Page 47 of Grand Escape

“Hey.”

Actually able to feel the daggers boring into my back, I didn’t want to face who was behind me.

Slipping out from Chelsea’s head resting on my shoulder, I reluctantly turned and found a stoic Rylan staring back at me. In her hand was a to-go tray with two coffees from Sam’s place.

“I brought you a coffee. From Sam. He said to say hi.” She spoke haltingly, her eyes twitching while she tried to act cool. She couldn’t keep her gaze from darting nervously toward Chelsea and then Sophia and Cal before swinging back to me, and it pained me to watch.

“Oh, great, a new roast?” I carried on as if we didn’t have an audience and everything wasn’t about to erupt around us.

Rylan nodded.

I grabbed the cup and took a swig, remembering I’d never gotten my coffee before this whole situation unfolded. “Okay, well, I’ll let you get back to whatever you’re doing.”

My head ached and my heart pinched at Rylan’s unexpected lack of response. Rather than lay into me or make a scene, the strong woman I’d met simply pressed her lips together, her expression like granite.

She was shutting down ... rolling over. This wasn’t the feisty girl I’d come to know. Wanting that snarky girl back, I silently begged her to toss her hair over her shoulder and say something biting.

“Is that an extra coffee?” Chelsea had the nerve to ask.

“No,” I said sharply as Cal introduced himself to Rylan.

“Hi, I’m Adam’s brother. Caleb.”

“Oh.” Rylan’s response was hushed, and her expression softened the tiniest bit.

“These are my friends Sophia and Chelsea.”

At least he was trying to explain this situation away. I had to give him that.

“Oh,” Rylan said again, blinking at me.

“We surprised Adam,” he said, but I cut him off with a shake of my head and a firm, “Cal.”

“Seriously, is that an extra coffee? My head is pounding.” Chelsea piped up again, obviously not reading the room.

Cal shook his head, his expression pained. “Chels, I think that’s Rylan’s coffee.”

Chelsea scoffed. “She’s wearing a shirt with the logo. See? She works here, silly.” She had the nerve to pinch Cal’s arm while speaking, jutting her chin toward Rylan.

“That doesn’t mean she delivers coffee,” I said, then ended up blowing out an exasperated sigh.

“Thanks, Mr. Stern, but I can answer for myself. I do work here,” Rylan said to Chelsea. “This coffee is from a local vendor, or I would give it to you, miss. I’m not permitted to give it away.”

“See? I told you she works here.” Chelsea turned back to Cal and rolled her eyes. Then her brow furrowed. “Well, why does Adam get one? He’s a guest.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Rylan said. “It was a gift from the barista, who happens to know Adam. Anyway, I need to cover the beach bar today, so I’ll be off. Have a great day in paradise.”

“Oh, we’ll see you there,” Chelsea said chirpily. “I mean, at the beach bar. As soon as we eat and change.”

Oh my God. I don’t know where my brother found this girl—under a rock, or maybe in the VIP section of a New York club—but she wasn’t catching on.

“Why don’t you guys go get a table at the restaurant, and I’ll be by later?” I said to my brother, who was clearly the only one who could take a hint.

I nearly fell over with relief when he said, “Good idea. Let’s go, ladies.”

He ushered them away before Chelsea could say anything else ridiculous in front of Rylan.

“Here.” I turned back to Rylan, taking the tray from her hand. “Take your coffee out.”

---