Page 24 of Bayside Heat
Although he’d broken her heart last night, he’d been completely honest with her, and as much as she hated it, it still didn’t warrant what she’d implied.
“You’re right,” Mira said. “It doesn’t make sense. It’s not his style to make things hard on others. He’s a fixer. Remember how he stepped in after our dad died and helped with everything?”
Serena felt a stab of sadness. She and Mira had been thirteen when Mr. Savage had fallen overboard during a freak storm and was lost at sea. Rick was fourteen, and Drake had been almost sixteen. It had been a treacherous time for all of them, as Mr. Savage had been like a father to Serena and Chloe. At an age when other kids were out causing trouble and thinking only of themselves, Drake had been focused on making sure everyone else was okay. Including Serena.
“I remember sleeping over at your house shortly after your father died,” Serena said. “We were bawling, and Drake came in to comfort us. He dragged us outside—”
“Because everything is easier under the stars,” Mira and Chloe said at the same time Serena did.
“I forgot you were there,” Serena said to Chloe. Although Chloe was Rick’s age and she was close with Mira’s family, she’d always had her own group of friends.
“I didn’t sleep over,” Chloe said. “I had been out at a party that night and saw you guys in the yard when I was coming home, remember?”
“I remember now.”
“Drake’s just going to miss you,” Desiree said. “At least that’s what Rick said. He said even Drake doesn’t realize how much he’ll miss you.”
“I’m going to miss him, too. If I don’t kill him before I leave.” Serena turned toward the dunes so her friends wouldn’t see her sadness.
The rumble of Violet’s motorcycle drew their attention. Violet pulled off her helmet and shook out her long black hair. She tucked her helmet beneath her arm and crossed the lawn toward them.
Emery leaned forward, lowering her voice, and said, “Where has she been this morning?”
“She didn’t come home last night,” Desiree said quietly.
“Really? Who was she with?” Serena asked. Violet’s mysterious life outside of the inn had always intrigued Serena.
“No idea,” Desiree said. “But she never tells me anything about her personal life.”
“What’s the matter?” Violet said as she approached. “You’re looking at me like I’m a unicorn.”
“Nothing,” Desiree said. “Want some pancakes?”
Violet picked up a pancake from the plate in the middle of the table and bit into it. “Thanks.”
“I think I know why he’s having trouble replacing you, Serena,” Mira said.
“Are you still pondering Drake?” Violet asked as she pulled out a chair and sat down. “For smart women, you girls sure are dense. He’s a guy. He wants to fuck her. Is that so hard to understand?”
“Violet!” Desiree snapped.
Serena’s cheeks burned. She couldn’t tell them that he’d pretty much admitted to that last night or that it was never going to happen. It suddenly felt too personal—and embarrassing.
“Even if it’s true, can you please temper it, Vi?” Mira said exasperatingly. “He’s still my brother, and I have a different theory. If you take the friendship out of the equation and think about it purely from an employer’s standpoint, he’s worked with Serena for so many years; he probably just doesn’t want to lose her.”
“Maybe,” Violet said. “But he still wants to take her six ways to Sunday.”
“Ohmygod,” Serena said, covering her face.
Ignoring Violet’s comment, Mira said, “Serena, you’re an amazing multitasker and you do the job of two people, so part of him probably does worry that someone else might get overwhelmed. Any boss would feel the same way. You guys have become seriously symbiotic on every level. That’s hard to find in a friend, much less an employer-employee relationship. Like me and Matt’s dad at the hardware store. And you’re never in a bad mood, which is amazing considering you have to put up with my brothers.”
