Page 7 of Claimed By my Frenemy

Everyone laughs, and I feel a warm sense of camaraderie wash over me. These girls have my back, just like they always did. It’s reassuring to know I’m not alone in this.

"But seriously," Zoey says, taking a sip of her drink, "what are you going to do about Theo? You can’t just let him bully you into selling."

"I know," I reply, feeling a knot of frustration in my stomach. "I’m going to have to confront him, tell him to back off. I just don’t know how to do it without making things worse."

"Maybe you should get some legal advice. Find out what your rights are and what he can and can’t do. If he’s crossing any lines, you could have a case against him,” Madison suggests.

"That’s a good idea. I’ll look into it. I just don’t know if one crazy night of loud work and blocking the street would be enough.”

“Well, if he keeps it up,” Madison qualifies.

“So, you’ve figured out how you’re going to deal with the fact that he’s a jerk, but you didn’t say how you felt seeing him again."

I fidget with my straw, trying to find the right words. "It’s...complicated. He’s definitely attractive, but it’s hard to separate that from how he’s acting. He’s so arrogant, and that just overshadows everything else. I mean, there are tons of attractive men out here."

"So, you’re saying you’re attracted to him but also hate him," Stella teases.

"Maybe," I admit with a laugh. "I don’t know. It’s all mixed up. But right now, I’m more focused on keeping my grandma’s house and making my bed and breakfast idea a reality. Theo can shove his resort plans."

But that’s when I look up and see Theo across the tiki bar. He’s leaning casually against the counter. All the stools are occupied, but he still seems to make space for himself. What thehellis he doing here? And can I possibly hide behind my friends?

4

THEO

I walk upto Leo’s Tiki Bar and lean against the counter. I’m a regular, especially on a weekend, so Leo nods to me as he continues mixing up a drink for an older couple on the other side of the bar.

My eyes drift to the menu even though I don’t need to look to know what I want to order. Dark and Stormy is my go-to.

I watch as Leo hands over the drink, accepts a tip, and starts fixing another drink immediately. I’m familiar enough with the drink to know he’s started making my gin mix without me even having to order it.

As I stand there, waiting for Leo to finish, my eyes drink across the crowd of tourists crowding the place. It’s still early May, so real tourist season hasn’t begun, but this place is packed.

That’s when I see her. Mia is sitting with a group of other women. She’s staring at a blonde like nothing else in the world matters. I like getting under Mia’s skin, and I don’t quite know why. All I know is that I want to continue doing it.

I imagine myself walking over there and acting like I don’t know she’s back in town. I could wave and ask if she remembersme. I imagine Mia giving me that dark look, her bright blue eyes framed by her black hair. She would try to stab me with her eyes.

Then, the idea is too tempting to resist.

When Leo hands over my drink, I let him know I’ll be back, and then I swagger on over to the group of women, my eyes fixed directly on Mia. When I reach the table, Mia looks up and spots me a moment before the other women do. I see something like panic in her eyes, but I just smile and sip calmly at my drink.

That’s when the other women turn around and see me.

I pull my drink back from my mouth, smiling like a snake that has just spotted its dinner. “Well, well, well, look who we have here. Mia Phillips, is that you?”

Mia’s friends give her curious glances, clearly wondering who I am and why Mia looks so flustered. Mia narrows her eyes at me, and I can tell she’s trying to keep her cool.

She’s gritting her teeth as she stares back at me. The message in her eyes is clear. She wants me to turn and head in the opposite direction. Except I don’t. I like testing the boundaries, and Mia has laid out a clear challenge. “Hi, Theo. Yes, it’s me. I would think you would recognize me since?—”

“Wait, are you Theo?” the blue-haired one asks. She leans forward, studying every detail of me. I glance at her.

“Theo Roberts?” the blonde-haired one echoes. She twists in her chair a little more to see me better.

“Yes, it’s Theo Roberts,” Mia replies, as though someone has asked her a question. “We go way back, don’t we? Imagine seeing you here.”

The blonde’s eyes widen in recognition. That’s when I recognize her, too. She was Mia’s friend back in high school. She dated the quarterback of the football team throughout high school and was altogether unattainable. “Oh my God, Theo! You’ve changed so much!”

“That’s what happens when you grow up. Mind if I join you lovely ladies? Wouldn’t this be a good chance to catch up?”

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