Page 43 of Bayside Heat
He deleted the message and headed for the shower, catching sight of a picture hanging on the wall in the hallway. Mira had taken it right after they’d started working on the resort. He was standing on the office porch having a heated conversation about renovations with Rick and Dean. Serena sat on the steps, her knees touching, making a silly face by sticking out her tongue and crossing her eyes. She was pointing behind her with both thumbs. Her hair was shorter then, and it was spring, too early for the summer sun to bring out her hair’s golden highlights, which had always bewitched him.
The resort belonged to her just as much as it belonged to him and the other guys. Maybe more so, since she’d had to figure out how to work with the three of them and overcome so much between each of them to help make their dreams come to fruition. They’d fought her tooth and nail when she’d wanted to pretty up the office and cottages to make them more feminine and when she’d instituted procedures that took more time than they would have liked. In the end she’d been right. Their systems were efficient, their project management structure sound. And don’t even get him started on the music stores. Had it not been for her, he’d have made a few big mistakes that would have cost him dearly. He had no doubt she was going to excel at her new job, and he would be damned if he’d stand in her way.
He thumbed out the message, Thanks for putting up with all of us and for putting your heart and soul into the resort and the music stores. They’re all better because you had a hand in them. Go kick ass, Supergirl. You’ve got nowhere to go but up.
He sent the message, wrestling with the things he really wanted to tell her.
Fuck it. He took a picture of the photograph in the hall and typed the caption, The dude on the left misses you.
That was fucking lame. They had never been sappy types.
He deleted the message, took a selfie, and sent it off with the caption Does this sweat make me look hot?
SERENA KICKED HER bare feet up on the coffee table in her new loft apartment Saturday evening and sank into the plush, teal-blue art-deco sofa as she video chatted with Chloe and Mira. She had given them a virtual tour and clued them in to some parts of last night’s extracurricular activities. Chloe had peppered her with questions, but luckily, Mira had demanded a PG summary. She had gotten away with saying, Being with Drake surpassed my wildest dreams and we didn’t even sleep together. It wasn’t like Serena wanted to share all the details of her and Drake’s incredible night, but she knew Chloe would have continued pushing had it not been for Mira.
“What on earth are you eating?” Serena squinted into the monitor.
“Sushi,” Chloe answered.
Mira wiped her mouth and said, “Chicken. Matt and Hagen grilled it with all sorts of veggies. It’s delicious. What are you eating, Serena?”
Serena held up a pint of her new favorite ice cream. “BJ’s. Kinky Pleasures!”
“I didn’t know Ben and Jerry’s had that flavor.” Chloe lifted her chin as if it would help her see inside Serena’s container. “Show it to me. What’s in it?”
Serena tilted the container toward the screen. “It’s not Ben and Jerry’s, and it’s full of pieces of chocolate, walnuts, cherries, and toffee. BJ’s ice cream serves only dirty flavors like Custardlingus and Obscene Orgasm. That one was white and creamy.” She snort-laughed, making the girls crack up. “This apartment building is insane. Everything I need is right downstairs, including my dinner.” She shoveled a scoop of ice cream into her mouth. “I might never leave the building.”
“I don’t think your boss would like that,” Mira said.
“You’re so responsible.” Serena’s phone vibrated, and Drake’s name appeared on the screen. Her stomach fluttered, as it had been doing every time he texted. Although he had yet to text anything about last night or about the card she’d left at his apartment. She read the text and said, “Hold on. I need to reply to this.”
“Is that Drake again?” Chloe pulled her sweater around her shoulders. She was sitting on her deck, talking to them by candlelight.
