Page 59 of The Exception

Sonya groaned. “Regardless of what all of you seem to think, this weekend is about relaxing and having a good time with friends. That’s all.”

Emma opened her mouth to say something else but before she could, Josh and Lucia came through the door. Sonya knew she liked him for a reason.

“Steaks are done,” he announced. “You guys ready to eat?”

Cat took the baby and handed Josh the tray of roasted corn, following him back out on the deck. Emma picked up the salad bowl and started for the door, but she stopped in front of Sonya, lowering her voice. “I’m glad he’s been a good friend to you and I hope that continues. But if there’s more there, wanting to maintain the friendship shouldn’t stop you from figuring it out.” She squeezed Sonya’s shoulder before leaving to join the rest of the group on the deck.

Sonya was glad to have that small moment of solitude to think until she remembered she wasn’t really alone. Dani was still perched on the countertop.

Sonya rubbed her forehead. “What is it, Dani? Haven’t you already said enough?”

“Don’t be mad, babe. It was all going to come out sooner or later.” Dani slid off the counter and reached inside the pocket of her cut-off shorts. “I actually have something for you.”

“What is it?”

Dani slipped something into her hand. When Sonya’s fingers wrapped around the accordion folded foil packets, understanding slammed into her and her cheeks went hot.

Sonya hissed, “What the hell?”

Dani’s lips curved into a wicked grin. “I brought you a gift just in case youaccidentallyget naked and bump into his dick.”

“Dani—”

Trav appeared from the deck, and Dani escaped outside.He grabbed the top of the doorframe, stretching his arms above his head and exposing a strip of tanned stomach.Jesus.

“Hey, do you need help carrying anything?” he asked.

Sonya pasted on a smile and shoved the condoms as deep into the pocket of her running shorts as they would go, praying he couldn’t see the outline through the thin nylon. How would she even explain that?

Sonya sighed, handing Trav the bowl of marinated berries and picking up the tray of sliced pound cake.

He stopped her with a hand on her stomach. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Yep. Totally fine. Let’s eat.”

Twenty-four

Coffee was calling Sonya’s name as she moved through the house early the next morning, but instead, she grabbed a bottle of water and the brochure explaining the running trail she’d decided to take a tour of. She needed to clear her head and running had always been her go-to for that.

Inviting Trav on this weekend trip to prove she could just be friends with him might go down in history as one of her worst ideas of all time. If she was being honest, it was right up there with deciding to elope.

The two of them had spent the entire night coupled off, from Pictionary partners to sharing a wicker loveseat around the firepit. He’d even built her s’mores from the other half of his graham cracker.

The worst part? It wasn’t that she couldn’t just be friends with him. The problem was she wasn’t sure if being just friends was still what she wanted.

“G’morning. You’re up early.”

She looked up from the brochure to find the object of her overthinking standing in the kitchen doorway looking adorably rumpled from sleep. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head. His pajama pants hung low on his hips, offering a glimpse of that V that was quickly becoming her weakness.

She took a sip of water to distract herself.“Good morning. I wanted to go for a run before everyone else wakes up. The brochure says there’s a trail that goes along the lake and ends up back here.”

“What’s the distance?” he asked.

“It’s a little over five miles.”

He nodded like her answer was acceptable and ran a hand through his hair. “Mind if I join you? I need to wake up.”

Shit.

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