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When Natalie appears on the beach, exiting a door at the back of her in-law’s property and descending the stairs, Jimmy sprints back up the beach in the opposite direction, turning into a tiny dot in seconds. I knew he wasn’t pushing himself when we ran together.
Watching his retreating form, I’m struck with longing for him to return and smile at me again. It’s a silly emotion that I need to keep in check.
Natalie’s dressed in blue linen shorts with an elastic waist and a white strapless top that tucks in. She has a large black camera with a trunk-like lens and a brown leather backpack hooked over both shoulders.
She’s cool, calm, and collected, and I’m a sweaty mess. She’s also practically a stranger, but I’m so happy to see another woman, it’s laughable. I jog toward her, and she waves.
“Hey. I wasn't sure you were going to make it. Have you been running already?”
“Yeah. Sorry about the sweat. Two of the guys I’m staying with are personal trainers, and one encouraged me to join him for a run. The result isn’t pretty.” I wave my hand around my face to illustrate the point.
“You’re glowing with virtuous exercise glory,” she smiles. “My kids still wake up in the night, so getting out of bed early to work out is impossible.”
“I don’t have that excuse and the last time I exercised was when the elevator broke in my building, and I had to take three flights of stairs.”
Natalie chuckles, and her hand reaches out to grasp her camera. “Shall we walk and talk? The scenery is calling me.”
“Sure.”
Turning in the opposite direction to the beach house, we make our way closer to the ocean. I pause to slip off my sneakers and socks as Natalie snaps a few shots and studies the display for the results. She adjusts the lens and fiddles with the settings and snaps again.
“The lighting is perfect.”
“So, are your husbands looking after the kids?”
“Yep. Well, Max is sleeping. He was working last night. And Mason’s using the gym, so Miller is currently supervising.”
“Wow, I really do see the benefit of your arrangement.”
She grins and tucks her blonde hair behind her ear, as the wind whips around us. “Many hands make light work…isn’t that what they say?”
We keep walking and a wave laps over my toes, so cool I gasp.
“So, how are the interviews progressing?”
“Well. It’s…it’s not your average topic we’re discussing.”
She glances at me quizzically. “That sounds intriguing.”
“I write for a women’s magazine. They’re always making me cover sex topics.”
“You’re talking about sex with those ten hotties. How are you keeping it professional?”
I’ve never been good at keeping my thoughts to myself. They always end up written all over my expression, especially when I’m guilty. It’s an emotion I just don’t seem able to conceal. Natalie stifles a smile. “I know that look,” she says. “I used to look in the mirror and see that reflection staring back at me.”
I cover my face with my hands and wipe my palms over my cheeks in an attempt to wipe away the embarrassment. “I’m failing to keep it professional to a level that can only be described as epic.”
“Between you and me, I slept with Mason after photographing him for a romance book cover. Then I found out he was going to be my stepbrother. That’s just about as mortifying as it can get.”
I stare open-mouthed because Natalie doesn’t seem the type. She’s got a sensible air about her, from the neat way she dresses to her sleek, shiny hair and super straight posture.
“And then,” she continues, “I somehow ended up in bed with them all.”
“Yeah, I’m still trying to get my head around that part, although, after last night, I got a better idea about how easy it is to get into a situation like that.”
In front of us, the beach stretches, empty and wild. Without the beach houses looming to the right at long intervals, it would be picture perfect. The tranquility settles against my skin, but it doesn’t touch the buzzing inside me.
Natalie clicks another shot of a bird, swooping, and then turns to me. “Yeah, you can’t drop a sentence like that and not elaborate.”
