“Mia is grabbing us waters.” I gesture to the cooler where Mia stands with Nate and Cooper, eating a piece of watermelon. She laughs, the watermelon juice running down her arm, and licks it away. “Where haveyoubeen?”
“Talking to a lifeguard.” She grins and points to the large stand in the distance. “He’s twenty-three and way too perky, but very cute.”
“Well, isn’t that fun?”
“Mia looks happy, doesn’t she? And, what do you know? Richard is nowhere to be seen.”
“Har. Be nice,” I warn.
“It’s just an observation.” She stretches out her legs and waves at Mia making her way over to us, her hands full of bottles of water. “Hello, sunshine.”
“Hi.” Mia distributes the drinks and plops on the sand, smiling from ear to ear. “This is so fun, isn’t it? The fresh air. A breeze. Good friends. It doesn’t get much better, does it?”
“The only thing that would make it better is if Sebastian and Quin got into one of their usual arguments, but I haven’t heard a peep of disagreement.” Harlow smirks my way. “Three hours in a car together? He’s on your show—which I watch, by the way. The chemistry between you two is new. Is there anything you want to tell us?”
A lot of things, I think.
Mia would be ecstatic if she found out Sebastian and I were sleeping together. She’d probably try to plan a wedding.
Harlow would be supportive of my long overdue orgasms.
For as much as I want to share, for as much as I hate hiding things from them, I want to keep it a secret for as long as I can.
I like having Sebastian in a way no one else gets to have him. When we’re together, he’s not the guy on the news. He’s not an internet personality with millions of followers and dozens of women in his inbox, vying for his attention. He’s not the weather boy everyone thinks they know and love.
He’s quiet. Softer and unsure. Someone who tells me about all the places he’s seen on his travels around the world and all the places he wants to visit. He listens when I talk about where I see myself in ten years, nodding along to the hopes and dreams I’ve been scared to share with anyone else, not because they wouldn’t be supportive, but because it’s intimidating to bet on yourself and know you could fail.
I’ve discovered who he is away from the screens and fanfare. He’s a guy who cares about his loved ones and the environment. Who would be happy to never post a photo on social media again but does so because he’s a man of his word who honors his brand deals with small businesses that look to him for extra revenue thanks to his large following.
It’s just us, him and me, and it’s magical.
I pick up a handful of sand, letting the grains run through my fingers. “We’re maturing, I guess.”
“I think it’s nice you’re letting him be on your show.” Mia pauses to smile at me. “I know how important that part of your life is to you. You’ve worked so hard to build the audience you have.”
“We’ve all worked so hard.” I point at Harlow, laughing when her red hair gets caught in the wind. “Har was voted by her fellow bartenders as someone with exceptional influence, and The Hideout has won multiple awards. And you, Mia Dunn, are somehow putting out two bestselling books a year while you volunteer at the Orlando Food Bank and plan a wedding.”
“Do you ever run out of ideas, Mia?” Harlow asks.
“I can make anything into a romance story.” Her eyes flick over to a couple sitting a dozen yards away. “Like them. They’re sharing a Publix sub. He’s moving her chair so she’s in the shade. She’s not afraid to eat a handful of chips in front of him. Considerate and familiar, but without a ton of PDA. I imagine they’ve been friends for years. They’ve always hung out in big groups, but recently realized they have feelings for each other. This is the firstdate they’ve been on just the two of them, and the beach is the perfect spot to hang out without it being too awkward.”
“And if things aren’t going well, one of them can swim out to sea and start a new life with the dolphins,” Harlow adds, and I burst out laughing.
“Exactly.” Mia reaches for our hands. “I can’t believe this is our last summer together like this.”
“Are you going somewhere we don’t know about?” I ask, lacing our fingers together.
“No. I just mean things will be different after I get married. We want kids, and then it will be soccer practice and art classes and ballet lessons.” She sighs. “I hope y’all don’t forget about me when I’m driving a minivan.”
“You thinksocceris going to get rid of us? Please.” Harlow snorts. “I’m going to be the cool aunt your kids call when they want to run away for the night because you’re making them eat broccoli.”
“I draw the line at a minivan.” I squeal and jump to my feet when Mia pours ice cold water on me. “I take it back! Minivans arewonderfulvehicles.”
“That’s more like it.” Mia looks over her shoulder and waves to Richard. He points up at the gas station on the corner of the road, and she nods, standing too. “Time for some snacks. Does anyone want anything?”
“I’m good. I was going to go for a dip to cool off, but now it’s to warm up after someone wanted me to freeze to death.” I stick out my tongue and head for the water. “I thought we were friends, Mia.”
“Best friends,” she calls out, smiling when Richard loops an arm around her waist.
