The Trade (Coastal Rivals Book 1)

Tonight, I’m having a surprisingly good time. It’s a welcome reprieve, given how emotionally heavy this past week has been.

Since West left me that first note, declaring his intentions, I’ve been thinking about him nonstop. I’ve been toying with the idea of giving him another chance, wrestling with it, the pros and cons dancing in my mind like some twisted ballet.

To forgive him means setting aside all the white lies, swallowing down the jealousy, and stepping past the fear of being played again. And all of this needs to happen within a single week before summer. Seven days to unravel the tangled mess of insecurities and doubts that lay between us.

How could that ever be enough?

But maybe it’s something we can navigate together tomorrow. Tonight, however, I plan to have some fun.

While Shannon’s busy running the show, I steal away toward the coolers, tucked away in the shadow of an outdoor awning. It’s quieter over here. But still, the bonfire’s blazing, casting a glow over the enormous crowd, and I can feel the heat radiating from a distance.

“Hey, gorgeous.” A familiar voice slides into my ears, the grin evident in his tone. I know without looking who it is. Miller has an uncanny knack for being in the same place as me, like a bee to honey. “We just keep finding each other, don’t we?”

Turning from the cooler, I offer him a tired smile. This is our second “accidental” encounter tonight, the first being when he collided into me by the fire about an hour ago.

“You know what, Miller?” I say, pulling a cold bottle out of the ice. “You’re giving me some creepy vibes tonight.”

“It’s Remi,” he corrects, a playful glint in his eye. “But damnnn, my bad. Didn’t mean to come on too strong.”

“Just . . . tone that shit down.”

“Hmm, thanks for the flirting advice.” He chuckles, tugging at my hair. “You have any more tips?”

“Okay.” I take a step back, creating some distance between us. “Rule number one: don’t touch a girl without her permission.”

“That’s a good tip.” He smirks. “What else you got for me?”

Pausing, I pop the top off my beer, taking a moment to draw in a deep gulp. “Don’t flirt with a girl that’s taken.”

“So, you and West are still going strong, huh?”

“That’s not your business,” I say sharply. “And he’s your teammate. Don’t you think you’re crossing a line here?”

He just shrugs. “Teammates share all the time.”

“Gross.” I recoil, making a face. “One last tip, don’t say shit like that.”

“I don’t see the problem with sharing, Jade.” He licks his lower lip, eyes unabashedly roving over me. “You’re hot. I’m hot. West is hot. We can all have some fun.”

“Alright.” I back away further. “Well, I’m gonna go vomit now.”

“Oh, come on,” he protests with a lazy drawl. “I’m just fucking around. You think I want West to kick my ass?”

“Honestly, I don’t know what you’re playing at,” I snap, frustration bubbling in my voice. “But I’m leaving.”

As I turn to go, he calls after me, his slimy parting words sending a shiver down my spine. “Come find me if you get bored.”

Wending my way back to Shannon, I find her seated amidst a group of her fellow teammates. They’re all immersed in lighthearted banter, their laughter echoing off into the night. A soft smile tugs at my lips as I approach.

“Hey.” Shannon gives me a wide grin, patting the space next to her. I take a seat, allowing the comforting buzz of their conversation to wash over me. Emmy’s here, too, and she gives me a sweet smile, her cheerful demeanor perking me right up.

Despite not being part of the team myself, the girls are all welcoming, and it helps me to relax, to feel a little bit more at home here.

But the moment is abruptly shattered when Cassidy strides up to us, her coy smile setting my teeth on edge.

“Hey, you,” she drawls, the faux sweetness in her voice forcing a grimace. “I don’t believe we’ve crossed paths tonight.”

“No, we haven’t,” I say, trying to maintain my composure. Her presence is like an unwelcome gust of wind, disturbing my small sliver of peace.

She slowly sips on her drink, eyes narrowing slightly. “Seen West tonight?”

I shake my head with a wince. “No, I haven’t. I didn’t realize he was here.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry.” She smirks, the pretense of innocence doing nothing to mask her malicious intent. “I forgot you two broke up for a moment. It’s a good thing, though. He just had me on my knees earlier.”

