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I sat down across from him with a smile, setting my phone down.
“You looked like you had fun,” Dominique announced, taking a seat next to Lucas.
My smile faltered for just half a second as I reached for the little menu on the table. They offered ice cream and a few other things, and I definitely needed something to help me cool down.
Lucas nodded, resting his arms on the warm wooden surface. “Quite the tour. Lots of info. And making our own drinks, definitely can’t go wrong with that.”
I nodded.
A waitress came over, taking our order with a smile and leaving us to our conversation. The drinks and fresh local ice cream had barely reached the table when Dominique’s phone went off. She left us to take the call, and Lucas went back to diving into his ice cream.
My gaze followed Dominique across the area, where she’d stepped back inside to make the call. I stopped the waitress as she passed by. “Another drink, please.”
I’d pretty much downed mine in the short space we’d been there.
She nodded easily and walked off, taking my empty glass with her.
Lucas swirled his spoon around his half empty ice cream and looked at me in surprise. “You’re really hungry today.”
“Starving,” I agreed with him, looking at my own ice cream that was even more empty than his. I had a feeling I was going to need to keep my strength up to get through having this woman as our guide.
She returned a few minutes later and almost waved away the waitress with my refill, then realized it was for me. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Abbie.”
“It’s fine,” I lied through my teeth. I downed half the drink in a gulp, enjoying the slight burn of the alcohol down my throat. I should have saved some ice cream and created my own little smoothie. I wondered if they had that option on the menu. If not, they definitely needed to consider it.
“I was just making last minute arrangements for tomorrow. We also have access to sailboats, if you want to take a private ride.” She glanced at Lucas.
I sighed to myself and stared down into my drink so I didn’t do something stupid. If my best friend didn’t clue into what type of private ride she was offering, I was seriously going to question his mindset.
“Actually, I think we’re good with just the usual boat.” Lucas wrapped his arm around the back of my chair. “Snorkeling should be fun…”
I took a deep breath. I was starting to get a pounding headache—I didn’t know if it was from stress, being back out in the unrelenting heat, or a little remnant of my slight hangover mixing with everything else I’d taken in today, but suddenly, I needed, wanted, craved space.
I didn’t want to listen to the two of them talk about whatever plans they could come up. I didn’t want to watch Dominique flirt with him; I didn’t want to feel like if I wasn’t there, Lucas would be all flirty back. That memory of the box of condoms in his dresser drawer gnawed at me. I was just an obstacle to his hook-up.
I took another deep breath, ignoring the concerned look my best friend shot me as I pushed back from the table, jostling his arm off the back of my chair. “Excuse me, it’s getting a little too crowded here for my liking.”
And with that, I was gone. I grabbed my tote bag and took off, not bothering to look back. Thankfully, I’d had my phone in hand so I didn’t leave it behind. I walked up towards the stairs and climbed up, trying to recall the best way back to the parking lot. I could call an Uber or a cab and get home that way—I knew the name to give at the gate that would let us through, and I could go around back and just wait ’til Lucas returned to get inside the house. I could sit out there for a while easily, no hardship.
All good.
My phone beeped once.
Twice.
I kept walking.
It beeped again. I stopped, taking my phone out.
Lucas.
“You okay?” he asked soon as I answered.
I huffed out a breath. “Just needed to walk around…”
“I’ll pay our bill, meet you in front. We can probably walk from here to the Jeep.”
“Okay. Meet you in front.”
