Page 80 of Resorting to Romance

Brad.

I see him before Mila does, and my instincts kick into overdrive. He’s not a threat, but tell my reptilian brain that. I’m like a dragon who just saw someone entering his lair. I look for Noah. Check. He’s playing volleyball with a bunch of kids his age. Then I search the crowd for Mila. She’s standing with my sister and Chloe near the water, the shore pound licking at her feet and ankles and retreating back to the sea in a rhythm older than time.

Brad sees Mila too. I watch his face as he approaches her, remorse and caution etched in his expression. He knows what he lost. My scales flatten and my talons retract just the slightest. If anyone on earth knows what it’s like to love that particular woman and not be able to have her, it’s me. In this short suspended flicker of time, Brad and I are kindred souls, pining for something far too beautiful and elusive than either of us deserve.

Only, I would never leave her. Never. And he did. She may seem unaffected, but the way she’s sworn off men tells me he left scars too deep for the eye to see. Scars still tender to the touch. I’d kiss those wounds if she’d let me. Bandage them and stay with her while they heal. If only.

I make my way to Mila’s side just before Brad does.

He eyes me like the competitor I am. If there’s a contest for her heart, I’ll win it or die trying.

“Hey,” he says to Mila, as if they are the only two people on the beach.

He’s appropriately sheepish, I’ll give him that.

“Oh, hey, Brad.”

Mila looks up at me and my arm loops around her waist as if it has a mind of its own.

“Brad, you remember Chloe,” Mila says with a sweetness that makes me love her even more.

“Brad.” Chloe’s demeanor is nearly chilly. A fellow dragon. I’m glad Mila’s got her.

“This is Kalaine, Kai’s sister.” Mila continues the introductions.

“Nice to meet you,” Brad says to Kalaine. Then he turns his attention to Mila. “Sorry I’m later than I planned. I hoped to get here sooner. Work things …” He trails off.

“No problem. This is for you, not me.” Mila leans into me just the slightest. I give her side a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

“Well, yeah. So.” Brad stuffs his hands in his pockets.

Bless my sister’s heart. She has obviously sized up the situation with Brad. Maybe Mila even told her some backstory.

Kalaine cuts through the awkward silence. “So, Brad. Work kept you from getting to the party on time? What is it that you do?”

“I own an exercise equipment resale. I’m expanding onto Marbella. Just purchased Outriggers Cove. I’ll be doing a watersports resale there. And a rental.”

“Ahhh.” My sister smiles over at me, oblivious to how her next words will sound. She looks straight at me with that classic little-sister tease in her eyes. “So, this is the competition, huh?”

In all the craziness of our fake dating, it never occurred to me that the company Brad is bringing here is in direct competition with the watersports shack. But the way Brad’s looking at me, he’s not thinking business at all. He’s thinking of Mila.

“Well,” Mila says, as if she’s about to say something significant.

But she doesn’t.

And we all just stand there staring at one another in the type of awkward silence that doesn’t fit such a chill beach setting.

That is, until Noah comes bursting into our circle of discomfort with his usual exuberance.

“Hey, Mom! Spencer is having a sleepover. Can I go?”

“Let me talk to Marie.”

“His mom said it’s okay if you said it’s okay.”

“I’ll talk to Marie,” Mila repeats.

Noah looks about ready to bolt. I glance at Brad. He’s studying Noah like he’s never seen a child before. And in this case, I guess he hasn’t. I wonder what it would be like to be in Brad’s shoes—to have a son and never to have known him all these years. I’ve been at every one of Noah’s birthday parties since I met Mila. I’ve helped with homework. I’ve fixed broken toys, goofed off, held him when he cried. I taught Noah to ride a bike when it was time to take the training wheels off. And, most recently, I taught him to surf.

---