“I need a place to bury your body, right?”
My expression falters and Abe looks at me, his eyes hidden in the shadows of the night. Then he chuckles. “Dear God, Elise. Get a sense of humor.”
But it’s like I suddenly realize how alone we are, as if waking from a dream only to realize I’ve wandered onto the ledge of a building. The only light outside of the car is from the headlights, and I’m scared. I tell him so.
“Aw, you’re making me feel bad,” Abe says sincerely. “I was kidding around about murdering you. We’re hanging out at a campsite. See the fire over that hill?”
Sure enough, I see a flickering light just over the next mound of sand. My tension releases slightly, and as we get closer, I notice a Jeep and another car pulled to the side.
“Camping?” I ask, feeling ridiculous for being so paranoid. I watch as the glow from the fire fills the car, illuminating Abe’s face in soft amber. He’s so handsome, so inviting.
And yet my heart tells me that something is off—like that anxiety you get when you’re not sure if you’ve locked the front door. Or maybe it’s guilt. Although I can’t think of a reason to be sorry for being out with Abe. It’s not like I have a boyfriend waiting by the phone for me to call.
Abe reaches to take my hand, as if reading the hesitance in my expression. “It’s not a sleepover, Elise. I just wanted to introduce you to some of my friends. Cook some burgers. It’s all innocent. I swear.”
My worry fades. I’m flattered that Abe wants me to meet his friends. As if he’s proud to show me off. His skin is warm on mine. “I hope these burgers are better than what they have to offer at 7-Eleven,” I say, trying not to sound nearly as nervous as I feel.
“Doubtful.” Abe takes his hand from mine to undo his seat belt. He looks past me to where the party is. “But we should head over. I wouldn’t want you to miss your curfew. Not on our first night.”
He gets out, walking ahead to where the people are. When they see him, a few jump up—girls hug him, guys slap his hand. Abe has that way about him, attracting people without even seeming to try. Maybe that’s what’s worrying me, the idea that Abe is so much more experienced than I am.
I push back the anxiety that continues to linger, and open the passenger door to cross the sand. The night has cooled considerably, but as I get closer, the flames from the huge fire lick out toward me. The heat is divine on my skin.
“There she is,” Abe announces, as if he was just talking about me.
“Hey, Elise,” a cute guy with a pierced lip calls from where he’s sitting on a canvas folding chair.
“Oh,” I answer, surprised he knows my name. “Hi.”
“That’s Craig,” Abe says, coming to stand next to me. He leans against my shoulder but doesn’t put his arm around me. Instead he points out a stunning redhead. “This is Marissa. She’s feisty, so watch out for her.”
Not sure how to respond to that, I just say hi and she does the same.
“Bridget,” he continues, moving down the line. “Of course, Molly.” Molly has short brown hair, kind of like Lucy’s, and she giggles the minute Abe says her name.
The girls are practically drooling over him. This is going to be so awkward.
I meet Fernando, Johnny, and Pete, but before the introductions go on too long, Abe finds me a seat on the far end of the half circle. I’ve barely sat down when Marissa calls to Abe, using her finger to invite him over. Abe touches my shoulder as he passes, saying he’ll be right back.
“Drink?” Fernando asks me, motioning toward the cooler.
“No, but thank you.” I’m still watching Abe. And I know it’s stupid, but I’m a tiny bit jealous. This is supposed to be my date, not a visit to the Abe fan club.
Craig is readying the hibachi with charcoal when I catch Abe close to Marissa, whispering something in her ear. She closes her eyes, leaning into him, and a sinking sensation fills my chest. Just then Abe notices the insecurity on my face.
He stands, Marissa’s hands falling from his shoulder. He ignores her when she calls his name and he crosses the space between us, stepping right over the fire as he heads toward me. My heart speeds up.
“Sorry,” he says simply, and drops down in the sand next to my chair. “Had to tie up some loose ends.” He looks sideways at me, waiting for my reaction.
“I’m sure,” I mumble, surprising myself with how bitter I sound. But I’m not going to let Abe humiliate me. I don’t care how cute he is.
He lets out a low whistle. “Wow. That shoulder is cold, Elise,” he whispers, glancing past me. “I wasn’t flirting, if that’s what you think.”
“I didn’t—” My breath catches as Abe reaches over me, his arm across my waist as he opens the cooler to pull out a can.
“Excuse me,” he murmurs.
His touch sends my pulse racing once again, and I don’t feel insecure anymore. Instead, I’m smiling. “You could have asked me to get that for you,” I say.
“I know.” Abe pops the top on the soda and takes a drink.
When the charcoal is ready, Abe moves to help me grill my hamburger, burning the outside for what he claims is “maximum flavor.” At one point he even brushes his lips over my ear when leaning in to talk to me. I’m so comfortable with him. I can’t believe I haven’t known him all my life.
About an hour after we arrive, his friends are a little drunk. Abe and I are roasting marshmallows, quiet and close as he sits at my feet in the sand. I listen to their stories about setting a fire in Santo’s back room in an unfortunate silverware-in-the-microwave incident. Abe launches into one about an ex-server who was caught hooking up in the walk-in freezer, and soon I’m laughing so hard I can barely hold on to my marshmallow stick.
“He wasn’t always so cool, you know?” Marissa calls out to me suddenly.
“What’s that?” I ask, still chuckling a little bit.
Her face tightens in the orange glow of the fire. “Abe,” she goes on. “He wasn’t always like this. He used to be quiet.” She meets his eyes. “Not nearly as sexy.”
Next to me, Abe is sliding sand away from his sneaker, silent.
“Uh . . . okay,” I answer. I’m not exactly sure what reaction she expects from me, but I want to defend Abe. He’s been nothing but nice to me, no matter what he’s done in the past.