The cheerfulness of the group evaporates instantly, replaced by a tense silence. Shannon’s eyes flash with anger, while Emmy stiffens, her friendly demeanor hardening.

“Cassidy, that’s enough,” Shannon snaps, her protective instincts kicking in. “Stop trying to stir up drama. It’s not welcome here.”

“Seriously, Cass,” Emmy chimes in, her voice tight with annoyance. “Enough with the mind games.”

Caught in the middle of this unexpected storm, a familiar discomfort creeps in. The night suddenly seems too long, the party too loud. A need to escape this situation claws at me.

“Shannon,” I lean in to whisper, my voice barely audible over the sound of the bonfire. “I think I’m going to head home. I’m . . . tired.”

Her gaze softens, and she gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll come with you.”

I shake my head, not wanting her to abandon her post. She’s been working hard to ensure everything goes smoothly tonight, and she deserves time to enjoy it. “No, you need to stay. I’ll be fine.”

“But—”

“Really, Shan. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

With that, I remove myself from the group, leaving behind the stunned silence and Cassidy’s gloating smirk. Tonight was supposed to be a reprieve, a chance to forget about all my troubles, but it seems fate has a twisted sense of humor.

The party noise dwindles as I push through the crowd, the mansion receding behind me. I snake my way toward the front, finding myself on the main street. Under the dim, flickering streetlights, I unlock my phone, thumb hovering over the Uber app. That’s when a familiar voice slices through the night.

“Jade,” West calls out, the low timbre piercing my heart.

“Hi,” I breathe out. “What are you doing out here?”

“I’ve been out here for a while now.” He shifts on the balls of his feet, avoiding my gaze. “Just thinking about heading home.”

“Why?”

“I was, uh, a little distracted. Just worried about you, actually.” He runs a hand through his perfectly tousled hair. “I heard Miller was creeping on you, but I didn’t know if you’d want me to intervene.”

“Oh, right.” Against my better judgment, I roll my eyes. “Well, I heard Cassidy gave you a blowjob tonight.”

He takes a step forward, eyes flashing. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Nope, it came straight from the horse’s mouth.”

“Jade.” He gives me a pleading look. “I swear to you, that did not fucking happen.”

“I know it didn’t.”

He reels back. “You do?”

“Of course I know you’d never do something like that, especially not when you’ve been trying to win me back.”

A sigh of relief escapes him. “I’m glad you at least believe that. Believe in me, I mean.”

“Mm,” I hum, distracted by my overworked brain.

His eyes search mine. “Were you . . . did you still plan on meeting me tomorrow?”

“I was planning on it, but maybe we should just talk now. Could I come over?”

“If that’s what you’d like.” He pulls out his phone, scrolling through the home screen. “I can call us an Uber.”

“Okay.”

The ride to his place is painfully silent, the tension winding tight around us. Even when we’re tucked away in the safety of his bedroom, me perched on the edge of his bed and him sitting stiffly on a rolling chair, the discomfort persists.

“Baby,” he breaks the silence, his voice taut. “There’s so much I want to say to you.”

“Can I go first?”

“Of course.” He swallows thickly. “Whatever you want.”

“There are a few things I figured out this week,” I begin, scooting forward on the mattress, taking his hand. His palm is cold against mine, trembling ever so slightly. “First is that I do trust you. I believe you learned your lesson about keeping secrets, and I don’t think you would do it again.”

“I wouldn’t,” he says, soft and low, his fingers instinctively curling around mine.

“I also realized just how much I missed you,” I continue, my gaze lingering on our intertwined hands before I slowly pull mine away, settling it on my lap. “I’ve been thinking about you so much.”

“You’re always on my mind.” He drags his chair a few inches closer. “You should also know that I—”

“Wait,” I cut in, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment, gathering my strength. “There’s one more thing I need to say first.”

“Okay?”

His gaze is fixed on me, eyes filled with a dizzying blend of confusion and hope. My heart races, adrenaline surging through my veins. I draw in a deep, shuddering breath, steeling myself for what I need to say.

“I think we should stay broken up.”