Page 76 of Playboy

Playboy chuckled. “Yeah. It was pretty comical at first because Jocelyn had no clue until we showed up to board the plane. But long story short, they kissed and made up. However, it wasn’t all unicorns and rainbows. There were a lot of tears involved, and of course, some added drama.”

“So, she wants a mural to remember where she and Bear reconnected?”

“Yep.”

“That’s cool. So, their kids, Max and Amira.”

“Again, that is all a part of their story from Chad.”

“Interesting.”

“It is. But getting back to the mural. Do you want me to mention to Bear that you might be interested in painting their wall?”

She appeared to be thinking about it. After a few seconds, she nodded.

“Why not? It’s not like I don’t have the time right now. I think it would be fun. If they are definitely interested, I’d love to meet with them and see what they envision for it.”

He smiled. “I’ll let Bear know tomorrow. Maybe we can stop by their place this weekend, and you can take a look at the space.”

???

Gabby nodded, but the mention of the weekend stirred a thought in the back of her mind. She swallowed her food and looked up at him.

“Actually, speaking of the weekend, I needed to ask you something.” She hesitated, feeling a little weird about what she was about to say. “My team is going on a camping trip we planned before everything happened. We do these a couple oftimes a year. And I... I wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with it now that we’re together.” Her voice trailed off, her eyes searching his face for a reaction.

Playboy grew quiet, his fork resting untouched on his plate. Gabby felt a twist of uncertainty in her stomach as the silence stretched between them. What was he thinking? Was he upset?

Finally, he looked up at her, his eyes steady. “Gabby, those guys are like your brothers,” he said, his voice calm and sure. “It wouldn’t bother me if you went because I trust you. And I know those guys will look out for you.”

Relief washed over her at his words.

“Thanks,” she said, offering him a small smile. “I might go. I’m still kind of undecided, especially with the PFT happening next week.”

Playboy nodded, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. “Whatever you decide, I’m good with it. Just let me know.”

Gabby squeezed his hand back, grateful for his understanding.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The following day, Gabby stood on the balcony watching a few surfers brave the chilly ocean. She spotted a few families building sandcastles.

Watching the interaction brought back memories for Gabby when she and her brother were young and would go to the beach with their parents. She smiled, remembering how her brother hated to get in the ocean because he was afraid of sharks, so he would spend beach days playing in the sand with their mom.

Gabby, on the other hand, had no fear of the water. Her dad and her would body surf the waves, though she would pay the price afterward when the crotch of her bathing suit was full of sand.That memory made her laugh out loud, as she recalled one particular time when her bathing suit was full of sand, and she had asked her brother if that was how it felt to have balls. Though, she didn’t just ask the question. She had shouted it so the entire beach could hear. Her parents had been mortified.

These were the types of memories that Gabby liked to capture. An idea then struck her.

Rushing back inside the condo, Gabby went to the spare room, grabbed her painting materials, and headed out the door. There was still an hour or two left until the sunset.

Her lips curled up in a smile when her toes sunk in the white sand. Pushing away all the thoughts of her injury, her upcoming swim test, and the medical board review hearing, she set up her easel and a blank canvas.

Taking a seat on the seawall, she turned her attention to the sky. Seeing the beginning stages of the sun starting to set, Gabby picked up her paintbrush for the time in years and got to work.

With each stroke of the brush, she got lost in the scene, allowing her mind to focus on the serenity of the scene before her. She let the worries in the world fade away, the drama and stress of her life dissolving like the fluffy seafoam on the sand.With her mind free of all thoughts and unknowns encompassing her life, Gabby focused intently on her canvas, capturing the vibrant colors and tranquil atmosphere of the sunset. She let her mind wander, finding solace in the beauty of the moment.

Gabby's brush moved smoothly, blending colors to capture the play of light and shadow. She sighed, feeling a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in weeks. This beach had always been her sanctuary, a place where she could escape from the chaos of life and just be herself.

For the next hour, she was lost in the beauty and peacefulness surrounding her. The rhythmic sound of the waves gently lapping the shoreline brought a calmness to her.

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