AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Are you sure you’re not in love?
“Uh-huh. And why did you go with Echo to her middle sister’s wedding in Vegas when I know it was a terrible time to pry yourself away from work? And why did you stay away from both the Black Jack tables and the strippers, two of your father’s favorites?”
“Because she didn’t want to go alone.” And because you didn’t want to leave her side.
“Do you feel half that protective or invested in the last girl you took to bed?”
“Gramma…” I huff.
But I’m hiding behind indignation because she’s got a point…
“Answer me.”
“No.”
“The last five put together?”
I sigh. “No.”
“If you could only talk to one woman for the rest of your life?”
There’s the unavoidable, crucial question…and the shocking answer that punches me in the gut.
I stare out at the rolling ocean, mute. Then I close my eyes. “I’d pick Echo. God, I’m a dumb ass.”
“For not seeing that you’re in love with her, too? Totally. At least you’re willing to admit it. The good news is, now that you know, you can fix it.”
I swallow hard. “What if I suck at being faithful?”
“Hayes, you love her too much to stray. And the fact you’re worried puts you light years ahead of your father. Trust me. Go grab your girl and make her yours. You two will be so happy together. And the first wedding invitation you mail better be addressed to me.”
“She’s not even my girlfriend yet.”
“An hour and some groveling will fix that. Trust me.”
I hope she’s right. But if I’m going to tell Echo how I feel, I have to do it the right way. I can’t blurt this. I can’t half-ass it. She can’t think it has anything to do with her request to lose her V-card, either. She can’t feel less than totally special. She has to believe I’m hers.
Liddy and I ring off, and I make a mental note to check in with her after Rose’s funeral. For now, my first order of business? I pull up Jayci’s message. When I reread it, I frown. In the past, that would have kickstarted my libido into overdrive. Now it leaves me feeling somewhere between unmoved and needing a shower. I tap back a message to her.
I’ve done some thinking over the past few days. I don’t think we’re suited for each other, and I won’t be coming by anymore. You deserve someone who cares about you, and that’s not me. Take care.
An instant later, I get a message back. I didn’t need or want you to care about me. I just wanted your cock. But whatever. Fuck off.
If that’s the way she feels, cool. I’m moving on. Moving forward—with Echo.
Suddenly, I’ve got an idea to show her exactly how I feel. Tonight can’t come soon enough.
* * * *
After I make a few phone calls from the balcony, another half hour has passed. I push back into our suite to discover Echo gone. On the table near the sofa, I spot a note she jotted.
Your calls looked intense. I’m bringing back java and a bite. How do you feel about surfing today?
E
I set down the note with a smile. I’ll probably make an idiot out of myself with a surfboard, but what the hell? I’ll have more time with Echo…and she’ll probably be in another bikini designed to make my tongue drag the ground after her. We’re already in paradise. She doesn’t sound upset about anything that went down last night.
After I finish wrapping my head around what’s in my heart, today should be good.
A knock on the door sends me running. Echo probably has her hands full, so I pull it open. But she isn’t the person standing in my doorway.
“X, man. Come on in.” I step back, taking in his frown. “How are you doing?”
He follows me. “I’m okay. You?”
“Good.”
“Where’s E?”
“She’ll be right back.”
Xavian sends me a sly grin. “So how did last night go? Could you actually keep your hands off of her? And your dick out of her?”
None of his business. “It was fine. What happened with your new family? Curiosity satisfied? Ready to be the lone wolf again?”
“About that…” Xavian grimaces. “I’m staying with them.”
“For the rest of the week?”
He shakes his head. “For the foreseeable future. I’m moving here.”
Is he serious? “To Maui? To be with strangers you met yesterday?”
“To a fucking gorgeous place with people I feel like I’ve known all my life.”
“As opposed to the people you actually have?”
“Don’t get me wrong, man. You, E, Graham, Kella, and Maryam are the most solid friends I could ask for. If it wasn’t for you all, after my mom died I would have either driven my car into an embankment or bit a bullet. I felt so alone. I know I wasn’t, but none of you could relate to the hell I was going through. And I’m glad. I wouldn’t wish that kind of loss on anyone. You all have other family to fall back on. Me? There’s always been a giant hole where my father should have been. I wondered why he rejected me before I was even born. When I’d ask, my mother would only say we were better off without my sperm donor. She took his identity to her fucking grave… I’ve never celebrated a Father’s Day. I can’t fill out a medical history form about the paternal side of my family. And unless it was some other kid I went to school with, no one ever so much as tossed a ball with me. Now that I have siblings who want to patch together a family as much as I do, don’t fucking judge me.”
