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I could just imagine showing up at the diner in January in a cast. No thank you.
“You could do a private surf excursion,” Dominique piped up.
Oh, I’m sure he could.
“I’d like to spend my time with Abbie.”
“Of course. Well, she can always paddle board or sit on the beach...” Dominique said. “There’s a great private area, large expanse of private beach. Abbie can enjoy the water and sunshine, there’s turtles…lots of things to see on the land.”
“I think really, we’d just like to see the island, the beaches...learn a bit of the history...typical tourist stuff. Just without a whole van of other tourists with us. This way, we can go at our own pace. I don’t want to feel rushed.”
“That’s what you’ll get.” She brought up something on her phone and started typing. “I have a snorkeling excursion set up on a private charter for the afternoon...planned meal option after, some of the best food you’ll ever have, drinks of course, all included. There’s a tour of the local liquor that’s always popular, but also the beaches, the markets...I can keep you busy.”
I had no doubt she could.
“You decide. I’m good with whatever you pick,” I said, catching Lucas watching me.
They chatted away, and I sat there, feeling very out of place as our food arrived. Did I really want to do all this stuff? The snorkeling did sound amazing, and if it had just been Lucas...I would have been all for it. But the appearance of Dominique was suddenly souring me on the whole thing.
It was just a few days, I reminded myself, a few short days. I could get through it. Then I’d have Lucas back to myself.
She had her arm slung over the back of his chair, having ordered some more drinks.
I sighed. That was enough.
I’d had enough.
I had tried to like Dominique.
I had tried to be friendly.
But she kept making eyes at Lucas from the moment I had sat back down at our table. I sipped my drink, trying to tamp down my emotions. Just because I’d seen my best friend in the buff did not mean anything.
Except tell that to my hormones which had suddenly activated in ways they never had the moment he’d rubbed the suntan lotion on my back. And I had to force myself not to notice how close we were sitting, that if I leaned just a little over, I’d be brushing against him. And his damn cologne was everywhere.
How was that even possible?
It wasn't like he’d used the whole bottle.
He glanced at me, and I realized I’d apparently missed some pertinent part of the conversation.
“Whatever you think.” I hoped it would suffice.
He gave me a quizzical look, then I noticed Dominique had gathered her things and had headed over to the bar across the restaurant.
I sank back against my chair, taking a deep breath. “Sorry…I’m just a little scattered…so much to take in.”
I looked at the brochure in front of me.
Lucas nodded. “I know, it sounds like a lot, and I told her to make sure we space it out, we have days to fit everything in. And what we do is completely up to us.”
“Right.”
He leaned forward, his eyes darkening in intensity. “You okay, Abs?”
His tone was concerned.
I looked at him, our gazes meeting. I could tell him the truth, that I wasn’t.
