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Waving goodbye to them, Brooke closed the gap between herself and Ember, who was
laying on a blue and yellow checked blanket, her hair twisted in a top knot. Two thin wires connected her to the phone she’d propped on the towel beside her. “Hey, sleeping beauty,” Brooke said, flopping down beside her. “What are you listening to?”
Ember sat up, pulling her ear buds out. “Just some Spotify playlist. Where’s Nick?” She looked around expectantly. “And you missed Ally. Her break ended five minutes ago.”
“I saw her leaving. She took Nick with her to grab a soda.” Brooke laid the cooler in the shade of Ember’s umbrella, and grabbed two towels from her backpack. “How are you doing? Ally said something about Lucas’s birthday gift.”
Ember tipped her head to the side. “Ugh, I don’t want to talk about that any more. I have no idea what to get him. I thought about a new surfboard, but he went and bought himself one. What do you buy the guy who has everything?” She sounded frustrated.
Brooke bit down a laugh. “Is he surfing right now?”
“Surprisingly not. He’s out with Jackson and Griff on the boat. Afterward they’re going shopping for tonight’s cook out. You guys are coming, aren’t you?”
“Of course. We wouldn’t miss it. You know how Nick likes hanging around with the guys.”
Ember caught her eye. “They like hanging with him, too.”
It was funny how much of a thing Nick had for Ember’s boyfriend, Lucas. Since he’d arrived in town last year, the two of them had a bromance going on. It warmed Brooke’s heart. One of the worst things about being a single mom was the way she couldn’t give her son the masculine influence all the psychology books said he needed. Lucas and Nate filled the role nicel, and it warmed her heart.
“Oh, and there’s a new guy in town. Lucas’s old friend is working on the Silver Sands Resort. He’s coming tonight.” Ember wiggled her eyebrows. “He’s hot and he’s single if you’re interested.”
The mention of the Silver Sands Resort was enough to make Brooke’s chest feel tight. And of course her thoughts slid to Aiden Black – the way they had all week since their encounter on Monday. She hadn’t mentioned it to her friends – what would she say? The guy she thought she’d never see again – the one who’d broken her so badly she’d never been the same – was back?
“What’s his name?”
“Who?”
“The new guy. Lucas’s friend?”
“Oh, Brecken Miller. He runs the construction company that’s renovating the resort.”
Brooke’s stomach churned. She wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed or relieved that it wasn’t Aiden who would turn up at Ember’s cook out. From the corner of her eye she saw Nick sitting opposite Ally, drinking a milkshake through a straw and relief coursed through her. She couldn’t let Aiden see him – he’d know as soon as he did. And there were some secrets she never wanted to share.
“So are you interested?” Ember asked her, smiling. Brooke breathed out a mouthful of air. Her friend had no idea what she was going through. Maybe it was time to fill her in.
“No. He’s a nice guy but not my type.”
“Wait. You’ve met him?” Ember frowned. “Where? When?”
“I went to the resort on Monday to rescue a dog. He was the one who showed me around.”
“I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you tell me? We’ve spoken at least three times since.” There was an edge of hurt to her voice that Brooke could detect, even if her friend tried to hide it. They always told each other everything – Ember, Ally, and Brooke. They’d been friends ever since the first day of kindergarten and been together through thick and thin.
“I was afraid to talk about it,” Brooke admitted. “Something happened there and I don’t know what to think about it.”
Ember leaned forward, her eyes wide. “What? Was it something to do with Brecken? Did he do something to you?”
“No. It wasn’t Brecken Miller at all. It was Aiden.”
Ember frowned. “Aiden?” It took a moment, but realization washed over her face. “Aiden?” she said again, this time her eyes wide. “Aiden Black? You saw him at Silver Sands?” She reached out for Brooke’s hand, folding it between her own. “Oh my God, Brooke, I didn’t know he’s back.”
“Nor did I before I came face to face with him at the resort.”
“What’s he doing here? Has he come back for you?”
Ember always had been a romantic. And it had worked for her, after all. She’d fallen for a guy who’d whisked her off her feet, and was the boyfriend of her dreams.
Brooke knew better. Fairytales belonged in the old tattered books she read to Nick at night time. She’d learned the hard way dreams didn’t come true.
