Here Comes the Light (Cambrooke #1) (27 page)

“You don’t get what?” I speak softly.

“What do girls see in guys like Hudson?” he asks me. I turn and glare at him. The lights from above the pumps lighting up his face he holds his hand in the air. “I am not trying to be mean. I just really want to know why the nice guy always finishes last.”

I clear my throat and readjust in my seat as I look back out at Declan. He is hanging the nozzle up.

“You don’t sound like your brother.” My voice is emotionless. Declan sticks his head inside the truck.

“Anyone want anything while I am in there?” he asks.

“No thanks.” I shake my head. He looks back at Garrett.

“Red Gatorade.” He nods Declan closes the door and heads back into the gas station. There is a small silence after Declan leaves before he speaks again. “I’m not my brother.” He says picking up our conversation right where we left off. “I doubt a lot.” He stops and I don’t know what to say before he continues again. “If you only knew how much Declan loves you. He would do anything for you. I know he is good to you and he would never hurt you, but you still choose Hudson over him.” his words hit me hard. I just sit here for a minute trying to fight through the thickness of what he is saying.

“Hudson and I were together for so long.” My voice comes out barely a whisper and I stare straight ahead at the cars weaving in and out of the parking lot some stopping for gas,
others for beer and others just making a pit stop before continuing a journey to who knows where. “He wasn’t always mean to me. I just keep hoping that he will eventually change back into the Hudson I was first with.”

I watch Declan as he comes out of the gas station he holds the door open for a lady with a baby on her hip. He is thoughtful even to strangers. He smiles as he comes towards us. I don’t deserve him.  He climbs back into the truck handing Garrett his Gatorade and opening up a bag of Jolly Ranchers. My conversation with Garrett is over but the words still bounce aroun
d in my mind.

Chapter 25

“L
ook at you,” Penelope gushes as she throws her bag on the sofa. “You are as dark as I am and I have been on the beach this week.”

“Yeah, the pool is good for tanning as well.”  I laugh.

“How’s the boyfriend?” Penelope winks at my Aunt Kate like it’s a private joke.

“We broke up.”I say.

My dad groans as he lugs in a suitcase. “Please don’t tell me you are back with Hudson.” He sits the suitcase by the door.

“I was.” I nod, “but we broke up again as well.”

“Oh the drama.” My dad says exasperated. “I am glad I was never a teenage girl.”

“My you have had an eventful week.” Penelope laughs. “I really liked that Declan guy he seems sweet.”

“From a father’s point of view I would much rather see you with a guy like Declan than Hudson.”

“Well
, I am not with
either.
” I huff. “Why don’t you ask Aunt Kate about her summer fling?” I singsong to get the attention off of me. Kate’s face turns bright red and she glares at me when I say this.

My mind doesn’t stop as I float around the pool. Do I really deserve someone like Declan?  I don’t think so; he deserves better than me.  I can’t even believe he still wants to be my friend. I dip my hand in the pool and splash some water on me to cool myself off.

Draw near to me and I will draw near to you.
Who said that?  That wasn’t my thoughts. I look around and I’m still alone. My heart beats a little faster as I lean back into the raft and shut my eyes. I try to not freak out.

I jump when I hear “hey friend,” I look up to see Declan standing by the pool. I can’t help but smile as I roll into the pool and swim towards
the steps. “How’re you today?”

“Better.” I shrug I climb out of the pool and grab my towel wrapping it around my chest I sit on the lounge chair.

“Dang, Miley, look at how tan you are,” he says holding his arm against mine.

“I love being in the sun.” I sigh as I look up towards the sky. “I just love it when the rays kiss my skin. It relaxes me.” When I look back at him he is staring at me with a small smile. “What?”

He quickly turns from me. “Nothing.” He raises his hand and swipes sweat from his forehead. “Man, it’s hot out here.”

“Well get in then.” I point towards the pool.

“I don’t have anything to swim in.”

“Why would you come over and not bring anything to swim in?”
I push my towel off me and stand up with my hands on my hips. Declan slips his foot out of his flip flop and dips his barefoot in. I can’t help myself when he has his back turned towards me I run into him knocking him off balance and into the pool. He pops his head out of the water and shakes out his hair.

“What was that about?” he asks when I jump in beside him.

“You looked like you need to cool off.” I giggle. He cup s the back of my head and pushes me under. As soon as I pop up I jump on his back and try to take him down but he holds his ground grabbing me by the arm and pulling under once again. I don’t think I am going to win this fight.

I hold my hands up in surrender with a giggle. “I give up.” He continues to stalk towards me.

“Are you sure about that?” he teases me as he stands like he is going to attack.

“Yes.” I giggle backing away. “You win.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” He puffs out his chest.

It is like nothing has changed. We never got together and broke up we are having fun as friends. We are now floating around the pool, me back on the raft. Declan hangs from a pool noodle. 

“D.” I say as I lean over and dip my hand in the pool making mini whirlpools.

“Hmm?” he sounds half asleep.

“You said God talks to you right?” I have no clue why I am bringing this up.

Declan lifts his head up and looks at me with lazy eyes.
“Yeah, why?”

“Well…” I pause. “How
do you know…it’s God?”

“I know it’s not me,
” he laughs as he pushes the pool noodle away.

