I just give her a look and an innocent smile. “Hey, guys.”
Liam accepts a drink from Ryan, one eyebrow creeping up. “Evening.”
“Here,” I say, passing the rest of the drinks around as I drop onto the blanket beside Mel.
Ryan hands the last drink to Noah, who takes it with a short nod. Dad glances over from the grill. “Food’ll be ready in ten.” He points the spatula toward Ryan. “You mind helping me plate everything?”
“Yeah, of course,” Ryan says easily, already stepping over to join them.
The second I turn back, I feel three pairs of eyes locked on me. “What?”
Liam gestures vaguely toward Ryan at the grill. “That,” he says. “Explain. Now.”
I only shrug, trying to look innocent and suspicious at the same time.
Mel tilts her head. “Didn’t you both swear off dating?”
I shift my weight. “Yeah, well… we kinda made an exception for each other.”
God. That sounded way too romantic.
Mel’s expression softens anyway. “That’s really cute.”
Liam’s grin widens. “It really is.”
Kiara, meanwhile, looks like she just won the lottery. Her gaze flicks between me and Ryan by the grill, excitement practically vibrating off her. “You’re being way too calm about this,” she says. “Because I amsohere for it. I expect full details. I’m your wing woman now.”
I huff a laugh. “I do not need a wing woman.”
She scoffs. “Yeah. Right.”
I shake my head, laughing. Then she lowers her voice. “Just promise me you’ll do it safely.”
I nearly choke on my drink. “Kiara!”
Mel coughs into her hand, laughing. “Subtle, K.”
“Alright, burgers incoming,” Dad calls from the grill, and I could honestly hug him for the timing.
Conversation loosens again after that, food getting passed around, music creeping a little louder, everyone talking over each other the way they always do.
At some point, Ryan shifts beside me. He’s still in the middle of whatever story Liam’s telling and then his hand settles lightly on my thigh. A quick shiver runs up my arms.
Which is probably just the breeze.
Ryan leans in just enough for me to hear him. “Jacob just got here.”
I go still and glance past him. And there he is. Jacob’s cutting across the sand with a couple friends, laughing too loud like he owns the beach. His gaze sweeps the group and lands directly on us. On Ryan’s hand.
Something tightens in his expression; quick and sharp. A slow, deeply satisfying warmth blooms in my chest, and Ryan moves his hand even higher, sending another small shiver up my arm. He keeps direct eye contact with Jacob, who doesn’t look too happy about it.
Eventually, Jacob looks away first, his gaze turning back to his friends, but that same expression stays. Somewhere in the back of my brain, a tiny villain voice starts cackling.
A little while later, Dad wanders over with a plate of grilled corn, eyeing the group. “Talking about the town’s disasters again?”
“Only the important ones,” Kiara says sweetly.
Dad snorts, setting the plate down and then his eyes drop. “You keep your hands where I can see them, Drayton.”
