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Why was I so fucking stupid that I didn’t spend all my time and give my whole heart to the woman who deserves it most?
By the time I reach the Sunshine Coast Bed-and-Breakfast, the rain thankfully pauses. Keeley says something to the crowd of guests gathering for yoga by the ocean, then crosses the lawn to me with a frown.
“Hayes? What brings you here?”
“Hi. Have you seen Xavian and Echo today?”
She shakes her head. “He spent the night at Harlow and Noah’s place. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s with Bethany and Clint now, but I don’t know for sure. You think Echo is with him? You look upset. Are you all right?”
No, and I don’t know where to go from here. “Would anyone else know where to find them?”
“Um…hang here for a minute.” She runs back to the waiting guests, grabs her phone, and dashes off a quick text. Then she turns back to me, holding up a finger. Her phone lights up, and she scans it, then sends me a thumbs up and a smile.
What the devil does that mean? She knows where they are? Is she coming back to tell me?
Apparently not. She starts some of the flute-based yoga music she played the other day and warms up with the small crowd following her. Eleanor appears on the lanai with the baby. Is she coming with information about Xavian and Echo? When she sits and plays with the infant, making peekaboo faces and laughing, I guess not.
Finally, a tall stranger, dressed like a GQ model, complete with swagger, emerges from the back of the house. He waves at Eleanor, pauses to rub Kailani’s head, then heads straight for me. Who the fuck is this guy?
I swallow as he approaches, hand outstretched. “Sebastian Shaw.”
The sarcastic guy Xavian mentioned earlier. Is he coming to deliver a Dear John message on Echo’s behalf? “Hayes Elliot.”
“You’re wondering why I’m here. You met Evan Cook yesterday, right? He’s my boss and best friend.”
And one of X’s newfound brothers. “Yeah. Do you know where to find Xavian or Echo?”
“No. I’ve been here working on a project that… Well, let’s just put it this way. Nothing good comes when you sleep with the enemy.” He gives me an acidic, self-deprecating smile. “But that’s not your issue. I can help you find them. Xavian and I knocked back a few beers last night. He said you’re all friends?”
“Yeah. We’ve been super-tight.” Or we were until this week.
“But something happened?”
I nod and hope it’s enough. I don’t want to expend the time or humiliation explaining that everything blew up because I handled my feelings so horribly.
“Look, I know you don’t know me, but I’m willing to listen—”
“I appreciate that.” The guy means well, but I don’t have time for this shit. “But I’ve got everything under control.”
“Sure, you do. That’s why you’re here asking strangers where to find your closest pals and looking half ready to crawl out of your skin.” He claps me on the shoulder. “I’ll leave you to it.”
Sebastian is a sarcastic fucker.
When he turns away, I growl under my breath. Damn it, he’s the only one who can help me right now. My pride has to take a back seat. “Wait. Please. I need to find Echo. She’s probably with Xavian. I have to talk to her.”
He crosses his arms over his chest and gives me a considering once-over. “Tell me the situation, and I’ll see what I can do.”
What the fuck? I’m not thrilled about word-vomiting all my personal shit, but the way he’s looking at me tells me he won’t move a muscle unless I start talking. “In a nutshell? I’ve been an idiot about my feelings for Echo, and I need to tell her before Xavian convinces her otherwise. He’s a good friend, but…she’s always been my closest. X doesn’t love her. He doesn’t even want her. So I can’t let her make a mistake with him.”
Sebastian stares at me for such a long time, I’m half convinced he’ll tell me to take my boo-hoo problems somewhere else and get out of his face. Instead, he sighs. “Sorry to hear that, man. I’ve kind of been in this situation.”
Of all the things he could have said, I didn’t expect that. “Seriously?”
“Not exactly the same, but enough to know how you feel. Um, Evan told you he was widowed before he married Nia?”
“He mentioned that.” I’m still shocked that a guy barely thirty had to bury his pregnant wife. “It sounds tragic.”
“For everyone. He didn’t love Becca.” Sebastian blows out a breath. “I did.”
Wait…what? “You were in love with your best friend’s wife? Whoa. Were you two...” The question slips out before I realize it’s none of my business.
“No. I would never have betrayed Evan like that. But he knows now that I loved her. We’ve talked. The one thing I can tell you? We all would have been less miserable if we’d been honest with ourselves and each other.”
