Page 82 of In a Pinch

“Yeah, no.” He shakes his head. “Hard pass. I did have a talk with him about you, though. So, if he pulls you aside at any point, you know why.”

A little anger wants to flare in me, because why the fuck would he do that? This trip is supposed to be a good time. It’s the first time we’ve all gotten along and been together in years. And then, I think about the fact that my biggest complaint was that he never stood up for me. So, I can’t exactly be mad at him for doing exactly what I asked. Damn. Complaining to people really does come at a cost.

“I’m not holding my breath,” I say, and Cal chuckles because he knows Dad would rather gnaw off his own arm before showing any human emotion and admitting he’s in the wrong. But I’ve been wrong before. So, time will tell. “You excited for the big day?”

“Yeah, it’s her day, though. I let her run wild.” He smiles at her from a distance as she and Addie walk to get our cars. Something like that before would have annoyed the shit out of me. But now? I get it. When your whole heart is walking outside your chest, it’s hard to take your eyes off it. “Word of advice, avoid closets during the wedding.”

“What?” My head whips back to him, because what the hell does a closet have to do with anything?

“Just some personal experience.” Cal’s shoulders shake with laughter, and I feel like I’m missing the joke. This conversation has taken a weird turn.

Saved by the bell, literally. The little bell rings, letting us know bags are on their way through. By some stroke of luck, all of our bags are at the front.

“Where the fuck are Liv and Tyler?” I just notice that they aren’t with us. I look around at the faces darting past, grabbing bags, and waving at people waiting for them.

“They only packed carry-ons and scooted out of here the second we landed.”

I would have done that, but Addie’s damn packing method has us prepared to be stranded in the fucking desert for the rest of our lives.

Addie and Isla rejoin us, giggling with keys in their hand.

“Do I even want to know what you’re laughing at?” Cal asks.

As always, in perfect unison, “No,” shoots out of their mouths. Which makes them laugh harder.

I look at Cal and he shrugs. How he survived living with this small pack of hyenas is beyond me.

When Addie and I get in our car, curiosity won’t quit in me. “Cal told me to stay away from cleaning closets. Do you have any idea what that’s about?”

Addie’s laughter adds to my confusion.

“Oh, he and Isla got caught banging in a cleaning closet at Liv and Tyler’s wedding. Liv walked in and got a broom and a show.” She wags her eyebrows at me, and I blankly stare at her.

My hand falters as I reach for my seatbelt to buckle myself in. “My brother, Cal, who has never broken a rule in his life, had sex in a closet? At our sister’s wedding?”

“Yup,” she says, popping thep.

Wow. Maybe he isn’t as prim and proper as I had imagined him to be. Good for him.

The drive to the hotel is filled with warm air swimming through our open windows. Everything here is so, so green. Palm trees line the roads, leading us to our hotel.

Check-in goes smoothly. Addie has it all handled, and we’re up to our room in fifteen minutes. We swing open the door and are welcomed by a cool, tile floor, the world’s smallest bathroom, and a fluffy, white bed.

“Oh my gosh, look how cute this is!” Addie’s excitement drips from her voice. She holds up a baby elephant made from a specially wrapped towel. “Oh, and chocolates. Wow, what a good day.” She drops the elephant and immediately makes her way to the sliding glass door.

The second the door is opened, we are met with a warm, salty breeze. Feeling the warmth on my skin has me gravitating to the patio with her. Honestly, it’s probably her calling to me. She always does. I could find her in a room while blindfolded.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Her eyes glitter as she looks out at the crashing waves.

Peeling my eyes off her, I look over the water. The color of the water is so different from what I am used to—bright turquoise into a deep navy in an ombré effect. My eyes drag back to her. It’s almost hard to believe she’s mine. Her natural beauty has me thanking my lucky stars every fucking day that she’s mine.

“Sure is.” My arms find their way around her, pulling her tight against my chest. The moment feels too good to be true. “You ready to go take a dip?”

“Yes. It would be good for me to wash some of today’s events off.” She twists out of my arms and darts straight to the bags. “Then, we’ll come back, and I will unpack.” She grabs out a hot pink swimsuit and a floral sundress from her bag.

Reaching my hand up to scratch behind my head, I say, “We’re only here for a week? Why would you unpack?”

She looks up at me, genuinely bewildered. “We can’t just live out of our suitcases like a pack of wild animals. Like, how would I know where my favorite swimsuit and sandals are?”

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