Page 47 of Marring an Athlete

Chapter Sixteen

Anna

McKenna and Sam were still in their session when Sefina released Michael and Anna. Not sure what to do, Anna made her way over to the door and stepped outside. So many thoughts were rolling around in her mind, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about any of them.

She’d been honest. Told Michael some of her true thoughts about him and what he’d said about her. If it had been the right thing, why was her stomach twisted in knots? Like she’d done something wrong. And she probably had. Michael was a good guy. Lacked judgment sometimes, but he had a huge heart.

She stepped around the building and leaned against the outside wall, staring off across the ocean. Another island rose up in the water. It was covered in lush greenery. She wrapped her arms around her chest. It was breathtaking here.

“You okay?” Michael’s deep voice startled her.

She turned to see him standing next to her. He had his eyebrows raised and an apologetic look in his eye. “You don’t have to be nice to me,” she said as regret filled her chest. Why did she have to be so mean to him? He wasn’t hers.

He studied her. “Why wouldn’t I be? I should be the one apologizing. I became a crazy jealous person when I saw Javier flirting with you.”

She swallowed. Did he just say jealous? “Why would you feel that way?”

She felt his gaze on her before he turned it toward the ocean. “Anna, I care about you.”

Her heart pounded hard in her chest. Was this it? Was he actually going to confess his feelings for her? She wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but she was thankful that she had the wall of the building to hold her up.

“Really?” she asked.

He turned and stepped closer to her. “Anna.” His voice turned husky. He was inches from touching her. “I’m protective over you like I would be over McKenna. If a guy is going to date you, he better be the best one there is.”

He reached out and rested his arm on her shoulders. He pulled her close. Not in the way that every molecule of her body wanted, but in a you’re my pal sort of way.

“When we get back to the states, I have a few guys I can hook you up with. Good guys. Not flirty men who should know not to hit on you at a marriage resort.”

Anna stiffened. Not only was Michael playing with her emotions, but he was planning to set her up? How was she reading this so horribly wrong? Man, her judgment was really off.

She nodded and then took a step away from him, breaking their contact. “I think I can find a guy for myself just fine,” she said. She swallowed, trying to push down all the emotions that were bubbling up. She couldn’t let this break her heart. Michael really didn’t have feelings for her, and that was okay.

At least he was being honest and upfront. Not like Patrick, who strung her along before he decided things with Shelly were going to work out, and then dropping her.

He looked over at her. “Really, Anna?”

She nodded. “Patrick was a mistake, but I learned from it. I’ve learned to protect myself. And that some men aren’t what they seem.” She let her last statement linger in the air as she glanced over at him. If he realized that she was talking about him, he didn’t move to show it.

Instead he rubbed his face with his hand. “Good to know.”

They stood in silence, each staring out at the ocean until McKenna and Sam walked up. They were talking under their breath as they approached.

Anna smiled over at McKenna and wrapped an arm around her waist. “How did it go?”

There was a relaxed feeling to McKenna. She looked relieved as she wrapped her arm around Anna’s shoulders and took a deep breath. “It was. . . good. Needed.”

Anna smiled. That was a good sign. After all, they were here to help McKenna. And if one of the couples who came here left in a better place, then she’d call this trip a success.

Michael

Javier picked them up from the therapists’ office, drove them to the dock, and turned off the Jeep. They all climbed out and followed him up the boardwalk to the boat that was rocking in the water. Michael tried to slow to fall into step with Anna, but she seemed to be just fine walking between McKenna and Sam.

He felt badly about what had happened at the therapist’s office. He’d hoped his encouraging words outside afterward would help her feel better. But from Anna’s taut lips and furrowed brow, he may have made things worse. He wanted to fix it, he did. He just wasn’t sure how.

Javier walked up to the man on the boat and began speaking in a different language. They shook and nodded a few times and then Javier turned and smiled at them.

“This is Luka. He’ll be your snorkeling guide.”

---