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“You don’t know that! You’re just scared. Where’s the brave woman from last night who stood up to everyone?”
I hold both hands up and completely lose my temper. “It already is messy! Because it already is a clusterfuck of a mess. Jan told me you were off-limits. She’s never asked anything of me and has always been there for every moment of my crazy life. You? I don’t even know you.”
He unties his apron and then jerks it over his head. His breathing is audible with barely controlled emotions. “There’s a connection between us that I know I’ll spend the rest of my life wondering what if. I’m not asking you to toss out your friendship.”
“Yes, you are!” What part of this is he not understanding? This would devastate Jan.
As if thinking her name summoned her, Jan’s voice calls out. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!”
“Please go before she gets here,” I whisper in a pleading voice.
Cruz’s defeated look only angers me further. He doesn’t know me, thinks he can offer me sex, and then acts like a kicked puppy because I said my friendship is more important than even one moment of his time, in or out of the sack. Douche.
Jan bounces in the room wearing her bikini top and jean shorts. “Let’s go on the boat!” Cruz gives me a scowl before making his exit out of the room. I ignore it and focus my attention back on Jan.
“Really? After last night you honestly think I’m going to hang around? I’m definitely not going out on a boat so your sister can strap a concrete block to my ankle and then toss me overboard.”
“That’s a bit dramatic…and dark.”
“But where’s the lie?”
Jan laughs. “I’ll keep you safe. Besides, Cruz already has experience in diving to your rescue.”
There’s a slight tone that has the hair on the back of my neck standing up. “More reason I should leave. I don’t want to be the reason you and Larissa fight. Especially over a guy I don’t even know.”
“Just tell me one thing. Are you attracted to him?”
“I’m not blind, Jan! The guy is hot. But if you say he’s off-limits, then all I see is a danger, caution, big warning sign when I look at him. You mean more to me than anybody else. My parents are gone. I have no siblings. You’re the real Dill.”
Jan comes and wraps her arms around me, and the sigh of relief that I feel is almost overwhelming. I didn’t realize how much I needed to feel her embrace until now. “I love you, too, Pickle.”
Chapter 10
Cruz
I overreacted. I’ve been working too much, and everyone has gotten to me. Why did I act so crazy over Journi? Sure, she has a personality like nobody else. Witty. Bold. Confident. She’s not afraid to admit she likes sex and embrace her sexuality. Gorgeous, a natural beauty at that. There’s plenty of women like that. The world is full of Journis. Oh, and she’s an independent businesswoman. But she’s also Jan’s best friend. Sweet, childhood best friend Jan. Who is like a sister to me whom I was more than willing to betray to sleep with Journi.
I am the worst.
So, on this boat trip I will be the perfect gentleman. I’ll be the friend I should’ve been all along to Jan, and a new platonic friend to Journi. They both deserve that from me.
As everyone loads the boat, I find Larissa sunbathing on the deck of the cabin. I approach her but she doesn’t acknowledge me, or if she does, I can’t tell with her sunglasses on.
“Are you not joining us on the boat?” I ask.
“No,” she sighs with an air of annoyance.
“Why not?”
She rises up to lean on her elbows behind her. “You really don’t know shit about me.” It’s a statement. Not a question. “I get sick on boats. The last time I was even on that boat was when I was ten.”
That would’ve been the first year we had the boat… Oops. Well, this is awkward. “I’m sorry about everything. For my outburst last night, for not paying attention, for—”
“Not liking me the way you do Journi.”
“What?”
“I’ve been watching you my whole life. Joshua is like a brother to me. Like Jan is a sister to you. I’ve always looked at you as Prince Charming. Even when I’d hear you were dating someone, I knew it wouldn’t last. I knew we’d end up together. But when I saw her kiss you,” I hadn’t realized Larissa walked in on that, “I knew she was different.”
