Page 34 of Just One Summer with the Grumpy

My team and I cheered, gave each other high fives, and took our places once more. Adrenaline pumped through my system. I tried not to think about how I would be winning either way—I’d get Chase’s aviators or a date with him in town.

Not a real date.

Nota date.

Very muchnot—

I watched Chase as the slap of a new serve sounded behind me. The ball sailed over the net. This time, it headed dead center in Chase’s court. His team surged into action—a man bumped it, a woman gave a perfect set, and Chase leaped as if in slow motion.

His arm swept backward as he flew through the air with perfect form, preparing to launch.

I leaped to the net and jumped, my arms rigidly in the air, fingers splayed.

Chase’s hand made contact with the ball before I could even blink—

—and I found myself lying on the ground, staring at the vast expanse of blue sky overhead and tasting sand and blood.

What the . . . ?

Chase’s face appeared, worry etched into his expression. I felt pressure on my hand and realized he was holding it.

“…so sorry,” he was saying amidst the ringing in my ears. “I got too into it. That was stupid. Are you okay?”

I yanked my hand from his and touched my face. Warm stickiness covered my fingers. A bloody nose.

This could not be happening.

“It’s not serious,” the woman who’d missed the ball earlier said, kneeling at my other side. “She should probably be evaluated for a concussion, though, just in case. I’ll take her to the resort nurse so you can finish the game.”

“No. I’ve got her.” Chase’s hands slid beneath me, and then the heated sand disappeared, replaced by cooler air and slightly calloused fingers and a warm, hard chest against my ribs.

The woman frowned. “I have medical training. I’ll get her there safe and sound.”

Chase’s voice boomed in his chest next to my head. “There’s nobody here she’ll be safer with than me.” Then the world turned and we were on our way.

Chase Everett was carrying me.

On a tropical island.

Shirtless.

And I wore a bikini…oh.

I looked downward to ensure I was covered in the right places. Thankfully, my swimsuit still fit correctly. At least I hadn’t gotten knocked out while my swimsuit flew into the sunset in front of my entire work team. That would have been infinitely worse.

I used my free arm to wipe my nose. It didn’t seem as bad as they’d all made it out to be. “I can walk just fine.” With my nose still gushing, it sounded more likeI cad walk just fide.

“I’m sure you can. This is just a precaution.” He didn’t seem winded at all.

“That was a rather dramatic exit. If anyone wondered before, you may have convinced them about us.”

His eyes fell on me, direct and unwavering. “Even if we weren’t pretending, do you really think I’d send you with Suzanne after smashing your nose with a volleyball?”

I couldn’t answer that. The man I’d known before this week absolutely would have. But now everything felt muddled and confusing, like a nest of tangled yarn. “You’d have every right.”

His jaw tightened, but he said nothing more the rest of the way.

SEVENTEEN

---