Page 107 of Eye of the Hurricane
“It’s not my fault. Honestly, blame the corset.”
“The corset really does it for you, huh?” I ask, laughing. I lean up on my elbow. “What’s Beck’s deal? Why doesn’t he date?”
“I’m not sure. Roman would be a better person to ask about him. All I know is he made some one-off comment to me about never moving on if you lose the one,” he says with a shrug.
“So there is a One I’m guessing? Do you know who?”
“Not really. When him and Roman were in high school he was always with this girl Levina. She like disappeared after high school though. Maybe her? Although I never knew that they dated if they did.”
“Maybe they never dated but he was in love with her.”
“Maybe,” he agrees, standing from the bed. “Come on, let’s get you in the bath.”
“Will you get in with me?”
“I’ll do whatever you want me to,” he assures me, holding out a hand to help me off of the bed.
Chapter 30
Ares
Romanand I do one more run through of all of the things Audra needs to remember to lock while we’re at the lake house on a trip that he’s been insisting we take.
“Yes, I do know how to lock doors,” she says, flashing a sarcastic smile at us.
“You’re sure you’ll be okay here alone?” Roman asks, running a gentle hand down her black hair. Ravyn is out of town with her mom, visiting her sister. We double, triple, and now are quadruple checking that Audra will be okay without us here.
“It’s one night, I’ll be fine.” She laughs.
“If you need us, call us. We’d be here in just a few hours,” he assures her. She groans.
“Please make sure he doesn’t spend the entire trip worrying about me,” she says, turning her attention to me.
“I’ll see what I can do. But seriously, call us if you need us,” I tell her. She waves me off, shooing us out of the house.
“I love you guys, drive safe,” she says, herding us toward the door.
“I love you, Auds,” he says, dropping a kiss to her lips. The kiss lasts longer than a peck and I’m now looking at the ceiling, waiting for the moment to be over.
We get in the car and drive to Beck’s house, picking him up.
“Let’s do this,” I say, as he throws his bag into the backseat. The music is loud enough that I have to yell over it.
“Do we have everything?” Roman asks, glancing to Beck then at me. I give him a simple thumbs up and Beck nods.
I wish I could say the drive there is quiet. It’s not though, it’s filled with ear damaging bass. Beck and Roman are giving a full concert. While they sound like tone deaf walruses I have to say I’m impressed with the range of songs they know well enough to scream in the car.
The drive is familiar, one we take a couple times a year. I recognize every exit and fruit stand the whole way there. It’s comforting.
First orderof business when we get there is enjoying the lake. With beer, of course.Okay fine, we’re mostly enjoying the beer.
I’ve somehow been conned into playing beach volleyball with athletes again. I feel like there isn’t enough air left on the planet to replace what’s missing in my lungs.
“I swear I’m never playing with you guys again,” I pant.
“You said that last time,” Beck says.
“Well, I mean it this time.” I walk out to the water andpop my head under to cool down. It’s unseasonably warm today at seventy-eight.
