Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Maybe.
I like Emily a lot, but she can be close-lipped when she wants to be. I almost feel like she has some other reason for being here. Something she’s not telling the rest of us.
I rise and towel off my feet.
“You leaving?” June asks.
I nod. “It’s not quite as nice when you can’t actually get in the tub.”
“I get it.” June takes another sip of water. “If you see Heather, tell her to get her cute little butt in here.”
“Sure. See you all later.” I slip my feet into my flip-flops and leave the pool area.
The sun has gone down, and stars dot the sky. I look up as I walk, taking in their beauty when—
“Oof.” I bump right into a hard chest.
“Easy.” Strong arms steady me. “You were a million miles away, Ariel.”
Alex stands before me, looking handsome as ever, though he’s not wearing his eyeglasses this evening. Last night he had that sexy professor vibe going…and he also refused to fuck me.
I need to get over myself.
“Just a little stargazing,” I say.
“In the future, you might want to do that while you’re sitting still.” He smiles. “Where are you off to?”
“Nowhere in particular. I was at the hot tub with June and Misty, but I can’t get my leg wet, so I decided to find someone else to do.”
He smiles again, and this time it’s wider. “Someone else to do?”
My cheeks go hot. “No, I said ‘something else to do.’”
“You said ‘someone.’ That’s what’s called a Freudian slip.”
Oh my God. I play my words back in my head. Did I really say that? I look down at the green grass in the courtyard, hoping a giant hole will appear so I can leap into it.
Alex tips my chin—his fingers are warm and send a spark spiraling through me—so I meet his gaze. “You are fucking adorable, Ariel.”
Adorable. Ugh. How many of them have called me that since I got here?
Adorable isn’t a bad thing, but here on this island it seems to mean, “I like you a lot, but I won’t get serious about you.”
“What are you doing tonight?” I ask in a desperate attempt to change the subject.
“I’m waiting to meet the guys. River and Brett are making a call, and Seb is…” He looks around. “I don’t know where he is. But as soon as River and Brett come down, the four of us have to talk.”
“About what?”
This time he drops his gaze to the ground. “Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about.” Then he lifts his head. “In the meantime, though, would you like to join me for a drink?”
Hmm. In the hot tub I was wishing for a cocktail, so here is my chance. Spending some time with Alex isn’t a bad idea, either. It may be short, since he’s waiting for the others, but I can at least get some more time with him. “I’m happy to join you,” I say.
He grabs my hand and leads me into the mansion and to the kitchen.
The chefs are still cleaning up, and I catch Marc’s gaze. He winks at me.
Hmm. Someone to do.
Maybe I knew what I was saying after all.
EPISODE 114
WHOEVER DID THIS WON'T RETURN
Brett
River and I end up in one of the unoccupied rooms that has been repurposed for office or general use on the second floor, near Evangeline’s suite. River taps in his parents’ number.
“I want you to listen,” he tells me. “Mom loves you, and I need your assessment of this whole thing. You’ll keep a level head and ask the questions that need to be asked.”
I nod. “For sure, bud. Whatever you need.”
“Hey, Mom,” he says into the phone. “I’ve been worried sick. Are you and Dad okay?”
Pause.
“Brett’s here with me. I’m going to put you on speaker, okay?” He sets the receiver down. “All right. You’re on speaker.”
“Hi, Monica,” I say. “What’s going on? You sure everything’s okay?”
“We’re fine, Brett.” Monica Barrett’s voice sounds calm and reassuring. “I’m so glad you’re there with River. You can always keep him on an even keel.”
River draws in a deep breath but says nothing.
“Tell us what happened,” I say.
“I’m sure you heard all about it from Sebastian. I really didn’t want to bother you boys. We’re fine, but they trashed your old room pretty badly, River.”
“So I heard,” River says gruffly.
“Nothing was taken,” she says.
“Why didn’t you set the alarm?” River asks.
“I don’t normally set it during the day.” She sighs through the line. “Then again, Jaelynn is usually there with your father during the day. I was on autopilot, I guess. But Dad is fine. They didn’t bother him at all. He heard it all, of course, but they didn’t even go into his room, thank goodness. Not that he would have been able to do anything about it.”