Page 22 of Beauty
“I’m watching you,” a female calls from close by.
“Oh, we know,” War mumbles. He gets real close to the screen and whisper-hisses, “Sara is the head of PR. She’s wicked hot but super scary.”
Brooks punches him in the arm. “Don’t be a dick.”
Blue eyes dancing with mischief, War throws a thumb toward Brooks. “And he’s in love with her.”
“I’m going to kill you,” my gentle giant of a friend curses. A second later, he’s gone.
War drops his head back and chuckles. “So I’m making friends and settling in. What areyoudoing? Or better yet,whoare you doing?”
A sigh slips out of me without my permission. “I’m just hanging in the room.”
War frowns, bringing the phone closer to his face. “That’s—dude, why the fuck aren’t you outside? Or inside a woman?”
“Gross,” Sara, I assume, calls off screen.
Huffing a laugh, I shake my head. “Calm yourself. I spent the day snorkeling. With a woman,” I add for good measure.
“Oh.” He sits up straighter, his dark brows high on his forehead. “Are you in her room?”
“Yes,” I lie. “She’s in the shower.”
His lips kick up on one side. “Fuck yes. Is she hot?”
Mouth shut tight, I glare at him. He knows I don’t talk like that.
He gives up quickly, leaning back against the cushions behind him. “Whatever. All right, go get in that shower. And don’t call me again until you get home.”
“You called me,” I argue.
He chuckles. “Don’t pick up next time. Go fuck. Swim. Do something. Stop being such an old man. And if I see one goddamn crossword puzzle the next time we video chat, you’re a dead man.”
I huff out a breath, but I’m smiling. He knows me well.
The screen goes dark before I have a chance to respond, and the room goes silent again.
With a sigh, I navigate to Jen’s contact and send her a text, checking in and ensuring she’s still feeling okay. Then I type out a message to Hannah. She’s on the Boston Revs PR team, so this is her busy season. She’s traveling, which it seems she does even more than I do, but she says things are good. She loves her job. Now that I think about it, she probably knows Sara, and from the way Sara handled War and Brooks, I bet she and my sister get along well.
That makes me smile. Hannah deserves the world. She hasn’t had the easiest life, but she’s one of the best people I know.
My phone buzzes, and a notification banner appears, so I tap on it.
Jen: Feeling good. Based on what the doctor said yesterday, it’s not likely I’ll have this baby until you’re back for summer camp.
Right. Because preseason training starts next week. And in a matter of weeks after that, I’ll be a dad.
War’s right. Why the fuck am I sitting in this room like an old man? Yes, I have a kid on the way, and yes, my life is about to change. But I’m not a dadyet.
I’ve got two more days in paradise. After that, trips like this will be impossible, so I better make the time worth remembering.
I’m going after Sienna. Fuck it.
NINE
SIENNA
The sun takesa swan dive into the ocean, turning the water a shimmery pink and gold as the sky shifts from a teal that nearly matches the water to a deep red. Is the sky a reflection of the sea or the opposite? I can’t remember.
