It Was Always Jace by Emily Lowry

Ask your best friend nicely, and he might become your personal tutor. He might even turn into something more…

Callie Cooper is the laidback surfer girl of Beachbreak High. She skips class to catch waves, and because of that, no one has high expectations for her future – including herself. But when she finds herself failing photography class, she hits a new low – she might not even graduate high school.

Jace Griffin is Callie’s best friend. He’s also Beachbreak’s hottest surfer – complete with sandy hair, blue eyes, and washboard abs. When he’s accepted into a competitive scholarship program, it’s everything he’s ever wanted. Except there’s no way he can babysit his brothers, run his pedal restaurant, and complete the rigorous application process at the same time.

With the pressure mounting, these best friends turn to each other. Callie will take some tasks off Jace’s plate, and he’ll teach her everything he knows about photography. It should be easy. But as they work together, Callie wonders – if Jace is really her best friend, if he’s really just the boy next door, then why can’t she stop thinking about his lips on hers?