Page 41 of Love Me Reckless

Inside, there’s a description of the plant and a typed note:

Enjoy yourself,

Birch

The high I’ve been riding since the journey pops like a soap bubble.

“It’s pretty,” Sofie says.

“Don’t eat it,” Ava says, scrutinizing the plant card’s information. “It’s toxic to humans and pets.”

“Birch probably couldn’t find a sustainable florist in Darby,” I say.It’s November, after all. Shipping flowers from South America would be an extremely wasteful use of resources.

“That’s thoughtful of him,” Sofie says, sending me a kind smile.

She’s right. So why does looking at this plant make me sad?

Ava tucks the card back into the envelope. “What should we do next? Are you hungry? We have dinner reservations for seven but we can move it up, or we could go into town?”

I smile at my friends. I’m so grateful for this time with them. “Let’s go jump in the pool.”

Ava pulls me into a hug and Sofie wraps her arms around both of us.

“I love you guys.” Excitement flutters inside my chest.

“We love you more!” We give each other one last squeeze.

There’s another knock on the door, breaking us apart. Sofie rushes over to let in the guys and our luggage.

Sawyer’s steady gaze lands on me, then he sees the tropical-looking plant. I wish I had thought to move it to the kitchen. Then I feel bad. Birch wouldn’t want me to hide his gift.

It’s confusing, and the way Sawyer’s turning away from me only makes it worse.

Sofie, Ava, and I quickly change and slip into the thick hotel robes. We polish off our glasses of champagne and head down to the pool.

Outside, the cold air pricks my hot face and bare legs. The sun has set, leaving just a purple bruise in the western sky. Above, the clouds have cleared and a handful of stars are visible. The rectangular pool flanked by handsome lounge chairs is lit by underwater lights, turning the water to a bright turquoise.

I drape my robe on a chair and hurry into the water.

“It’s so warm!” Sofie says, plunking down the steps next to me. Ava continues over to the poolside bar just as Zach and Sawyer enter through the pool gate.

Zach drops his towel and shoes and jumps into the deep end. Hecomes up next to Sofie and grabs her, making her shriek. He wraps her in a gentle hug and leans in to kiss her.

I’m so happy for her. She deserves to be with someone who is crazy about her, and cherishes her the way Zach does. The love they share is exactly how it’s supposed to be.

Ava arrives with a bowl of bar snacks plus strawberry daiquiris for us and sodas for the guys. We play Marco Polo and nibble on the snacks until we’re pruned. I’m feeling a little buzzed and blissfully happy by the time we climb out of the pool to get ready for dinner.

Sawyer comes up next to me. “That lake looks like prime skinny-dipping territory.”

I give him a look and reach for my robe. “There’s snow on the ground.”

“You’d have the whole lake to yourself.”

I give his shoulder a little shove. “I can’t jump in naked. That’s against?—”

He raises an eyebrow.

“…the rules.”

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