Page 137 of The Hookup
“Who did you come with?”
Her question seemed to confound him. “Just me.”
Just him. She let out her breath.
“I made you a cocktail,” he said, sliding the cocktail glass towards her.
That got her started. “Don’t go getting any ideas—”
“I’m not.” He shook his head. “I promise you, I have no intentions. This is for old time’s sake. I swear. I would never…”
She left the cocktail glass untouched while blood coursed through her veins, making her dizzy. Determination steeled her. She was going to make a stand. He obviously had come here alone, for a reason. Well, she wasn’t going to fall for any of it. But he looked better. At least he seemed to look better, it was hard to tell in the soft glow of the fairy lights. “Did you get your medication back on track?” she asked, concerned as always about his health.
“I did.” He folded his arms, forcing her attention to those muscles again. She deliberately looked away, refusing to admire them.
“I’m back at the gym again, and back at work. Marie sends her love, as does Amanda.”
Her eyes widened to saucers and she turned to look at him again. “Theyknewyou were coming here? They knowI’mhere?”
“Yes.”
Indignation swept over her like a tidal wave. “If you think you can just turn up expectedly and expect me to pretend that everything is fine, you are severely mistaken.”
“It doesn’t mean anything, me coming here and you being here”, he told her, in a calm manner. “Tobias said I looked as if I needed a break, and he invited me. Savannah let it slip that you’d be here this week.”
“And you decided to comethisweek?”
“Yes.” Why did that not make her as angry as it should have?
“Because?” she demanded.
“Because I liked the idea of being away from everything, and seeing you again.”
“But I … I…this was meant to bemyvacation before I start my new job.”
“It’s a big island, Kay. I can stay out of your way if you want me to. If you still hate me as much as you did before.”
She didn’t have a ready answer to that. “When did you arrive?” she asked.
“In the early hours of the morning, before you got up.”
“And you’ve been hiding all day?”
“Tobias took snorkeling at the other end of the island. We chilled, catching up on things.”
Her lips pressed together. “Tobias and Savannah sat with me having dinner knowing that you were skulking around the island? Did Jacob know?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think that little dude can keep a secret, but I’m happy to take him to the waterfall tomorrow, if you don’t want to.”
She wondered how much of her conversation he’d heard, and how long he’d been skulking around. “Have you been stalking me?”
“Only since towards the end of your dinner.” He paused, his eyes dancing with amusement. “This brings back memories,” he said, “You and me here. If I could take back time, I’d do it all differently.”
“You can’t.” She lifted her head, curious anyway. “What would you do differently?”
“I’d appreciate you more, be more grateful for you, recognize everything you did for me. But more than that, I wouldn’t push you away all those times you tried to get close to me.”
She folded her arms.
