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Chapter Twenty-Three

Lana

My freckles were just getting worse SPF 80 wasn’t even helping Sure,a tan Not so out here in my safe shaded area made me feel like I was hidden from the world I was hidden from everyone who had the power to hurtI’d have to leave at the end of the month and head back to Alpharetta andher, after hiding away for over ain

She kept trying to getup I figured she’d eventually stop it Maybe e got the wedding invitation froo of her hopes that Sawyer Vincent was interested inthat thought instigated

"Lana?" A fahts and I shifted around to see Ethan standing behind the chair where Jewel nored in She wasn’t here today She’d taken off on a shoe-buying splurge

"Ethan?" I replied in shock I hadn’t expected to see hiain

"Hey, uh, sorry to just show up but you can’t exactly be reached by phone these days"

Oh He’d tried to call That surprised me "It’s okay Do you want to sit down?"

He looked down at the chair beside ht about it a minute before he walked around and took a seat He must intend to stay awhile

"So, what’s this about? Is there so you wanted to tell me?"

Ethan didn’t lie back in the chair He sat on the edge facingon his knees His head was under the shade of the umbrella and the serious expression on his face worried me If this was about Sawyer, I wasn’t ready for that

"You, uh, enjoying yourself?" he asked

"Yes, but I have a feeling you didn’t just drive an hour and a half to askmyself"

Ethan chuckled and shook his head, "No, I didn’t"

"Didn’t think so Spill it Ethan"

"It’s about Sawyer--"

"Never mind Shut it, Ethan I retract that I don’t want to knohat you have to say," I reached forand started to stand up "If you want to visit and talk about the weather and try one of Jewel’s tropical drinks you are more than welcome But I will not talk about Sawyer"

"Wait, please don’t go," he begged, standing up with nore my wishes?" I asked

His shoulders slu hi back beside rabbed an extra one and handed it to Ethan who had also sat back down

"Here, have a granola bar"

He reached for it and gave me a weak sranola bars Once I finished mine, I turned to look at him His face was troubled and I almost asked him if Saas okay The fear that Sawyer could be hurt or sick battled with the fear Ethan would tellI couldn’t handle

"So, when do you leave for college?" I asked, trying to think of anything other than Sawyer

"Nextthis to anyone Nevertheless, it was tie of plans due toto the local coure out what to do after but I have ti the words aloud settled in ined you going to an Ivy league or so"

"Nope, not s other than my education Bad move

"Have you talked to Ash?" he asked

"Don’t want to talk about her either if you don’t mind And the answer is no"

He was determined to discuss Saith me Did he want to know if it was clear for hiive that train wreck another try I’d been a horrible date

"Beau didn’t cheat," he blurted out quickly

Why did that news hurt? Why the heck did I care that Sawyer had been dissed for Beau, yet again? If Beau hadn’t cheated then Ash was still with hiuy Why, hy? I should not care that Saas alone I should not care that he got as co to him I should not

This does not matter If not this time, there will be a next and a next and a next and each ti and breaking his heart and mine in the process

"Let’s not talk about Beau either, okay Actually let’s not talk about anyone in Grove, except you" I replied with a stern tone that I felt guilty for using Ethan was nothing but nice

"Just thought you’d like to know," he replied, shifting in his seat

"Don’t care I closed that door Or rather it was sla a padlock"

"You know, soan and I held up my hand to stop him

"Stop I don’t knohy you’re here But if it’s because Sawyer put you up to it or Ashton, I’ you as a friend to please leave"

Ethan let out a weary sigh, "No one knohere you are I kept your secret Just like I pros for the for them? If I’m not mistaken, you were interested in ht out of your grasp Ah and shook his head, "No, you got it right"

"Okay, then why are you here trying to help Sawyer ss over?" "Because he’s my friend," Ethan replied "And so are you"

He was such a nice guy Bless his heart; he had no idea what he was mixed up in This was not fixable

"Well then, you need better friends," I irl he thought his friends ht be interested in When he acted the way he did with you, I didn’t like it but I knew sootten to hi like hiet back at Ashton," I replied sourly

"Maybe in the beginning you were, Lana I thought that too at one point I kno that it changed It becah Whatever it becah No one will be able to co ain

"There’s no competition," he said softly and I refused to cry in front of hio, Ethan Please," I turned my head away from him and closed my eyes After a minute of silence, I heard him stand up and walk away