Page 65 of Beached Wedding

“You did.”

“Nice to know, but who cares? Because someone else gets to have that job. Not me.”

“I keep telling you, we can find a way to...keep you on. Somehow.”

“This is not about finding the compromise! It’s the fact that settling is all I ever do because that’s all I’m allowed to do. So fine. I’ll settle for being friends except, wait, we can’t be friends anymore because I ruined everything by letting you touch my boobs. I’ll go home and go back to not even wishing.”

“Ash—”

She cut into my attempt to reason with her. “The rain is letting up. I want to get back. Unless that’s too much to ask?”

My hands were still clenched around the steering wheel. I wanted to shake it loose from the car and throw it across the road with a primal scream, but I gritted my teeth and pulled into traffic. This wassucha cluster-fuck.

At the resort, I left the car with the valet and carried the basket into the hotel.

“You gave your room key to Fliss,” I reminded Ash when she started digging into her bag on the way to the elevator. I fumbled my wallet from my pocket.

“I’m looking for my phone. I haven’t checked my messages.”

“I heard from Shane,” I finally remembered to tell her.

“When?” She snapped her head up, bag still agape. “What did he say?”

“Yesterday. I meant to tell you, but we went on the cruise and...” I shrugged. Had it slipped my mind? Or had I shoved it out of the way?

“And?”

“He’s sorry.”

She stared at me until the doors opened for us. Then she choked out a husk of a laugh.

“Great. That fixes everything. Thanks.” I used my card on the reader and she stabbed the button. As soon as the door s opened and she shot off down the hall to the room.

I gathered my patience and followed, catching up to her at the locked door where I touched the card to the reader. I schooled my expression as we entered, expecting Fliss to be here, but there was a whole gaggle of female voices.

“Oh,hello.” Izzy came in from the balcony.

ASHLEY

Izzy was so many things that I would never be. Her skin was flawless and bright with a natural golden hue, like a topaz. She was tall and slender and never bemoaned her modest chest. She had the confidence to go without make-up and wear her hair in a faux-hawk, letting it flop boyishly over her feminine features.

Most of all, Izzy knew what it was like to have sex with Fox.

That was all I could think as I hugged her. I didn’t want to think of it. It certainly didn’t make me feel good. It made me feel small and insecure. Envious.Jealous.

“Oliver and Ryan are still kayaking,” Whitney said, coming in from the lanai behind her. “We decided to steal some of your wine and enjoy the view. Mom is still out with the Holloways.”

Behind Whitney, Fliss scratched her elbow and looked sullen, but remorseful, as if she’d done something wrong by letting her mom and Izzy into our suite.

“No problem. Thanks for making the trek to the airport. How was traffic?” I pretended I didn’t notice the way Izzy smoothly moved to hug Fox.

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to be nice or angry with you for busting up the wedding.” Izzy’s voice held a scold. “Either way, it’s good to see you.”

“You, too,” he said politely. He still held the basket from Harry in one arm and pulled away to set it on the dining table.

“We left too early,” Fliss said, watching Fox.

“But that was okay,” Whitney insisted with a tense glance at her daughter. “It gave us time for a froyo and a chat.”

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