Free The Secrets of Boys by Hailey Abbott Page B

Volvo and turned on her cell. She’d missed two texts and a voice message from Eric, wondering where she was.
    Class ran L8—C U soon, she texted back before turning on the engine and steering the old Volvo down to the beach. Why did I say yes to Zach? she wondered as she cranked open the window, letting the breeze cool her still-burning cheeks. For that matter, why had she told Zach she was late to meet a friend ? She always referred to Eric as her boyfriend; normally, it was something she felt really proud of.
    Well, she rationalized, it’s not like it’s a date or anything.
    For all she knew, they’d be going in a big group. Then it definitely wouldn’t be a date, right? She found herself hoping that Zach had asked half the class to go as well.
    Except she realized that she really hoped he hadn’t.

Chapter Seven
    Eric and two of his surfing buddies were throwing a Frisbee down the shoreline of Zuma Beach to a big, happy golden retriever when Cassidy arrived. The dog ran up to her, drooling around the Frisbee’s plastic rim as he deposited it at her feet. Cassidy picked it up gingerly, trying not to touch any slobber, before tossing it to Eric. She shaded her eyes against the sun’s glare as she watched the Frisbee arc into the sky over the ocean.
    The dog went tearing after it, the pale fur on his hind legs fluttering in the wind. He nearly collided with Eric, and the two of them fell to the sand, wrestling playfully as each tried to get ahold of the Frisbee. Cassidy could hear the affection in Eric’s voice as he spoke to the dog, and she felt a surge of tenderness rush to her heart. Eric was a really good guy. She’d loved him for two years, and nothing could change that.
    “Hi, sweetheart!” Eric trotted up to her and wrapped her in a bear hug. “I was worried about you. Why’d you have to stay so late after class today?”
    Cassidy ran her hands over his chiseled chest. “We were at the Getty Museum.”
    “Yikes,” he said, wincing. “Were you totally bored?”
    “Actually, no. There was this French impressionist exhibit and they had a painting by this guy Seurat who used tiny dots to create this big beautiful picture. It’s called pointillism. It was amazing.”
    Eric looked puzzled but kept a crooked grin on his face. “Sounds cool.”
    Cassidy felt vaguely annoyed. That Seurat painting had burrowed itself into her heart, and all Eric could say was that it sounded “cool”? But that was just Eric. Art wasn’t really his thing. Eric liked things you could surf on or throw a Frisbee to. He wasn’t stupid or anything, just a physical kind of guy. Even so, she kind of wished he could appreciate the transformative power the experience had had over her. She’d even considered taking her art skills to the next level by sketching some nature scenes or drawing the bowl of fruit that sat on her mother’s precious Domain dining table. Eric had never taken an interest in this passion of hers, and for the first time Cassidy was wondering how much that would affect their future together.
    Eric kissed her cheek gently and pulled her out of her thoughts. “So Tim’s having a luau farther down the beach—kind of as a pre–July Fourth party. You up for some roasted pig and hula dancing?”
    “Roasted pig?” Cassidy said. “You have got to be kidding.”
    “I’m not,” Eric said. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
    He grabbed her hand and began pulling her along the thick, warm sand as she giggled into the wind. As they got closer to the party sounds coming from near the pier, Eric slowed down and began nervously swinging her hand in his.
    “I really missed you at the movies the other night,”
    he murmured.
    “I missed you too,” Cassidy said. “But it was good that I could give Joe some moral support. I mean, he was getting shipped off for the whole summer, and he needed someone to talk to.”
    “Yeah?” asked Eric. She could tell he was struggling to keep his voice casual. “So what did you