Page 98 of Unraveled

I winked when he looked at me over his shoulder, and he cursed. “Damn it, woman. If we weren’t in this crowd…”

“Tonight,” I promised, nipping at his ear, and he groaned as we lined up with the rest of the teams.

Someone had turned their headlights on to light up the stretch of sand we’d be racing on, and I looked down the beach at all the extra pairs joining the lineup. Some I didn’t know, but Corey snatched up Bev and Daniel had Katy. At the last second, David ran up, his eyes on Megan even as he bent for Ruby to jump on his back, and I frowned, wondering what game they might be trying to play.

“Ready, sis?” Annie called out from my other side.

I looked over, matching her grin just as someone screamed, “Go!” And I tucked my face into the back of Tucker’s shoulders when he shot off down the beach.

I could hear Annie screaming and Jet laughing from behind us, but it was Emma’s excited cheer from up ahead that told me who’d won. I peered over Tucker’s shoulder as he slowed and watched as Kurt slid Emma down to the sand, holding his fists up in victory.

“Rematch!” Annie cried once she’d hopped down from Jet’s back.

The guys all looked at each other.

“Oh, come on. Y’all are gonna settle forlosing? Kurt’s got two years on y’all.”

With a deciding glance between Jet and Tucker, Annie and I were scooped back up, and the rest of the guys shrugged and did the same.

JET

Racing with the girls had apparently become the thing of the night. Something us guys only meant as a quick fun thing, they had loved, and for some of the guys hoping to get laid, they weren’t telling their conquests no. Different pairs and couples switched out and took turns as people got tired, but the four of us stayed in for most of them. Tucker and Izzy won a couple of rounds, and Annie and I won one before we all switched to wheelbarrow races with the girls on the bottom. That was when Micah had bowed out, walking off by shifting Megan around from his back to straddle his waist, their lips already locked together before they disappeared through the cars. David scowled, shaking Ruby from his back to march off to the kegs.

My eyebrow rose, finally connecting some of those dots. He’d been bringing Ruby to make Megan jealous.But because he likes her or because he’s trying to get back in with her for Zane?

Not that it mattered. Zane was days away from his restraining order, and I knew Megan wasn’t taking Davidback either way, not after the twins had filled her in on what he’d done.

“Ready!” Corey yelled, bringing my attention back to the next race, and I held my hand out, waiting for Annie to lift her ankle. But instead, she sat back on her heels, her ponytail loose and falling around her shoulders as she looked up.

“I need a breather, babe. Those beers aren’t sitting well.”

“Sure. Of course.” I frowned and waved the rest of the pairs on, leading Annie to the side where others had gathered to watch. Our backs were to the fire where we settled, and Annie groaned, leaning forward with her head between her knees.

“Annie?” I held my hand over her back but not touching.

“It’s the heat. And sitting. I just… I need to take a walk away from the crowd or something. I’m too hot.”

“You want me to come with you?”

She pushed herself to stand, her legs looking like they were shaking slightly, and she pressed her hand to her middle. “No. That’s okay. Even body heat is my enemy right now.”

I smirked at the light joke and watched her walk off before settling back on my elbows to watch the next race, cheering for the girls as they made their way across the sand. What surprised me was that Izzy was consistently in the lead, soaring past the others to cross the finish line first several times.

After her fourth win, she and Tucker joined me on the sidelines, still brushing off sand as the others lined up forthe next round. Tucker dropped to the sand beside me, leaning back on his arms as I held up a high five for Izzy.

“You were awesome. I’m impressed. But you didn’t want to keep going?”

“Nope. Definitely time for a break.” She settled herself between Tucker’s legs to lean back against his chest and then took out her phone, no doubt checking if my cousin had messaged again.

“Do we need to confiscate that?” I teased with a wink when she looked up.

“No.” She rolled her eyes just as her phone lit up. “Oh! He just texted!”

I read over her shoulder.

Nic: Really, Izzy. I just need some time. We’ll talk later.

She dropped it into her lap with a huff, and I chuckled when Tucker took her phone and stuffed it in the waist of his board shorts at his back where she couldn’t reach.

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