Page 19 of Revival

“Do I have to piss out there too?”

“Spencer, you can do whatever it is you’d like. I’m not your mother. As long as you stay out of my way, we’ll be just fine.” I retrieve my Kindle from the front pocket of my carry-on and my phone from my crossbody purse and walk back outside.

I sit down on the edge of the pool and sink my legs in up to my calves. The warm water swirls gently around my skin. After dinner, I’ll go for a swim, but for now… Tilting my face to the sunny sky, I lean back on my palms as the first tear slips down my cheek.

Nope. Not doing this. Sebastian doesn’t deserve my tears. He sure as fuck doesn’t deserve them while I’m sitting in this luxury resort that cost the price of a brand-new car.

I swipe angrily at the cascading drops until they stop. My skin is probably an angry red, but it’s nothing a shower and fresh makeup can’t fix.

But first…

I switch my phone back on. The constant vibration tells me I missed a lot over the course of the day.

The list of names on my phone screen steadies me. It’s as if the people checking in are pillars, holding me up and bringing me back to the present.

These past couple of weeks have sucked, but I have one hell of a support system.

The first text goes out to Ollie. I miss my boy. This is going to be the longest we’ve ever spent apart. I let him know I arrived safely and that I’ll call him after dinner to check in.

Most of the other texts are my sisters-in-law, probably checking in by proxy for my five brothers. Not that I doubt their sincerity, but I know the boys wouldn’t want to be seen as too overbearing.

They’ve been hovering worse than our mom these past couple of weeks, no doubt itching to kick Sebastian’s ass.

A few years ago, they would have, and not one of them would have asked for my permission. They would have asked for bail money, though, and I’d have gladly given it.

Fortunately for all of us, falling in love has softened even the toughest of my brothers, and nobody has to spend a night in jail over my broken heart.

I work my way through the list, letting everyone know I’ve arrived.Yes,the weather is nice, andno,I haven’t gone for a swim yet. The task is arduous and oddly unfulfilling.

As I scroll back through the list of names again, my thumb hovers over the contacts. Maybe I need to hear a familiar voice. Who is the least likely to interrogate me?

The easy answer comes swiftly. Only one girl in the family isn’t prone to gossip. I swipe back up and tap Frankie’s name. She answers on the third ring.

“Hey! I didn’t expect to hear from you today.”

After drawing one leg from the water, I wrap my free arm around my shin and rest my chin on my knee.

“I know. I have some free time before my dinner reservation, so I thought I’d say hi.”

“Tell me more about this reservation. What’s on the menu tonight?” she asks excitedly. Frankie grew up in conditions not unlike my brothers and me and has never left the state. She took a lot of interest during the planning stages of my trip. Hearing her enthusiastic tone has me wishing I brought her along.

“There’s seven restaurants on the property, and tonight it’s hibachi.”

“Yum! I’m so jealous. So did you prebook all your meals for the week?”

“No, only the first one. I can make my reservation each morning.” I probably should have changed this one, both when I called the wedding off and again when we arrived. Sitting alone at a hibachi grill is uncomfortable enough. Sitting with Spencer and trying to appear like we actually enjoy one another’s company is another thing altogether.

“I can’t wait to hear all the details when you get back. I think I might have just about convinced Jude to let the guys take care of the Sanctuary for a week so he and I can follow in your footsteps. I’m hoping he'll be all in once he hears you talk about your trip.”

“You’re an answer to my prayers, Frankie. I hope you know that.” My words are thick with the emotion I’m holding back.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine! I’m fine.” I sniff. “I just can’t believe I’m talking to Jude’s fiancée about getting him on an airplane. You don’t know how many times I couldn’t even get him to come over for dinner, never mind ever leaving the state.”

Jude’s childhood was arguably one of the roughest between us siblings, and he’s carried those deep wounds well into adulthood. But once the former grumpy recluse found an injured woman on the property that houses our family-run dog sanctuary, the rest, as they say, is history.

Frankie healed him in such a way that I think he was waiting for her all along.

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