Page 33 of Never Say Never

Holden is out with Aubrey and the house is eerily quiet. Haven Harbor doesn’t get a lot of traffic, especially at night after the beach crowd has packed up and gone home.

I take my beer to the couch, turning on the TV, flipping through channels as I think about Jesse and his brand-new baby. Caitlyn gave birth not two hours after he arrived at the hospital—a healthy baby boy they named Noah, after Caitlyn’s dad.

The three of them came home from the hospital a day later, but Jesse is taking the week off work to be with his wife and son.

My phone buzzes on the couch beside me, and I pick it up to see a text from Holden.

Holden: Where are you, bro?

Me: At home. Where should I be?

Holden: If I were you, I’d be hauling ass to the Seaside lobby bar. Your girl is here, and I doubt you’d like what you see.

Me: My girl? Wtf are you talking about?

Holden: Daisy is here and she’s getting a lot of attention. Bunch of guys… they’re wasted. I’m keeping an eye on her, but Aubrey and I have to head out soon.

My jaw clenches.

Me: Be there in ten.

Holden: Good call.

I throw on a hoody and then head out to my truck. Ten minutes later, I’m walking into the Seaside Hotel, hoping that I look calmer than I feel. My stomach is in knots.

I swallow the ball of cotton under my tongue, wondering where Daisy is. It’s been three weeks since I’ve seen or talked to her. Twenty-two days since I marched her into my dad’s office and kissed the hell out of her up against the door. Twenty-two days since she kissed me back. And ever since then, I haven’t been able to get her off my mind. I’m like a starved man. By now, I should have forgotten all about the way she felt in my arms. But I haven’t.

I realize that Daisy isn’t mine, and that it drives her nuts when I act overprotective of her. I know she’s not interested in a relationship with me and to be honest, I’m not sure I’m the guy to give her what she needs. But the girl is in my head and knowing she’s out here with a bunch of drunk guys doesn’t sitwell with me. I told myself a long time ago that I would take care of her, and that’s what I plan on doing.

The lobby of the hotel is quiet when I arrive. I walk across the polished Italian marble floors past plush velvet armchairs and uniformed bellhops to the bar. It’s dimly lit, the glow of crystal chandeliers reflected in the large mirror that runs the length of the room.

I immediately spot her. She’s wearing a short blue dress, her hair half-tied back with a thick, white ribbon. She’s perched on a barstool next to Briar, a martini in hand, her long legs crossed at the knee.

Holden wasn’t lying. There’s a group of dudes hovering around them, most of them looking really fucking intoxicated. My hands ball into fists at my side as I gauge the scene. I spot Holden sitting with Aubrey at a table several feet away and decide to check in with him before I do something I might regret.

“That didn’t take you long,” Holden smirks as I join them, taking the empty chair next to him with my eyes still on Daisy. “I figured you’d drop everything and bust it over here.”

I frown. “Any of them put their hands on her?”

“Not yet.”

Daisy hasn’t noticed me yet, so I take the opportunity to stare. She’s so fucking beautiful. The thin straps of her dress expose her smooth, tan shoulders. I watch her raise her drink to her lips, and the way her blue eyes sparkle as she smiles at something Briar says. She’s always smiling, and I swear it’s contagious. Even when I was in the worst mood, Daisy would just have to smile, and my face would mirror hers. I would instantly forget about everything else.

“So, what’s your plan?” Aubrey asks.

“I’m going to let her have her fun.”

“Okay,” Aubrey says, eyebrows raised. “You’re here as her bodyguard then?”

“It’s complicated.”

“That’s a fucking understatement,” Holden mutters.

Aubrey looks to Holden, then back to me, her interest piqued. “What’s the deal with you two?”

“It’s a long story. Daisy and I grew up together. I’ve known her forever. I just want to make sure she’s not taken advantage of by some sleaze bag.”

Aubrey is silent for a moment before she shifts her gaze to Holden, who’s reclined back into his seat, listening to me with a cocksure smile. “You could just tell her how you feel about her.”

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