Page 18 of Summer with a Brother's Best Friend
“Um, not nosy, just standing here.”
“We need to find her a man,” I tease, pulling back to look at Reece, but Vienna snorts and shakes her head.
“I’m doing just fine, Nowak. Don’t you worry about me.”
“What?!” Reece hisses, lightly smacking Vienna on the arm. “You’re seeing someone and you didn’t tell me?”
“Seeing someoneis kind of a stretch. We’re just hooking up.” She shrugs.
“Hey, good for you,” I say, earning a smirk from Vienna and a glare from Reece.
“Who is he? Where did you meet him?” Reece presses, and I stifle a laugh as Vienna closes the book, tucking it into her arm before pulling another from the shelf.
“I went to visit my sister, and she took me out in Magnolia Point and I met a guy.”
“And? Oh my God, why are you making me pry this out of you?”
“Stop being so dramatic. We met, we talked, we hooked up, and decided that hooking up until he moves at the end of the summer is perfect for both of us.”
“Are we going to meet him?” Reece asks with a huff, making Vienna narrow her eyes at her.
“What? No. Why would you meet him? I’m not dating him, Reece. We’re just engaging in mutually beneficial orgasms.” Reece opens her mouth and then closes it as Vienna’s expression softens. “Sweetie, it’s okay that that’s not you.”
“Damn straight it’s not you,” I growl and pull Reece tight against my side.
“Y’all are disgusting, but I love you.”
“I’ve never appreciated anyone more than in this moment,” I say, my tone amused, but I’m serious. Vienna has kept our secret, and it’s been nice not to have to pretend around her.
“That’s gonna cost you another book, Nowak.”
“Sold.”
She smirks but I just shrug, taking another sip of my wine because I’ll take a thousand nights like this over a lifetime with anyone else.
Like she’s reading my mind, Reece turns and places a lingering kiss on my cheek. “Thank you for the perfect night.”
“It’s perfect because you’re in it.”
“Aaaand now you owe me three books,” Vienna says with a wave over her shoulder as she moves farther down the shelves. “I’ll be over here when you’re done being gross.”
“It’s amazing you’re friends,” I say on a laugh, but I’m not serious. In fact, I’m so damn thankful that they’ve had each other all these years and that I get to now be privy to the chaos they create.
Add Marigold into the mix, and those three are bound to get into trouble in Love Beach. My smile falls because it’s just one more thing—one more person—she’ll be leaving when the summer ends.
14
REECE
“Iwish I could take you out on a real date,” Isaac whispers in the darkness, his fingertips running up and down my spine, a shiver chasing the movement.
“Tonight doesn’t count?” I tease, trying to lighten the mood. We’d had a great time with Vienna at the Book & Barrel, but it wasn’t the same.
Not even close.
“You know what I mean.”
“Maybe we should,” I say even though it lacks conviction. A promise we made years ago shouldn’t hold so much weight but it does.
