“Because she’s not a good person, Evie.”

Evie only knows good people. She doesn’t know the kind of evil my mother is or what I grew up around.

“I can’t explain now, but I will later, I promise.”

I just need to get Evie out of here—now. She can’t drive, so I’ll have to take her home and then come back and deal with whatever Ava wants from me. Because, without a doubt, she wants something.

“Ava, I’m just going to take Evie home, and then I’ll be back.”

“No need for her to rush off. Stay, and visit with me a while.” Ava sits down on the sofa. A false smile is plastered on her face as she pats the space on the sofa beside her.

Evie glances at me in question and then tentatively walks into the living room before taking the space beside Ava.

I sit on the arm of the chair, facing them.

“Oh, happy birthday, by the way,” Ava says to me.

“My birthday was three weeks ago,” I respond blankly. “You know, September thirtieth.”

My fingers go to the pendant around my neck that Evie got me.

It says, Surf. Sleep. Repeat.

It’s the best gift I’ve ever received.

“Of course I know when your birthday is.” Ava fakes a laugh. “I was there. Most horrendous day of my life. I’m not forgetting that in a hurry.”

Evie’s horrified gaze lands on my mother.

I just let out a sigh.

“So, what brings you to Malibu, Ava?” I say in a bored tone.

“We’ll get to that soon.” She flicks a hand at me. “First, I want to hear all about this one here.” She turns her body toward Evie, who still has a look of absolute horror on her face.

Evie clears her expression and offers my mother a smile.

“So, how long have you and my son been seeing each other?”

“Not long,” I answer. “And we’re not really seeing each other. Are we done here?” I stand up.

Ava ignores me, and I try to ignore the look of devastation in Evie’s eyes, the devastation that’s crushing my insides.

“Hush, Adam.” Ava gives me a look before turning back to Evie. “He’s always kidding around like this. Don’t take him seriously. You must be important to him. I know my son, and I’ve never seen a girl with him at four in the afternoon. He usually brings them home late at night, and then they’re gone before breakfast.”

I didn’t know Ava paid enough attention to me to know my routine with girls. Then again, she never lets anything slip by that might be useful to her.

“So, how long have you two been seeing each other?” She reaches over and squeezes Evie’s hands, which are clutched firmly in her lap.

Evie looks like she doesn’t know how to answer the question. Maybe she doesn’t. I am treating her like shit, and she’s probably unsure of what to say.

“Since July,” she edges the words out slowly.

“Since July? Wow…” Ava’s eyes meet with mine, and I see it written there.

She knows I care for Evie, and she’s going to use that against me in one way or another.

“Well, I think I should probably get going.” Evie gets to her feet, pulling her hands from my mother’s. She gets her bag from the side of the sofa and hooks it on her shoulder.

“I’ll give you a ride home.” I can tell her everything then—how sorry I am, why I’ve treated her this way in front of my mother. And I can tell her that I love her.

I need to tell her.

“No. It’s fine. I’ll get the bus.” She won’t meet my eyes.

Fuck.

The word is echoed in my ears in the sound of Max’s voice.

I turn to see him standing in the doorway, his eyes on Ava.

“Max,” Ava greets him.

“Mrs. Gunner. What brings you to Malibu? Was hell too warm, so you thought you’d come cool down here with the natives?”

And this is why I love Max. He just says whatever he wants to her, which isn’t usually anything nice.

The smile is tight on my mother’s lips. “You are funny, Max. You really should consider a career in comedy.” She turns her eyes to me before looking back at him. “So, how are your parents doing nowadays?”

I freeze. She’s taunting me, not Max.

She can’t punish him for what he just said, so she’s taking it out on me.

She knows I never told Max what happened, what I saw that day when I came home from school early.

She knows how important Max is to me, and she knows I’m afraid to lose him.

“Wouldn’t know. I haven’t spoken to them in a while.” Max shrugs, moving farther into the living room. He eyes the situation—Evie on her feet, ready to run, while I’m tense, looking like I’m about to explode any second. “Everything okay?” he asks me.

“Fine,” Ava says brightly. “Just meeting Adam’s new girlfriend.”

Max’s eyes widen on me. He knows I don’t want Ava to know that Evie’s my girlfriend or be anywhere near her.

“I was just heading home,” Evie says in a quiet voice to Max.

“I’ll take you,” I tell to her.

Evie finally looks at me, and the look is hard. It cuts me to the quick, but it is nothing less than I deserve right now.

“No. I’ll take the bus.” Her chin defiantly juts out.

“I’ll give you a ride,” Max says to her.

She glances over at Max, and I see her relax a little.

“That’d be great. Thank you.”

Well, fuck me.

I try not to take that personally, but I do. It actually makes me want to punch a hole in the wall.

But I want Evie away from Ava more than I want to throw a temper tantrum right now.

Max grabs his keys from the coffee table.

I follow them to the front door.

Hooking my fingers into Evie’s shirt, I pull her back to me. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper in her ear, sliding my hands over her waist. “I’ll come over later and explain everything.”

She doesn’t say anything. She just pulls away and walks out the front door without looking back.

“You okay?” Max asks me.

“I said some stuff. Didn’t want Ava to know that Evie’s important to me. Evie doesn’t understand why. I’ve never told her what Ava’s like,” I say in a quiet voice.

“I’ll try to do damage control on the drive home. Just get rid of the devil as soon as you can, and then get your ass over to Evie’s. You want me to come back after I’ve dropped Evie off? We can tag-team Ava.”

He’s being a good friend, but I know the last place he wants to be is here. Can’t blame him for that. Ava is like poison.

“Nah, it’s cool, but thanks, man. I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”

He pats me on the shoulder. “Whatever Ava wants, Adam, tell her no.” He fixes me with a stare.

He knows what Ava’s like. And he knows what I’m like. I always cave to what she wants simply because it makes my life easier.

I stand at the door, watching as Max pulls his truck out of the driveway.

I will Evie to look at me, but she doesn’t.

It hurts, and right now, I’m blaming Ava for that.