Page 16 of Embers in the Outfield

I get myself ready in record time and finally grab my phone and text Sam that I’m headed down shortly. She replies with a winky face emoji, and I laugh. My best friend is consistent, that’s for sure.

Since we lived with one another in college, she has been the queen of emojis. I think if a language could be invented where emojis were the only things used instead of words, she would champion that new communication method.

I open my door, slowly at first, to assess the hallway. The cart I heard earlier is now stationed next door at River’s room. That means he’s no longer in his room and likely downstairs.

I’m about to make my way to the elevator when an idea strikes me. Instead of going with my original plan to win back my vibrator, I decide to deviate. I was going to wait to pay him back for his little stunt last night, but now I’ve got something new in mind.

I peek my head into River’s room, the housekeeper tending to the bed.

“Um, excuse me.” The woman startles for a second before realizing I’m in the room. “I’m sorry to do this, but I left something here last night. Do you mind if I grab it?”

I prepare myself for more resistance from this woman, but she nods and goes back to making the bed. This is too easy.

I quickly find what I’m looking for and rush back to my room. Part one of my plan is underway.

About ten minutes later, I walk into the restaurant at the hotel and find my friends sitting in the back. It seems most of the wedding party has left, probably up early to enjoy breakfast together, while I’m over here strolling in nearly forty-five minutes late.

I cringe at the sight of the table with uneaten croissants and half-drank coffees strewn about the tables.

“I’m so sorry. I crashed last night.”

Sam looks up from her phone, a genuine smile marking her features.

“Don’t worry about it. Ash and I were a little late too.” She waggles her eyebrows at that last part, and I make a motion to gag.

Samara laughs and goes back to looking at her phone.

“Sorry for the distraction. I’m just checking into our flight for tomorrow.”

“You know you could have saved yourself the trouble if you had just accepted the offer that my uncle would have let you use his jet,” I say as I put my purse down at an unoccupied area of the table.

Yes, I sound like a pretentious diva, but why not use the things we have at our disposal? Unlike my uncle, I am not as flashy as he chooses to live his life. I offered for Sam and Ash to use it as a wedding gift from me and my family, but she wouldn’t hear of it.

They’re headed to Hawaii for their honeymoon, something they’ve both dreamed of doing since they met. It’s a long flight from this side of the States, so it makes sense to make the trip for a special occasion like their wedding.

“Stop it, Kennedy. We are already staying at your uncle’s place while in Maui. We don’t need to overstep.”

I roll my eyes; this argument is becoming a bit of a repetitive game we are playing at this point.

I look around and survey the restaurant, then bring my focus back to my best friend. “Where’s Ashton?”

Sam looks up but is interrupted by a voice I had prepared to hear, yet it still catches me off guard.

“He was making sure I was fed before he left me behind to care for his wife.” River’s voice, usually grating my nerves, is now something that causes that uptick in my heart rate. I’m surprised by the turn of events, but I try to tame my reaction.

Ashton chuckles as he settles next to Sam and kisses her cheek. She closes her eyes, almost like she’s savoring every second they touch one another.

I swing my gaze over to River, his eyes looking me over, most likely checking to see if what happened last night is having a negative effect on me. I try to give him a calm look back, then opt for a smile, and that seems to appease him. Whatever nerves he had, fearing something would change with us, dissipates quickly off his shoulders.

“Good morning, River,” I say, trying to sound indifferent.

“Wow, not a ‘fuck you’ or ‘drop dead’ at this early hour? That’s new.” That’s from Ash, and I look at him, panic taking over my features that he can see right through me. Am I giving offRiver made me climax with my dildovibes?

“It’s almost like she’s let off some steam and has no energy to throw daggers in my direction,” River answers, and I give him a glare in return.

I roll my eyes and don’t even waste my breath with a comeback. Maybe there’s more truth to what he’s saying than I’d care to admit. I excuse myself to grab a plate and serve myself some breakfast at the buffet.

When I return, Ashton is talking about the new software he’s helping build at the company he is working at.

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