Bernard pushed his fluffy white head against my hand. "Stop being silly, you big goofball," I whispered, rubbing behind his soft ears. After giving him one last pat, I opened the screen door and walked outside into the sunny weather. I squinted as I wrapped my gauzy white cover-up more snugly around me, trying to ward off the goosebumps on my skin caused by the cool ocean breeze.
I walked over to Chandler's Jeep, my sandals slapping against the pavement. Emory and Maekynzie were already in the backseat, laughing with the windows down. I sat in the passenger seat, feeling the cool vinyl against my legs. Chandler held my hand, giving me a small comfort as I felt uneasy in my stomach.
Chandler greeted me with a smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. The knot in my stomach eased a bit.
"
