Page 55 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO
“…and Hazel, you’ve got Liam, Lucas, Mike, James, and Tomas.”
Fantastic. Of course, Liam’s in my group.
The guys shuffle over, and I take a steadying breath. Liam is his usual brooding, handsome self, standing just slightly apart from the others. Lucas and Tomas are already cracking jokes, and James greets me with his signature grin.
“Looks like we are stuck with you, Hazel. Don’t worry, I will behave.” James says, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.
“Should I be worried you wouldn’t?” I quip.
“Oh, absolutely,” he says, shooting me a cheeky grin. “Don’t worry, Hazel. We will try not to give you a hard time.”
I force a smile. “Appreciated.”
“Speak for yourself, dude,” Lucas says, immediately jabbing at James. “Giving a hard time is your nature. After all, you have been doing it for years.”
“Hey, that’s not fair!” James protests. “You guys loved all the hard times. You know they were all funny, especially when directed at the coach.”
Tomas chuckles softly, shaking his head; Mike just rolls his eyes, while Liam says nothing but somehow manages to loom over the conversation.
“All right,” I say, clapping my hands. “Let’s figure out where we are going first. Whose car are we taking?”
“We’re taking my car,” James says, twirling his keys. “It’s got the most room.”
“Sure,” Lucas says, “but we are starting with my spot. It is close, and it makes the most sense. Non-negotiable”
“No way,” James counters, his grin fading. “Why does it have to be your spot? My spot is way cooler, and we all know it’s the best one for photos. Plus, it’s on the way to Hazel’s favorite place.”
“You don’t even know where her favorite place is,” Lucas fires back.
“Oh, please.” Tomas rolls his eyes. “You are both wrong. My pick is the best, and it is not even close, but it’s less crowded. I call first. We should start there.”
“What are you even talking about?” Lucas fires back, stepping closer. “We are not going all the way out to the edge of town just for some random spot you like. We will burn daylight.”
“Yeah, your spot is way out of the way,” James argues. “It’s a waste of time.”
“Wait, you guys are arguing, but we don’t even know what spots or places you’re talking about,” Mike says, leaning back against the car with an amused expression. “How are we supposed to argue about them if we don’t even know what they are?”
Tomas and Lucas both fall silent for a moment, realizing Mike is right. I cross my arms, raising an eyebrow.
Lucas crosses his arms. “Fine. My spot is the Autumn Cove Waterfall. It is iconic; it is stunning.
“Waterfall is cool and all,” James cuts in, “but it is nothing compared to the Overlook Ridge. Best view in the Cove, hands down.”
“Overlook Ridge?” Tomas snorts. “Get real. The Cove Marina is the best spot. The water, the boats, the sunlight - it is a no-brainer.”
Lucas narrows his eyes at Tomas. “The marina? It is crowded this time of day. You really think we are going to get good shots with people walking through them?”
“Exactly,” James adds, pointing at Tomas. “And it is not even close to being as cool as the ridge. Besides, the waterfall is way overdone.”
“Guys, they said, OUR favorite places.” Tomas says, rolling his eyes. “The Cove Marina is MY favorite spot.”
Lucas scoffs. “Whatever. The waterfall’s a classic for a reason. It is not like anyone cares about your pretentious ridge that’s miles out of the way.”
“Oh, here we go with the mileage argument,” James mutters, throwing his hands up. “For the last time, it is not that far. And if it was, it’d be worth it because the view is unbeatable.”
“And I’m the one who’s pretentious?” Tomas quips, stepping forward. “You are acting like we are hiking up Everest. My spot is literally right on the way. It is convenient, it is beautiful, and you don’t have to dodge tourists like at the waterfall.”
“You’re both missing the point,” Lucas interjects.
