“He did great,” Reid says. “Didn’t he, Willa?”
Willa nods enthusiastically. “Way better than the first time I came, Anthony. You should have seen me. I couldn’t even touch my toes—and you were killing those one-legged balance poses!”
Uh-huh. Whatever. All I do is nod and jerk my thumb to the outside. “See you out there.” I need out of here. Away from yoga, and definitely away from Darcy and that tight, royal-blue outfit she’s wearing.
I gulp in the salty air, never more grateful for the ocean breeze than I am right now. Behind me, people stream out in a chorus of goodbyes, and of course, my ears strain to hear the one woman’s voice I’m desperate for.
“Not bad, Mr. Hall,” comes that teasing lilt from my left.
I turn. “It was terrible.”
She laughs, the sound unburdened and damn near joyful. “You’re right. You were really bad. Comically so. It’s sweet of your friends to try to make you feel better, though.” She hikes her mat under her arm and glances back to where Goldie and Willa are chatting while Matty and Reid gather their animals and nestle them into matching carriers against their chests.
I swear, those two are something else.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Darcy tosses me a sweet smile, then steps away as the couples turn toward me.
Stay.The thought rises, unbidden and unwanted. I clear my throat but find I’m unable to say anything in response. All I can do is watch her sashay to her car, her body a fucking siren that will surely lead me to trouble if I choose to follow.
“Wanna walk the pier with us?”
I turn my attention to Matty and give him a short, “No.”
They all laugh. “Told you he’d refuse,” Goldie says, but her expression is kind. “It’s a miracle you got Anthony to yoga. Take the win, guys.”
She’s right, but I don’t bother speaking.
“Think you’ll come back?” Reid asks. “Saw you talking to Darcy.”
“Probably not,” I answer, then start backing away, desperate to keep any conversation about Darcy from happening.
Matty comes to my rescue. “Leave the man alone, Officer Reid. You’re a menace and a gossip of the highest order, and you know it.”
“He’s worse than Ox,” I chime in, “and my brother used to be the biggest gossip in this entire town.”
“No one beats Tom and Jerry,” Willa says with a shake of her head. “Those two get all the hot gossip and feed it to Reid here. It’s a vicious cycle.”
I don’t bother telling them that I probably know more than all of them combined. Bartenders hear far more than most people intend for them to, especially when alcohol loosens their tongues.
I turn away, letting my silence communicate everything it needs. They know I’m leaving, and they all know I’m not going to make a big fuss over it.
Back at the building, I still have hours to go before the place opens for the shortened Sunday hours. I feel…itchy. But I can’t go for a run or work out; I’ve done plenty of that with yoga in the last hour. Only one other place that can cure me when I feel like this.
A short drive later, I’m making my way along through the overgrown path that leads to a secluded part of the beach. It’s still on public property, but it’s situated between two private sections so perfectly that most people don’t realize it’s here. And that’s precisely why I love it: no people. I can swim or sit and contemplate the ocean without being bothered.
As I crest the small dunes and break through the grass, my feet sink instantly into the sugary white sand. I already feel better. With a deep breath, I start the short trek to my favorite spot on this stretch of beach and immediately see that someone is there.
I halt, then shake my head. This must be a cosmic joke. Because that someone is Darcy.
Chapter7
Darcy
IS THIS EVEN happening right now? Anthony Hall is coming toward me, all six-feet-whatever growly of him, a pair of classic Wayfarer sunglasses donned casually as you please. Tattoos allll on display thanks to the tank top he wears, with short athletic shorts complete the jaw-dropping look.
Also: he was at yoga. The man has never gone, and today he goes?
Unfair.