Free Only One by Kelly Mooney Page A

“It’s nothing.”
    “Don’t bullshit me, Belly. I know when you lie and when you tell the truth.”
    “No, you don’t.”
    “All right, fine. But I know that face. What happened with your agent?”
    She placed the empty bottle on the ground and grabbed another from the ice bucket. “I dated him.”
    “Oh! Got it.” I didn’t even know how to respond to that, and now I really didn’t want to hear any details. I knew it was unreasonable for me to expect her to never be with another man over the course of those missing years, but damn it hurt to hear it, let alone acknowledge it. Her daddy told me once about him, but hearing it from her—sucked.
    “I’m sorry, Cole.”
    I held up my hand and stood. “Nothing to apologize for. You and I stopped seeing each other, unless…unless you started seeing him when we were together, then fuck yeah, I’d have a problem.”
    “No,” she shrieked. “I promise it was way, way after.”
    I could hear the racket coming up the beach and I recognized one of the voices. I turned and saw AJ and his buddies making their way back home. “Then I don’t have a problem.”
    “Yo, Cole! What the hell are you doing here, man?” AJ shouted, tossing his football to me.
    I caught it easily. I glanced briefly back to Belly before turning to the boys. “How ‘bout a quick game of touch, and then I’ll run out and get some food to grill?”
    “Hell, yeah,” they all whooped.
    I heard Belly sigh behind me. The splash I heard told me that she had dived into the pool. I wanted to talk to her more, but the last thing I’d expected to hear was that she was seeing her agent out there. I mean, sure, I’d known about him, but I never wanted to admit it. I was her first, and I desperately wanted to be the only one who got to see her come undone like the way she did in my arms. Now that little dream had been shot to hell, it hurt somewhere so deep I knew it’d be impossible to get rid of that heartbreak. I’d been a fool thinking someone with mind-blowing beauty like Belly’s wouldn’t have men falling at her feet. I should’ve kept driving out there instead of turning around three years ago. My biggest regret.
    The boys and I played until the sun started making its descent. It was all part of my game-plan for the night that I came up with to get closer to her. After gathering everybody’s requests, I jumped into my Jeep to head out to the Piggly Wiggly. I didn’t bother asking Belly, because I knew she’d be fine with a burger. I just wanted to get away for a few more minutes, giving her the time to shower and get ready for the night.
    I’d thought she was never going to get off that deck after her swim. I played out on the sand with AJ and his friends to avoid seeing her prancing around in that skimpy suit, and until I saw her retreat into the house, I wasn’t heading up.
    By the time I got back a few more people were there, and the pool was being put to good use. I shook my head, watching those boys fuss over the girls who had joined them at some point while I’d been gone. I headed up the stairs to run the food inside.
    Belly leaned over the railing as I came in. “Hey, did you get burgers? Real burgers, not that turkey shit.”
    I smiled to myself. “Yep. Get down here and make yourself useful. I’m going to go start the grill.”
    Belly barreled down the steps, fresh-faced from being out in the sun, with barely a hint of make-up showing, just the way I always liked her. I had no love for that crap all over my pillowcases the day after. Why girls wore it never made sense to me. Girls were pretty period, why all the fuss? Belly’s hair was swept to one side, tied up in one of her hair thingies. I had this ridiculous desire to either kiss the bare shoulder that was exposed or tug that hairband out and run my fingers through her hair. Or maybe do both. I tore my gaze from her. “I bought some stuff for a salad. Um, do you think you can make one?”
    She brushed past me,