Free On the Rocks by Alyssa Rose Ivy Page A

back to the main room. I made the mental note to start knocking on that door. It wasn’t Maddy, my friend who could care less if I saw her in a towel. It was Carly, the gorgeous girl who also happened to be Colin’s little sister. If I didn’t watch myself she’d think I’d invited her to live with us for other reasons. I hadn’t, and I needed to make up for my little invasion of her privacy.
    I waited until I heard the door open before I even walked toward her room. I practically walked into her. “Oh, hey.”
    “Hey. Sorry. I’m not normally in a towel in the middle of the day.”
    “You don’t have to explain. You’re more than welcome to hang out in a towel all the time.” Wow, that came off creepy. “I just mean you can do whatever.”
    “I went down to the beach and wanted to clean up.”
    “Oh, cool. How was it?”
    “Nice. I still can’t believe I get to spend the whole summer living on the beach.”
    “The novelty will wear off eventually.” I was thinking the same thing about my own thoughts, but mine weren’t about the beach. They were about the image of Carly in a towel that I just couldn’t shake. Or really I couldn’t shake the thought of what she looked like under the towel.
    “I doubt it.” She stepped to the side, and I let her pass, following her toward the living room.
    “I didn’t know you were moving in today. I was supposed to help you, remember?”
    “Yeah, it’s fine. I only brought one bag over and Brody helped me.”
    Brody. I shouldn’t have felt the wave of jealousy, but I did. I really needed to get myself in line. “I didn’t see your car outside.”
    “It’s at Colin’s. Maddy’s supposed to drop it by with him tonight. They’ll bring the rest of my stuff too.”
    “Why don’t we go get it? Save Maddy and Colin the trip?”
    “Oh, thanks.” She ran a hand through her wet hair. “Should we go now?”
    “Sure, unless you have other plans.”
    “Other plans in a town where I know no one.”
    “You know people.”
    “Yes, I know four.” She walked back to her room and returned with a purse.
    I held open the door. “In case math isn’t your strong point, four is more than none.”
    She laughed and followed me out. “Really? I had no idea.”
    “It’s actually a pretty simple concept.” I started down the stairs, and she followed.
    Her flip flops made little slapping sounds on each step. “I guess if I want to be stealthy I should wear different shoes.”
    “It might be advisable,” I teased as I held open the door to my Accord. She seemed surprised by the gesture before sliding into the seat.
    I pulled out of the lot once she buckled her seatbelt. “Were you serious about the no plans thing?”
    She tore her eyes away from her window. “Yeah. What would I be doing?”
    “I don’t know. Going out on the town.”
    “By myself? No thanks.”
    “Yeah, that’s probably not advisable for a girl.”
    “I don’t like how sexist that comment is, but it’s probably true.”
    I laughed. “Honest. I like it.”
    “What other way is there to be?”
    “How are you doing?” I hadn’t brought up the whole thing with her sister again, because I didn’t want to upset her, but she almost seemed more distant. I hoped it hadn’t gotten worse.
    “I’m fine. Excited to finish moving.”
    “You don’t like living with Colin, do you?”
    “It’s not that. I just feel guilty. He’s been so helpful and supportive, I don’t want to overstay my welcome, you know?”
    “I definitely do.”
    “But maybe I’m going to do that to you guys too. I hope you offered me the spot because you actually wanted to.”
    I decided to end her doubts immediately. “We wanted you to move in. You’re cool. It’s going to work out.”
    “I hope so.”
    “I know so.” I reached over to touch her leg to comfort her, but at the last minute I thought better of it, and instead I put a hand behind her seat. If it had been Maddy she’d have thought nothing of it, and