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He holds his hands up in defence. “I was just going to say you should wear them more often. They’re hot.”
I roll my eyes and start the van. “Fuck, I’m beat,” I say through a wide yawn as pull out of the beach’s car park. “How do you do this drive twice in one day just to surf?”
“It’s notthatfar,” he argues. “But I usually don’t come down all this way for day trips, and I usually don’t spend as long in the water.”
“So why did you change things up today?”
“Because Torquay’s the best, and we were having fun.”
I scoff. “You, maybe.”
“I can drive us home if you’re too tired,” he suggests.
I let out a wry snort. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“Okay, well, we could always crash at my family’s
beach house?”
“Your family has a beach house?” I’m surprised I
didn’t know this fact.
“Yep. It’s a few streets from here.” His lips curve in a
teasing smile. “There’s a spa there.” “Sold.”
“I still think you’re being a big baby for not wanting to drive back,” he comments as he directs me to the beach house.
“What I’d like to know is why you didn’t mention the spa sooner. Someone’s been holding out.”
It really is only a few streets from the beach to Jack’s family’s beach house—talk about prime location—but unfortunately our plans for sexy spa time are thwarted when I pull into the driveway to see a black Lexus already parked there.
“Oh, fuck. Quick, back away before she sees us,” Jack urges, eyes wide.
“Huh?”
And then I notice what he has—there’s a woman sitting in the driver’s seat and, yeah, she’s seen us. When she gets out of the car, I realise it’s Jack’s mum, Linh.
“Ah, shit, she’s coming over,” Jack mutters, attempting to sink down in his seat as though that will hide him.
“Do you still want me to leave?” I ask, unsure what the procedure is here.
“Too late,” he mumbles, just as Linh reaches Jack’s side of the car.
With obvious reluctance, he lowers the window. “Hey, Mum.”
“Jack. This is unexpected.” Despite her obvious surprise at seeing us, Linh casts me a warm smile. “You’re Alastor, right? Xavier’s friend? I remember you from the wedding—both weddings, actually,” she adds, cutting Jack a disapproving look that makes him shrink down even further. Then she returns her smile to me. “Your speech was very funny. Harry almost choked on a prawn spring roll.”
“Oh...well, thanks. I hope he’s okay?” I’m pretty sure I would have heard if I’d inadvertently knocked off Jack’s dad, but it’s polite to ask.
“He’s fine. Although he could do with eating less prawn spring rolls and more salad,” she says in an exasperated tone than makes me think this is probably an old argument.
“So, Mum, what are you doing here?” Jack asks.
“Your father and I are down for the weekend.”
His brow furrows. “You didn’t tell me you’d be down