I quit
making circles with my hand and glare at him. “I’m serious, how do you know it isn’t you?”

He shrugs. “Sometimes it does sound like me and sometimes I think it may be me, but later I find out it was God.” He spreads his arms out and stretches his legs out in front of him floating on his back now. “I just know by faith.”

I lean back onto my raft and look up at the puffy white clouds against the bright blue sky. “I think I might be going a little crazy.” I laugh.

“Why?” I suddenly hear him right beside me.

“Today, before you showed up…” I take a deep breath and turn my head to face him. “In my mind… in my thoughts I heard ‘draw near to me and I will draw near to you.’ What is that supposed to mean?”

A big smile forms on his face. “Miley, that was God.”

“Why would God talk to
me?
”

“Because he loves you.”
Declan stares at me with his smile his wet hair slicked back. “I know that was God because that is in the Bible.”

“What?”

“You don’t know the Bible do you?” he folds his arms on the edge of my float.

“No.” I speak quietly.

“What else could it have been?”

“I don’t know it all seems crazy to me.”
I roll of my raft and swim towards the steps.

“Do you think I’m crazy?” he ask
s as he follows me

“Well, no.”

“So if God talks to me and I am not crazy then why would you be crazy if God talks to you?”

“I don’t know.” I huff as I climb out of the pool.

“Why don’t you come to youth hang out with me this week?”

“Will
Jaylynn be there?” I ask pulling my fluffy zebra print towel around me.

“Probably not, she normally is just there on Sunday mornings.”

“If I go with you this time will you finally quit asking me to go?” I nudge him. He laughs.

“Yeah if you go with me this time I won’t ask you again.”

“Miley, how have you
been?” Lexi asks me as she arranges the chips and dip on the white fold up table in the youth room.

I give
Lexi the standard. “Fine.” That everyone really wants to hear if they ask you that question. Declan and I are early; the only teens here. He and Nate are off somewhere doing I have no clue what.

“I am glad you came tonight.
We’re going to have so much fun. It’s game night we are playing Apples to Apples you ever heard of it?”

I shake my head.
“Only child of a single parent.” I explain. “I haven’t played many games.”

As the other teens start showing up I spot Declan talking to Nate by the pool table. I can’t help but watch him. He laughs and greets the other teens as they walk past, making everyone feel welcome. “He is a great guy.”
Lexi startles me when she catches me staring at him. “I want to see the best for him,” she smiles as she stares at Declan and Nate.

“Yeah, me too.”
I agree. I do want what is best for him and it isn’t me.

“Hey Miley.”
Abby says like she is my best friend. “It is awesome to see you here.”

“Thanks.” I say shyly. 

“You want to come sit with Shay and I?” I look back at Lexi who is now arranging napkins and paper plates.

“Sure.” Abby
and I start towards the bean bag chair in the corner of the room. She asks me if I have seen this youtube video of this guy trying to impress a girl with his skateboarding skills when he runs straight into a tree. She giggles as she says this. I guess it is one of those things you have to see. I don’t want to be rude so I laugh along with her and that is when I see her. Abby glances over her shoulder when I quit laughing.

“So I see you met
Jaylynn.” She says. “Don’t let her get to you, I got your back and just so you know.” She leans in her voice gets all quiet. “Nate and Lexi do to.”

“Thanks.” I whisper but don’t take my eyes off of the enemy.
Jaylynn scans the room and a big smile forms on her face when she looks at Declan. She eyes him as she makes her way across the room. Jealousy creeps in me with a quick thought running through my mine.
Stay away he is mine.
I close my eyes. He isn’t mine, but if I am not good enough for him Jaylynn certainly isn’t.

Jaylynn
heads towards Declan like an arrow after its target. I just want to leave head in the opposite direction but my feet have another thing in mind. Once Jaylynn gets to Declan, who is no longer talking with Nate, but another teen now; she makes eye contact with me and gives me a smug smile.

“How are you and your girlfriend?” she asks loud enough for me to hear.

“Good, no thanks to you.” He mumbles. My heart does a little flip. He didn’t correct her and tell her I wasn’t his girlfriend. Does he still want to be my boyfriend even after I ran right back to Hudson when we had the slightest problem? I’m now standing in beside him.

Jaylynn
scowls at me. “I guess you don’t mind being used after all.” She chides before starting away.

I open my mouth to retort when Declan
soflty touches my arm and whispers, “don’t” in my ear. “Let’s go find Nate and Lexi if we stay near them she won’t bother us.”

Lexi was right about Apples to Apples it is hilarious. Everyone one has a hand of cards with nouns each round has a different judge who flips over a card with an adjective and you have to find a card in your hand of nouns fits the adjective card the judge decides which one fits it the best and if your card is picked you are the winner of that round.  It makes for some funny stuff.

I couldn’t believe it when sexy was the adjective and someone put down a card saying ‘my body’. What was even more shocking it was Declan tha
t threw the ‘my body’ card down, though I can’t argue with it.

“Only you, D.” Garrett shakes his head. Everyone else erupts with laughter when they find this out.

“What?”  He pulls his sleeve up and flexes a muscle. “I am sexy.”

“Alright stud muffin…” Nate says with a chuckle, “remember you’re at church.”