Page 109 of Save Me
In seconds, Frank has the engine cut and is hopping out to link the tiki to ours,Tiki Onerocking under his weight.
“What’s going on?” My gaze flips from Ronan to Frank and back to Ronan.
“I’m taking over. You’re going back with him.” Frank jerks his head toward Ronan.
“Is it Gigi?” My voice cracks on her name.
“What? No. Gigi’s fine. Just got a text from her.”
A wave of relief bowls over me. I smack him in the arm. “Don’t do that to me!” Today is already soul-crushing. But losing Gigi too? That, I couldn’t bear.
Realization dances across his gruff expression. “Oh, yeah, sorry, didn’t think. But you two need to talk.”
“About?”
“You two need to talk,” Frank repeats, giving me a high-browed look.
“Oh.”
Oh.
Ronan leans against the tiki bar, waiting. His golf attire is gone, swapped out for board shorts and a worn gray T-shirt clinging to his chest.
“Who told him?” Was it Frank? No, he’d never do that. It had to be Abbi. Why, though? Is she angry for me trying to sabotage her husband’s plans?
“No idea.”
I guess thewhydoesn’t matter, though.
“And? What’d he say?”
“Oh no, I’m not doin’ this with you too.” Frank’s resolute head shake brooks no argument. “You go figure it out withhim.”
I swallow. Moment of truth. Is this the end of things with Ronan? Is this the part where he says this isn’t what he signed up for? That he’s out? Will this be a repeat of my mother’s short-lived romance, when my father told her to “get rid of it” so they could continue with their sordid affair?
What if he wants me to have it?
I swallow against the ball of anxiety that’s erupted in my throat. “You remember Frank, right, Bailey?”
“Oh yeah, we go way back.”
“Another smart-ass in my life. Just what I needed,” Frank grumbles, earning her grin.
I drop my voice. “Listen, I’ve got something I need to do, so he’s going to take over training you for the day.”
“Yeah, no problem. Do what you’ve gotta do.”
Louder, I announce, “Okay, ladies! I have to headout, but the very capable Captain Frank is going to get you back to shore safely.”
Half of them wave to me; the other half are too focused on ogling Ronan.
For his part, he’s not paying them any heed, his focus glued on me.
“Good luck,” Jeremy whispers as I pass him to grab my bag from behind the bar.
With a forced smile, I skip over toTiki Three, dreading this conversation. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
