Unfiltered & Undressed (The Unfiltered Series) by Payge Galvin, Meg Chance Page B

so much to him? How could he use me that way and then toss me aside?
    No wonder he’d given me my money back. No wonder he refused to teach me any longer. Suddenly it was all crystal clear.
    Will or Billy, or whatever the hell his name was, was a lying, cheating scumbag.
    I felt sorry for myself, but I felt worse for Tess. Tess, who probably had no idea that the person she was in love with had almost fucked me in the pool that night.
    I didn’t remember crossing the street to my bungalow, but when I locked the door behind me and fell on my bed still wearing my swimsuit, all covered in sand. I made a silent pact: I’d never, ever, ever fall for a guy like Will—or maybe any guy—ever again.

Chapter 11
    WILL
    Seeing Lauren again had been like having my fingernails ripped off one at a time. Two days hadn’t been long enough. Hell, two years might not be enough.
    I wondered if I could talk Tess into moving away from here, but I knew she’d never go for it. The old house had too many memories…for both of us, really.
    Eventually the summer would end, and so would Lauren’s lease. She’d be gone soon enough, I told myself.
    Until then, I’d do my best to avoid her.
    I almost didn’t notice her at all. Watching Tess had been something else. It had been years since we’d spent this much time together, and I hadn’t expected her to be so…what? Improved? Good?
    Fucking amazing , that’s what she was.
    She’d blown my mind out there. Finding waves no else could. Staying up when I’d have said it was impossible.
    She was incredible.
    She was like me.
    The old me.
    Part of me resented her for it, even while I cheered her on. I hated that that part of my life was over, even though I wouldn’t want it back.
    Tess wanted it though. The competitions. The travel. The accolades and recognition. The sponsors and fame and fortune.
    She didn’t get that there was a downside to it all. That coming up through the ranks was tough, and competition brought out the ugly side in others. That the money was hard to come by, and the schedules were brutal, and that most competitors never succeeded the way I had.
    And that sometimes—more often than not, really—your body took a beating. Something I’d learned all too well. I flexed my knee, trying to stave off the pain that always came after working it too hard. Like today, after surfing with Tess.
    She was determined, though. And if I was being totally honest with myself, she was damn good. She had a chance.
    But that inner voice was there, warning me it was a bad idea. I couldn’t risk letting Tess get hurt. Not the way I had. Or worse, because a knee injury was nothing—pain, I could live with.
    That was when I’d noticed Lauren, sitting with Zane, and it felt like someone had punched a hole in my chest. I had no idea how this girl had managed to get to me in such a short amount of time, but she had. I hadn’t stopped thinking about her for days, couldn’t stop wanting her, craving her. And seeing her now...
    I forced myself to concentrate on Tess instead.
    Catching up to my sister, I wrapped my arm around her neck and told her, “Come on—let’s get this over with.”
    ‡
    “You sure you wanna do this?” Big Chuck asked, and I looked out the window, to where Tess was waiting for me. She was watching with the same uncertain look she’d been giving me ever since I told her what I’d planned to do. But the wheels were already in motion. Even if I wanted to, there was no backing out now.
    I rubbed my hand over the familiar surface of my board one last time and fought the lump in my throat. “Don’t really need it anymore.”
    “Yeah, I heard. Tough blow,” Chuck said.
    Shrugging, I passed the surfboard across the cluttered counter of Big Chuck’s Pro Shop, but Chuck stopped me. “Signed,” he said. “Dude wanted you to sign it.”
    “So he’s just a collector?” Seemed a shame to let a board like this gather dust in some basement somewhere.
    “Nah. Just a fan,