“I’m so happy you came, so we can celebrate together,” Ilias said with a smile, pressing a kiss into her hair as he held her against him.
The gesture was instinctive, deeply familiar—the kind born from years of shared moments between competition, inside jokes, and showing up for each other without question. Watching them together, Callum understood immediately that theirs was the kind of friendship that had long ago become family.
“Ale has known since January,” Sofia informed Callum, who had been staring at the interaction with soft eyes.
“It was my token for self-pity,” Alejandra added, brightly.
“Evil,” Ilias added, chuckling.
“I know,” Alejandra grinned, as the line advanced. “How do you feel, Papi?”
Ilias laughed, tilting his head backwards. “Habiba, now you have to call me Papi, from now on.”
“Ale…” Sofia sighed. “Why do you give him these ideas?”
Alejandra chuckled, as they got closer to the bar.
“I feel great. I—” For a second, Ilias didn’t look the bright and bubbly person he had started to know, but he looked more thoughtful. “I hope I’ll be a better father than mine.”
“At least you had one,” Callum found himself spilling. Not that it was a secret, but info dumping people on his sad fatherless life wasn’t something he usually did.
He could see the three’s expressions shift from happiness to pity, so he promptly waved them off. “It’s alright. No need for pity. My grandfather has been the best father figure I could ask for.” And that, somehow, seemed to make them all at ease.
Alejandra, probably noticing how reluctant he felt to continue chatting about it, even though he had been the one starting the topic, decided to change the subject asking Ilias when he was going to compete.
“Heat’s off today. Swell’s too big,” Ilias said, pointing to the waves. “Ever surfed, dude?”
“Yes. A couple of times, but I’ve never considered myself good at it.”
“Wait,” Alejandra’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “You didn’t tell me!”
“Back when I was younger. I’m from a town in West Wales. Great waves for those who know how to ride them.” He looked at her, heart thumping. “I should take you there sometime.”
Alejandra smiled. “I’d love to. I’ve never been to Wales.”
And the way she beamed at him... God. He wanted to see that every day for the rest of his life.
27
ALEJANDRA
Resta Con Me - Bambole di Pezza
The more shespent time at the event, the more she could confirm she didn’t want to be there. And yet, here she was, leaning with her hips against the balustrade overlooking the beach where the event was being held, surrounded by people who looked way happier than she was.
Sofia and Ilias hadn’t stopped shouting about the baby coming, which they deserved to do, but that basically brought people closer to her circle, and inevitably questions were asked to her too.
She tried to distract herself observing Carlos flirting with Ester, and Amira gawking at them after finishing her recently won heat. Was that a real life triangle romance she was witnessing? Truthfully, what she had grasped from the few comments Amira had gifted her, she wasn’t interested in Carlos. Apparently, he was like a brother to her, and ew, she could understand. It was like flirting with Ilias—no fucking way. But yet, the way she was checking very closely Ester talking with Carlos… She had even tried to catch Carlos’ attention a couple of times. It was fascinating, and by the way Sofia and Ilias noticed it, she wasn’t the only one entertained by it.
“What are we looking at?” Callum appeared by her side with a pack of fries and two beers. She grabbed one, and let him rest the fries on the balustrade, hoping that no seagull decided to attack them. She had been around those evil animals enough to know they were not to be trusted.
“Seeing what will happen between the triangle that has formed between Amira, my brother and Ester.”
Callum leaned next to her, his perfume enveloping her.Díos, she could drown in his smell. Even though she wasn’t someone who liked strong colognes, this man did everything perfectly. Even choosing the right perfume to activate her estrogen.
“Is it as entertaining as one of your romance books?” he asked, smirking.
“I’d rather not know my brother’s sex life, but I would eat the shit out of that book if it was written.”
