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Thea’s brows furrowed. “You tackled her? I’m confused. Ohhh, is ‘tackled’ a code word for sex? I’m not good at reading between the lines.”
I shook my head. “He tackled me. As in the normal sense of the word tackled.”
“Why’d you do that?” She turned to glare at her brother.
“It was an accident,” he chuckled, scrubbing his hand through his longish hair. “I can see that you’ve recovered just fine.” He looked me up and down.
I rolled my eyes.
“So,” he smiled slowly, “how’ve you been Rae?”
I resisted the urge to snort since he’d seen me this morning. True, it wasn’t like we had chatted while we ran, but his question was still ridiculous.
I stretched my legs out on the lounger and closed my eyes. “I’ve been just dandy, and right now I’m in need of a nap.” I wasn’t one for small talk. Small talk led to long talk—was that even a thing?—and I wasn’t here to make friends.
I cracked on eye open and found Cade grinning down at me.
“Stop staring at me,” I groaned, opening both eyes. “I can’t sleep with you watching me.”
He chuckled and lifted his arms, encompassing the chaos around him. “How can anyone sleep with all this noise?” He crouched down beside me, in the space between the lounger I occupied and the one Thea was stretched out on. Lowering his voice so that there was no chance of Thea hearing, he said, “You can’t avoid me, Rae.”
“I’m not trying to,” I glared.
He stood up slowly and smiled crookedly. “See you in the morning,” he whispered.
And then he was gone.
Air whooshed out of my lungs. I hadn’t even realized I was holding my breath.
“What the hell is going on between you and my brother?” Thea asked, slipping her sunglasses down her nose so that I couldn’t avoid her gaze.
“I have no idea.”
And that was the honest to God truth.
“I’m going to get a drink,” Thea sighed, standing up and adjusting her bikini top so that her ample chest was covered. “You want anything?”
“Something strong.”
She laughed. “I’m sure that won’t be problem.”
I received more stares once Thea left my side, but no one bothered me. I leaned back on the lounger and took several steady breaths to calm myself.
Once upon a time this had been my scene. My friends had been just like these people. And I’d been the girl over there in the pool clinging to her boyfriend’s shoulders.
But not anymore.
Apparently I’d been too happy and life had seen fit to toss a bucket full of misery my way.
The sunlight bathed Brett in a halo, making his red hair glow. He smiled at me and walked forward.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
“I’d never miss your birthday.” I smiled as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me squarely on the mouth in front of everyone.
“Stop sucking face,” Sarah groaned, “the rest of us want to party.”
With a laugh Brett pulled away, keeping a hold on my waist. “It’s good to see you too, Sarah.”
