Page 49 of Playing the Field
“Your boyfriend, or whatever. I don’t know what you want to hear. I’m just being supportive.”
Gracie pushes the box of pancakes toward me. There’s still one at the bottom, swimming in syrup, but I tear off a corner. Maybe I need to shove something in my mouth instead of words.
Kyler’s laugh sounds like the bark of a seal. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my partner.”
“Okay, call him whatever you want. All good.” I launch off the barstool and push past him to find something in the fridge to counteract the sickeningly sweet pancake. I land on a bag of carrots and go to the sink to peel one.
“I mean, he’s my business partner in the new venture to sponsor surf competitions like I said fifteen minutes ago. What part of that did you not understand?”
I turn around, carrot peeler in hand, and look from Kyler to Gracie, trying to make sure I’m getting the real story now. Gracie nods almost imperceptibly.
“Sorry. I spaced out for a second,” I admit. “Didn’t sleep great last night, so I’m a little off my game.”
Kyler laughs. “So all this time, you thought I was coming out, telling you about my little side dish?” He looks at the picture on his phone and nods. “I mean, I could do much worse, but come on, I’m not a cradle robber.”
“How old is he?” Gracie asks, clearly still amused by my gaffe.
“Eighteen.”
I slap a hand against my forehead and take a bite of the carrot. “Jesus. Sorry I wasn’t paying attention.”
Still smiling, Gracie excuses herself. “I need to shower and pick up Tatum.”
Kyler high-fives her and continues without missing a beat. “Sorry you didn’t sleep. Was it the blinds in the office? Sometimes they let in too much light.”
I nod. “Yeah, the blinds. I think that’s what it was.” I don’t dare look at Gracie, but I hear her giggle. Even though I know I’m the butt of the joke, my senses still light up at the sound. I need to get her alone, but I also need to be a better friend to Kyler. I owe him my full attention, at the very least. “Anyhow, forget that. Tell us more about the surfing. What’s the biggest wave you caught?”
Kyler thumbs through his phone again. “Thirty footer. There’s only one good one before I wiped out, but it’s here someplace.”
“Take your time,” I say. It takes all my self-control to sit here and let him, but maybe it’s good practice for gametime. All I know is that every minute I sit here, it’s that much longer I have to wonder about what Gracie was about to tell me.
CHAPTER 26
Gracie
“Yay!I’m so happy to see you!” Tatum runs the short distance from the sidewalk outside baggage claim to where I stand next to my car, bouncing on my toes and shielding my eyes from the afternoon sun.
It’s hard to believe it took me an hour to get here from the Hollywood Hills, but that’s LA for you, I guess.
Tatum skips across the bus lane and tosses her overnight bag into my open trunk before giving me a hug. “Me too,” I sigh.
As soon as we’re belted in, Tatum starts asking questions. “Who are your friends? What do you do outside of work? How’s living with Ky working out?” I navigate us out of the busy airport and into the traffic on Century Boulevard on the way to the freeway.
At the first red light, I level her with a look. “You want me to answer all of those?”
“Of course I do, but not all at once. Is there somewhere we can grab a drink?”
I input the name of the hotel in Santa Monica where Tatum is staying, and we drive straight there.
Another trafficky hour later, I feel the cool ocean breeze kissing my skin as it travels east beyond the palm trees. It’s nearly four in the afternoon. We’re situated at a perfect patio table on top of the Proper Hotel, where couples and friend groups sit at a rooftop bar, gawking at the coastal view and basking in the late afternoon sunshine.
“This could not be more perfect. It was foggy when I left San Francisco.”
“It’s always foggy in San Francisco. I miss it.” It’s the first time I’ve said the words out loud since I arrived here, and I consider how well I’ve adjusted to LA.
“Aw, you just miss me.” Tatum smiles and accepts a spicy margarita from our server, who puts an identical one in front of me.
“I do. Of course I do.”
