Free Blue Crush by Jules Barnard

tell him what I thought—aside from the dunking backlash. I still can’t believe I did it. He just … he incites me. Why does the one person who makes me feel anything have a girlfriend—or a not-a-girlfriend. Whatever. Why is he so complicated?
    I grab my green tote and pull my wet hair into a hairband. “Nessa, I gotta change. Do you mind if we go?”
    “Not at all.”
    Zach high-fives Nessa. “Catch you later, pipsqueak.”
    Lewis watches me collect my things. It drives me crazy and I pretend not to notice.
    “Thanks for the paddleboard ride,” I tell him. That sounds stupid, given what happened, but I have nothing better and I feel like I should say something.
    He nods and takes a deep breath, like he’s bracing for something, or trying to hold it back.
    Nessa and I make it to the parking lot before I glance in his direction. Zach is chatting with the blondes who checked him out earlier. Lewis is there too, but his gaze is miles away on the lake.

Chapter Six
    “Why don’t I call Zach?” Nessa says. “He won’t mind, really. It’s not a big deal.”
    I stare at the steering wheel. This is seriously happening? Because my humiliation wasn’t complete? I sort of thought it was after the club incident. The paddleboard proved me wrong, and now this?
    Fuuuck.
    My AAA membership has expired and my car won’t start—and by won’t start , I mean it’s dead. Won’t turn over, or even cough for me. “Yeah, okay,” I tell her.
    Nessa pulls out her phone and types a text. “Zach’s on his way. He’s still close. See?” She smiles. “No biggie.”
    It is a big deal. A very big deal, because Lewis walks up, along with Zach.
    I stood up to Lewis. Sure, I immediately took a digger, but it was a start at addressing the issue between us. Forced to ask said guy for assistance afterward? Kind of ruins the moment. The dunking in ice-cold water did as well, but this seals it.
    To make matters worse, Lewis is wearing a T-shirt and a baseball hat that hides his eyes. Why does the brim hiding those mysterious eyes make my stomach tingle?
    I roll down the window and Lewis leans across the frame, because of course, he takes control of the situation, even though we called Zach.
    “Start it up.”
    I turn the ignition and nothing happens.
    He tosses a set of keys to Zach. “Grab the Jeep, will you? I’ve got jumper cables in the back.”
    Zach hands his paddleboard to Nessa, who stepped out of the car when the guys arrived. He laughs when she nearly topples under the weight of the board that’s twice her size. She fumbles with the long paddle, finally balancing both paddle and board in her arms. “Be right back,” Zach calls.
    Lewis strums his fingers lightly along the door, glancing at the interior, the dark eyes that disturb me no longer hidden when they’re this close. “You leave on a light?”
    Does he think I’m a moron?
    I fell all over the nightclub hammered two nights ago and dunked us today, so yes, he probably does. “No.”
    Lewis stares like he doesn’t believe me and continues to drum his fingers. I’d like to grab one and pull it back. Incite—that’s what he does. He’s an inciter of women. Look at Mira. She’s so crazy for him, she’s all jacked up.
    A red Jeep roars in front of my car with Zach in the driver’s seat. Lewis walks to the back and returns with cables. He asks me to pop the hood.
    Several minutes later, Lewis and Zach confer in a manly discussion involving subtle head nods, gesticulations toward my beater car, and a few glances at Nessa and me after the jumper cables don’t work.
    Lewis opens the driver’s side door at the same time Zach grabs the paddleboard from Nessa. “Your car needs a tow.”
    There go last night’s tips. I could ask my mom for money to fix the car, but I won’t.
    “Zach is giving Nessa a ride. I’ll drive you home.” He punches a number in his phone and informs the person on the other line of our location.
    I’m driving with Lewis? Alone?