A Healing Heart by Melissa A. Hanson Page B

between Savannah and I. Could he really not see through this ploy? I wasn’t really surprised, though. Instinct told me that Savannah could twist anyone she wanted around her little finger.
    “ Ah, thanks.” Two could play this game; I would just have to be quicker on the way home. I climbed into the tiny backseat. This was not the ride down to the beach I had been anticipating. I had barely gotten my knees adjusted when the seat came flying backward, crushing me further.
    “ Oh, sorry, wrong way. Let me fix that.”
    “ It’s okay,” I muttered.
    Finally the seat moved forward enough so that my knees were not jammed up to my chin. I was glad I couldn’t see her face in the mirror: it was going to be a long drive.
    * * *
    Surprisingly, the trip down to the beach was not as awful as I had thought it was going to be. Collin kept the conversation going between the three of us. I was pretty sure he was unaware of how Savannah tried to isolate me. She was good; I would give her that. Her subtle changes in subjects and the light touches to Collin’s shoulder had me gritting my teeth. The jealousy that coursed through me was intense, unlike anything I’d ever felt before. I really needed to try to get things under control before I snapped and said or did something I might regret later.
    We pulled into the beach parking lot and were lucky enough to find a spot pretty close to the fire pit area that our friends had been able to reserve. As we got out of the car, I caught sight of Mia and Natasha already walking in our direction.
    “ Hey Bailey, Collin, glad you guys made it. Um...who’s this?” Mia, never the shy one, cut right to the point.
    “ Hi, Mia, this is an old family friend, Savannah. Her family is staying with us for the week. I thought she might have a good time with everyone today,” Collin explained.
    I could see Mia’s eyebrow twitch up just slightly as she looked at Savannah and then at me. “Oh, hey, Savannah. Glad you could join us. I’m Mia.”
    “ Hi, Mia, nice to meet you.”
    Mia, slipping her hand out of Savannah’s, motioning next to her, “And this is Natasha.”
    “ Hi, Natasha.”
    “ So where are you from anyways?”
    “ Las Vegas.”
    “ Come on, let’s introduce you to everyone else. We’re all over here. There are still a few others who should be here later.”
    Collin had emptied out the hatch, and we all grabbed our beach supplies and followed Mia into the soft, warm sand.
    Collin and I brought up the rear, dropping back a little bit from the other three as we followed.
    “ Sorry you had to sit in the back. I didn’t realize that she’d stay in the front seat.”
    “ It’s okay. She’s your guest for the week. I’ll survive.” I tried to use my most convincing smile.
    “ Bailey, it’s not like that, I promise.”
    “ Yeah, sure. That’s not the impression I got from her.”
    “ Oh, come on, you’re reading into things. We’re just friends. I swear she’s like a sister to me.”
    “ Do you have eyes? She’s like a model, Collin. I can’t even come close to comparing to that.”
    He stopped me in my tracks and dropped everything he had in his hands, “Bailey, look at me.” His hands gripped my upper arms. I glanced up into his eyes; they had taken on an icy tint. “You are beautiful, and you mean more to me right now than I’d really care to admit. Don’t sell yourself short. You’re the one that holds my heart, not Savannah. You have nothing to worry about with her.”
    My heart melted right on the spot. I felt slightly foolish, but oh, so relieved. “Okay, I believe you. I’m just saying, I don’t think that’s the way she feels.”
    “ Point taken. But I still think you’re reading into things.”
    Collin picked up the items that he’d discarded in the sand, and we finished our hike to the fire pit. Someone had already set up a canopy, and a table with food had been laid out. Ice chests were sitting on the ground; blankets and chairs were spread