I glare across the table. “Don’t, Griff. Just, don’t.”
Sunshine leans in from my left. “That dress on her, though. I’m so jealous of those curves.”
Harlow, to my surprise, hums in agreement. “Me too. Most of us have to pay to get an ass like that.”
I change the subject, not wanting to talk about Rose’s figure with anyone, even a couple of straight women. I’m feeling deeply, irrationally possessive over her. “So, what have you all been up to this week?”
Griffin brightens and tells me about a drinking game he invented, built around the hurricane, which tracks. The entire week has been day drinking and killing time indoors, and I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad my plane went down. Three days in a car with Rose beats whatever this was.
“They do have an indoor golf course,” Reign sighs beside his brother. “If you’re interested in something other than getting wasted.”
“I haven’t been getting wasted,” Griffin scoffs. “I’m saving that for the wedding night. Jo’s got a niece I’ve been eyeing, gonna grease the wheels tonight.”
“How old is she?”
“Drinking age. Probably.”
Griffin and I are the same age, but he likely has more in common with Johanna’s niece at barely twenty-one.
“Right, you haven’t got wasted. You’re just maintaining a buzz twenty-four seven,” Reign groans.
“Exactly. Like a base tan.”
“Anyway,” Harlow starts, but then the chair beside me scrapes, and I turn to find Pearl with a strained smile on her face.
“How was my speech? I’m practicing for the big day.”
“Whose big day?” Griffin asks in jest, but Pearl says tightly, “Daddy’s of course.”
“Hey, Tommy,” I lift my glass at him. He nods back, stiff as ever. The man manages serious money on Wall Street, but there’s not a single flashy thing about him. He strikes me as someone who likes to do their tax returns for fun.
Conversation flows around the table as dinner arrives, and I keep stealing glances across the room for Rose. She promised she’d find me before leaving, so I try to relax and stay in conversation.
“Shellfish is a bold choice for a crowd,” Sunshine says easily, drinking down an oyster.
Pearl sets down her fork. “I confirmed with every single guest beforehand. No allergies. Is it something you run into a lot—in your line of work?”
On the surface, it’s an innocuous comment. But the way Pearl delivers it, it’s an insult. Sunshine, with her southern charm, replies with the same level of surface niceties, doesn’t miss a beat.
“Oh, constantly. Though not a problem for me personally—these oysters are just divine. You know Georgia’s famous for them. There’s a marsh not ten miles from here, I’d bet that’s exactly where these came from.”
“That’s so fascinating. You must have all the inside knowledge since you work here. You’re a server, right?”
Another thinly veiled insult, but Sunshine smiles like she means it. “I sure do.”
Dash’s hand comes to Sunshine’s back, and he’s glaring at Pearl. Tommy’s expression is livid, but Pearl just reaches for her wineglass, smiling softly.
“Girl, what has gotten into you?” Harlow asks. She’s never been one to beat around the bush, and I’ve always appreciated that about her.
But that’s Pearl’s cue. Her shoulders drop, her lip pushes out just slightly, and she lifts her eyes like she’s fighting back tears. “Sunshine.” She reaches across the table for her hand, which brings her practically into my lap. “I owe you an apology. That comment was out of line.”
Sunshine pulls her hand back. “It’s fine. I’m not ashamed.”
Pearl doesn’t let go, and her other hand finds my leg under the table, as if she needs the leverage to lean. I grit my teeth and ease her off. Tommy watches the entire thing, shaking his head tightly.
“It really has been a stressful week. That’s not an excuse—you’ve been nothing but generous with us.” Pearl turns to look at me, her face inches from mine. “Sunshine’s been showing us around the resort. She knows this place inside and out.”
I lift her hand off my leg for the second time and set it back on her side of the table. Pearl returns to her plate, working a single scallop apart with her fork and knife while Griffin, Reign, Sunshine, and Dash finish the oysters between them.
