Page 56 of Brushed and Buried
He looks stunning. White button-down rolled to his forearms, dark jeans that fit him perfectly, leather messenger bag slung over one shoulder, small trolley in the other hand. As he stretches after the drive, his shirt lifts just enough to reveal the line of his torso, arms defined and golden in the sunlight. Something seizes in my core, heat pooling low in my stomach, and I can’t tear my eyes away. Every movement draws my attention like he’s the only thing worth watching in the world, the way he carries himself with that effortless confidence that used to drive me crazy in high school.
“There they are,” Becca says, waving through the glass.
We head inside to meet them in the lobby. Becca practically bounces across the marble floor, throwing her arms around Adrian the moment she sees him. He hugs her back with genuine warmth, lifting her slightly off the ground.
“You’re back,” she says. “We’re so glad you could come.”
“Anything for my new friends,” Adrian grins, and that smile hits me somewhere behind my ribs. “Thanks for letting me crash the party again.”
“Are you kidding? You’re saving our asses.” Trevor pulls him into one of those backslapping hugs guys do. “Seriously, mate, we owe you big time.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” Adrian’s voice is easy and relaxed. “Besides, I missed you idiots.”
Lance laughs, punching his shoulder lightly. “Really? It’s like you never left.”
“True,” Adrian says, and there’s something in his tone that suggests he means it. “It turns out normal life is boring after hanging out with you degenerates.”
“Degenerates?” George raises an eyebrow. “Says the guy who convinced us to order room service champagne at two in the morning.”
“That was research,” Adrian protests with mock seriousness. “I needed to understand the full range of your poor decision-making capabilities.”
The easy banter flows between them like they’ve been friends for years instead of days. There’s something different about Adrian with them, more relaxed than I’ve seen him since he came back in my life, like he’s dropped some invisible guard he carries with the rest of the world.
“How was the flight?” Becca asks as we settle into the lobby’s seating area.
“Short. Sweet. The flight attendant gave me extra pretzels when I told her I was rushing back for a wedding emergency.” We settle in the hotel reception lounge, Adrian quickly pulling out his tablet to show her some photographs. “So, the good news is, my friend Ayaka owns a small florist shop in Santa Barbara, and she’s been wanting to try some new techniques with white florals. The visual impact will be just as strong as what you originally planned.”
“You sure?” Becca looks hopeful but cautious.
“Positive. White peonies have more texture than roses anyway. They’ll photograph beautifully, and the scent is incredible. Plus, I know a lighting guy who’s new in the industry, and he’s been wanting to experiment with warm tones against white arrangements. This could end up looking even more sophisticated than the original concept.”
There’s genuine excitement in his voice when he talks about the creative possibilities. This isn’t just problem-solving for him. He actually cares about making it beautiful for Trevor and Becca.
“Christ, Adrian,” Trevor says, running a hand through his hair. “You just got here and you’ve already got it sorted.”
“Not sorted yet,” Adrian corrects with a grin. “But sortable. We’ll work on it.”
Lance leans forward. “What do you need from us?”
“Nothing, really, so don’t worry about this side of things. I’ll coordinate with Olivia to make sure Ayaka and this lighting guy, Javi, have access to everything they need for setup.” Adrian glances around the circle, and his gaze lands on me for the first time since he walked through the doors. “Hey.”
Just that. Hey. It’s like we’re distant acquaintances who might nod at each other in passing. There’s no warmth or edge, no acknowledgment of anything that happened. Something cold settles in my chest.
“Adrian,” I manage, keeping my voice level.
His attention moves past me without lingering, back to the group. “I should check in with the hotel staff and make sure everything’s coordinated on their end.”
The dismissal is so smooth I almost miss it. Almost.
“Oh, you just got here. Let’s check you in first. And tell us what else we can help with,” Becca says.
“Honestly, this is your time to relax and get pampered before the wedding.” Adrian gets his stuff, about to head to the hotel reception. I notice his movements are just a little too controlled. “I’ll get everything locked down rather than worry about it Sunday morning.”
Trevor shifts in his seat. “Still feels weird, you flying back just to fix our mess.”
“Your mess?” Adrian looks genuinely surprised. “This happens all the time. That’s why you keep friends like me around.”
“Like you?” Lance asks with a raised eyebrow.
