshake thing with Xavier before we do the do we or don’t we hug awkward dance. Finally, he does the pat on my back semihug thing.
I wish my feelings for Ben were stronger. And I really wish I was excited to see him, rather than the disappointment I feel because of what him being here means for my lunch with Xavier.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
Ben smiles that boy-next-door smile that could win the heart of any girl. Any girl except me, because there’s another boy next door I gave my heart to a long time ago. “We have a bye week, and I was sitting alone in my condo, and I just thought… why not surprise Clara?” His smile falters. “It’s okay, right?”
“Of course.
