Page 27 of Rum Sips and Salty Lips

“I like Orion. Don’t know why he rubs you the wrong way,” Haley whispers to me.

The bar has picked up. It’s always crowded on Friday nights. The locals’ section usually fills up since it isn’t tourist high season—the weather is far too hot—and we feel like this place is ours again.

“I don’t know,” I say. My insides roll, with Beckett wanting me to hook up with Hamilton, and Alex pushing Orion in front of me. I can’t handle Haley tossing her hat in the ring for him. He’s also currently sharing with Christian about the months he spent in Tahiti and how much he loved it. I can’t imagine he wouldn’t want to go back there with how he’s talking about it.

“I’m glad we were able to connect with him,” she continues. “He was so helpful on the boat trip and he’s definitely good-looking.”

I feel my last cocktail in my stomach. “I thought you were dating Eric.” My voice is sharper than I intend. I want her far away from Orion. I have no claim on him, but the thought of him dating my friend makes me want to vomit.

Which proves my point that I need to stay away from him. I can’t keep my emotions in check. I demanded a fling; it ended. I should move on and quit acting like it was anything more.

She gives me a look, telling me she sees more than I want her to. “I am. I wasn’t suggesting I date Orion. I thought we were becoming friends.”

“You’re right. Sorry. I’m jumpy tonight.”

“Change is always difficult,” she says. “With Sienna getting married, the dynamic of our friend group is shifting, even if we think it won’t.”

We get a few more rounds and I’m feeling pleasantly buzzed. Bristol knows me well enough that she makes sure I drink a full glass of water between each cocktail, so I don’t get hungover. I have my limits. I’m for having fun and trying new things, but Ialso don’t want to do anything reckless or stupid. I am the very definition ofdrink responsibly.

“I’m headed home,” Orion says, finishing the last drop from his cocktail.

I shouldn’t have been following everything he ordered. I can’t remember what Haley had but I know everything Orion drank tonight.

He signals Bristol to bring his check. “I have to be up early.”

“I do too,” I say. It’s not necessarily true. I have an early morning yoga class. I do every day. Saturday isn’t an exception. But there’s no reason to stay at the bar with Orion gone.

If anyone asks, it’s a safety thing, having him walk me home.

We close out our checks as Autumn arrives to join Christian and they move to the bar. We wave goodbye to Haley who heads to the parking lot where her sister picks her up.

Orion and I turn toward our homes, walking along the dark beach. The sun has long set and I’m surprisingly happy with that. I don’t need a romantic moment with him, and the sunsets here are gorgeous.

I remove my flip-flops and hold them in my hand. Orion takes a few steps in the sand and does the same. The sand is cool in the night air—a stark contrast to how it felt earlier.

“Thanks for inviting me out,” he says.

“Of course.” It didn’t go exactly the way I planned, but I would’ve regretted leaving him out. I can’t avoid him forever. The more I am around him, the more it won’t mean anything, and the thought of not having him around won’t make my skin itch. It’s exposure therapy.

“I mean it, Carina. I’m glad I got to meet Christian and see Alex. And you should know that Alex purposefully didn’t tell us about each other.”

I knew it.“He’s trying to push us together.” He probably thinks Orion is a safe alternative to Hamilton. “He might like theidea of us as a couple. He might also want to spite Hamilton. The two of them never got along. Beckett met Hamilton at college. He moved here for a little bit to work at the resort.” I almost add in “until he was poached by my dad to work for his firm” but I don’t want Orion to know yet. I have too many complicated feelings about it. “Hamilton isn’t from here and was never impressed by Paradise. Plus, Alex actually works behind the bar. Hamilton has never done manual labor in his life.”

“I’m assuming lifting golf clubs doesn’t count,” Orion says.

“He hires people for that.” I hope my sarcasm comes through.

Orion chuckles. “I shut it down. Told Alex I’m not interested in dating.”

I nod and don’t say anything specifically. Whatever feelings I have in my pants, they will pass. This is fine. The alcohol I drank doesn’t feel like acid in my stomach.

He stops in the middle of the beach. “Do they even know you?” he asks.

It feels like a question out of nowhere, but it’s not. “Of course they know me. I’ve been friends with Haley and Alex since we were kids, and I met Christian five years ago.” My heart breaks a little at how right he is about this. How it’s possible for me to be so transparent with him and opaque to everyone else.

“Right, but none of them know you.”

“Oh, and you do?” He does and I want to be angry at him for it.

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