At First Hate (Coastal Chronicles)

“Krista, babe…”

“God, I’m an idiot. We all know who you are, Derek. That you’d do this to me is beyond stupid.”

I tried to inch around her. “I didn’t mean… I’ll just get out of here.”

“Were you here for a date with him?” she demanded.

“I… no…” I told the truth, stumbling over the words, as if I had no idea what she was talking about.

“Tell her, Marley,” Derek demanded.

But I just smiled at him. And it was that moment that he realized what I was doing. Why I’d shown up. It was as if all the pieces slid into place in his mind.

Krista snorted. “Well, Marley… he’s all yours.”

She turned and stomped back down the dock. Derek followed after her, trying to explain. But how could he explain my presence? His reputation had worked against me… so why shouldn’t it work against him too?

I waited with a smile as he tried unsuccessfully to salvage his date. But Krista got back into her car and peeled out of the parking lot without a backward glance. Derek jogged back onto the deck. He looked mad but mostly shocked that I’d gotten him back at his own game.

“What the fuck was that?”

“Oh sorry,” I said, batting my eyelashes at him. “Would you like me to go after her and tell her that we didn’t sleep together?”

His jaw set. “So, that’s what this is about.”

“What? Did you think I’d stop caring about all this?”

“It’s not my fault that people are talking about you at school.”

“It’s your reputation,” I snapped. “You clearly knew how people would see it. You get off scot-free, and I have to suffer the consequences. I decided if you wouldn’t do anything about it, then I would.”

He shook his head. “You’re insane.”

I laughed. “No, I’m brilliant.”

He tilted his head again, giving me that look that I hadn’t been able to decipher at the party. “You could always let me take you sailing.”

“What?” I asked, stunned by the offer.

“You could make it up to me,” he said with a panty-melting smile.

I blinked. “Have you lost it? I just fucked up your date.”

“Yeah. Well, I’m a make the best of any situation kind of guy.” He patted Sandra. “So?”

“You know what? You could make all of this up to me by telling people we didn’t hook up.”

He sighed. “Are you going to keep showing up here and sabotaging my dates?”

I grinned devilishly. “Yes.”

“Then, yes, I’ll do it. I don’t think it’ll change anything, but fine. Are you happy?”

“Yep.”

“So… sailing?”

“You think I’d get on that boat with you?”

I checked my watch. Technically, I didn’t have to be home until ten, which was unheard of, especially since I’d been grounded. And yeah, I wanted to go out on that boat. I’d never been before, and God, I loved the water.

But one look at his smug face told me exactly why I couldn’t. He expected me to say yes. He knew his charm worked on everyone, and then he could get away with murder. I wasn’t going to be another one of his girls.

“No thanks,” I said and then strode down the dock away from him.

“You’re really just going to walk away?” he asked disbelievingly.

“Yep!” I called back. I popped open the door to the minivan. “Have fun out on the water alone, Derek.”

“Aww, Minivan, you’re breaking my heart.”

I waggled my fingers at him. “Get used to it!”

Then I hopped into the van and left him behind.

7

Savannah

Present

“Thank you so much,” I said, holding my hand out to the attorney.

“Of course, Miss Nelson,” she said. “Mr. Nelson.” She shook Maddox’s hand next. “I understand that this is a hard time in your life and you want to focus on grieving. I’m glad to take the case. I’ll get to work on it, but I’d like to reiterate that this can be a long process. Just bear with me through the worst of it.”

“We understand,” I said.

Maddox nodded. “Thanks for your help.”

“Take my card, and if you ever have any questions, feel free to give me a call or email.”

I took it and slid it into my purse before following Maddox out of the office. My stomach rumbled with anxiety. It had been two weeks since Derek had shown up at my house and flipped everything upside down. I’d gotten in contact with an attorney right away, but this was the first available meeting time. I’d been a wreck since then.

“Well, that was fun,” he muttered, running a hand back through his curls. They’d grown longer this summer, looking more like when he’d been in high school. Sometimes, I missed Maddox’s wild curls.

“Not particularly.”

I got into the passenger seat of his Wrangler and tried to keep the tears from falling. If this were a normal school year, I’d be back at Emory, getting ready for my classes this fall. School started Wednesday and instead, I was still in Savannah. It was worse because I’d finally been approved for my sabbatical semester. I’d taken the fall off so that I could spend it with Gran during her sickness. And then she’d passed before I even got here.