Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
I should have gone with Riv and Jake.
Because that morning?
It was the last time I saw Jake.
River was the last of us to see him alive. And when he—
“Seb!” Brett punches me in the shoulder, jerking me out of my thoughts.
“What?”
“Aren’t you listening?”
“Yeah, sure I am. What did you say again? Sienna’s coming back?”
“Yeah.” Brett riffles his fingers through his thick blond hair. “She is. I’m glad she is.”
“Me too,” Alex says, a faraway look in his eye.
I blink. Then again. Wasn’t Ariel just here?
“You were going to say something, Al. Something about you and Ariel?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Yeah.” He turns toward the stairs. “Where did she go?”
“She went upstairs,” Brett says. “You mean you didn’t notice?”
Alex exhales sharply. “I was just a little surprised when you mentioned that Sienna was coming back. I guess I thought she was gone for good, like Rachel and Ginger.”
“What were you going to say about Ariel?” I ask.
Alex shakes his head. “Nothing. I should go find her.”
Brett grabs Alex’s shoulder. “What aren’t you saying, Alex?”
Alex sighs. “I... I’m in love with Ariel.”
I wrinkle my forehead as I try to ignore the spear of jealousy that strikes me. “That doesn’t sound too convincing.”
“It’s... When you said Sienna was coming back, I had to think. I thought she was the one that first night, you know? But then we got interrupted, and the ocean washed our clothes away. And you guys—”
Brett puts up a hand to stop him. “We know you’ve got the soul of a poet, but no one falls in love at first sight. That only happens in romance novels. And that’s not even what you write.”
“Yeah. I know.” He shakes his head. “I should go find her.”
“Wait,” I say. “Are you sure?”
He nods.
Damn. Ariel was one tight little fuck. But she’s not for me. She’s not built for the glitzy life of a rock star. She’s much more Alex’s type. The two of them can live in a gorgeous house down south. He can write to his heart’s content, and she’ll bring her mama to live with them. The two of them will grow vegetables and feed Alex until he’s got a big old beer belly. That sixpack of his is toast.
This shouldn’t bother me. I like Ariel, but I was never serious about her. I thought I might be serious about Heather, but now I’m not so sure. And June? Not only no, but hell no.
I’m not sure I’m destined to be with any of these women, honestly.
“Have you told her?” Brett asks.
“Yeah.” Alex nods again.
“So why did the Sienna thing freak you out then?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I just didn’t expect her to come back. She and I didn’t spend any time together after the first night anyway. She was busy. I was busy.”
“You’d better find Ariel then,” Brett says. “And Evangeline. If the two of you are out of the running, she needs to know.”
“Yeah. You’re right. Am I the only one? The two of you aren’t feeling it for anyone?”
“Not really,” I say. “Not yet anyway.”
“And you?” he says to Brett.
“I’m not sure,” Brett says. “Let’s just say I’m looking forward to Sienna’s return.”
I tilt my head. Brett and Sienna? I didn’t see that coming. Then again, Brett has never been serious about a woman in his life. I figured he’d be the last one to fall.
Looks like the last one might be me.
Twenty Years Earlier...
By the time afternoon hits, River and Jake haven’t returned, and I’m freaking out. I check on my mom once more, find her still passed out, and I race over to Alex’s.
And I fucking pound on his door.
EPISODE 165
FIRST MATCH
Ariel
Do you truly love Alex? Or are you more in love with the idea of marrying a billionaire?
Emily’s words hang in the room between us.
“Are you going to answer the question, love?” she asks me.
I nod. “I want to. I just wonder... Am I too young to be thinking about forever?”
“That’s a question only you can answer,” she says. “You’ve had your fun during the short time we’ve been here. With Brett, with Sebastian, with the two staff members. Even a bit with June.”
I wince.
“Not into ladies, I take it?”
“Not really,” I admit. “But that’s not what bothers me. It’s just June. She bothers me. She thought Evangeline was going to get rid of her, and I wanted to help her. I didn’t think the threesome would bother me as much as it did.”
Emily chuckles. “Ariel, there are women who love sex for sex and take it any way they can get it, and then there are women who desire a deeper connection. Perhaps you thought you were the first, but you’re actually the second.”
“I think you’re right. Alex did me a favor the night of our date when he wouldn’t take me to bed. I wasn’t ready. I probably wasn’t ready with Sebastian either, but I did it anyway.”