Page 4 of Love is a Roller Coaster

Although the inn is small with only fifteen guest rooms, we still keep a beautiful pool and poolside service for drinks and food. Sure, the beach is only steps away, but with the high-end clientele we service, many of them prefer to spend time at the pool instead of getting sandy at the beach. I don’t share their sentiments, but they’re paying me to stay here, so I do what I can to make them happy.

And that’s when I spot her.

Brooke Westfield, even more beautiful than she was five years ago, wearing a one-piece black and white swimsuit with a giant, wide-brimmed black hat and matching giant black sunglasses. Designer, I’m sure. Not that I keep track of brands, but from what I remember about Brooke and the way she presents herself now, they must be.

She’s scrolling through her phone, and every couple of minutes, her red lips turn up in a smile. I glance at her ring finger—empty. Looks like Brittany was right, after all.

I can’t help watching her. She could be straight out of a magazine, which was what caught my twenty-year-old eye five years ago. But what kept my attention, and makes me still remember every moment with her, was her spirit—so alive and eager.

I’m not sure how best to approach her, but I know I can’t just let her sit there while I say nothing. Thankfully, she answers the question for me. She sets down her phone and looks around, then waves me over. “Excuse me! Can I order a drink?”

I quickly put the towels away, then head over to her. Does she recognize me right now? It seems she assumes I’m a worker here. “How can I help you?” I ask.

Her red lips part, and she doesn’t say anything for asecond. There’s a brief flash of recognition. Then she gathers herself and smiles widely. “Yes. I’d like a pina colada, please.”

“Sure thing,” I reply. Iknowshe recognizes me, and she’s trying to play it cool. No problem. I turn and order her drink from the bar, which is technically not part of my job description. While waiting for Maria to blend it up, I turn and look back at Brooke, who’s pretending she’s not looking at me through those giant sunglasses.

Two can play this game.

chapter three

BROOKE

“Here you go,”Tyler says, handing me my drink.

“Thank you,” I reply. I take a sip of the fruity goodness, the drink that Landon said was too fattening and shouldn’t be enjoyed except for the rarest of occasions.

“Anything else I can do for you?” he asks.

And this is where I’m stuck. Because I know exactly who he is, and I’m pretty sure he knows who I am, and I think he knows I know who he is, even though I’m pretending I don’t.

Do I keep up the charade?

“Actually, yes. Can you bring that umbrella this way?” I ask, pointing at the umbrella in the corner of the pool deck.

“Sure, no problem.” He smirks at me, then heads over to the umbrella and starts wheeling it over.

I observe his movements, marveling at how much his arms have filled in over the last five years. He’s gone from scrawny young adult to full-on man, and that makes him more attractive than ever.

Is it bad that I’m already attracted to someone else when I was supposed to get married three days ago?

No, it can’t be. I’m objectively attracted to a beautiful human being. That’s only natural, right?

I can’t believe he works here, though. He’s twenty-five years old, and he’s just working as a pool boy at a local hotel? It’s disappointing, but reinforces the reasons I didn’t want to pursue anything long-lasting five years ago. That summer was fun, to be sure, but I knew then there was no real potential for us. In a way, I’m glad to be proven right after all.

He pops open the umbrella, giving me some shade from the hot California sun. “How’s that?”

“Perfect,” I reply.

He sets one hand on his hip, leaning his other arm on the umbrella stand. I sigh inwardly, noting how well he’s aged.

“Did you just check in?” he asks. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

Oh, the nerve. Now Iknowhe recognizes me. “Yes. I checked in this morning.”

“And how long are you staying?”

“A week.” I push my sunglasses to the top of my head, both so I can get an unobstructed look at him and so he can see me clearly, too.

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