Page 249 of By His Play

The media may never have gotten involved, and I may not have hurt him like I did. But I think we were always meant to have that weekend together.

Maybe without all the drama, we’d have been able to put it behind us and continue with our friendship…

Or you’d both have been in a better place to embark on your romantic relationship.

I let out a heavy sigh.

“We’ll leave you to get ready,” Elizabeth says, now also dressed in her robe.

“If you’re not out in ten, we’ll come and get you,” Tate warns softly before the three of them disappear.

I stand there for a few seconds with the swimsuit clutched in my hands and my head spinning out of control.

Numbly, I strip out of my work clothes and pull on the swimsuit. Just like I knew it would, it fits like a second skin, and despite looking demure in my hands, it’s actually quite sexy.

I pull my robe on, and I’m about to put my purse into a locker when I feel my cell vibrate.

Pulling it out, I find a photo memory on the screen.

My heart aches as I stare at mine and Kieran’s smiling faces from four years ago.

We both look so young, so happy.

We were carefree college students with our whole lives ahead of us.

He surprised me with a trip to Mexico, and we had the best time.

Just the two of us hanging out. We spent the entire trip laughing.

Sadness rushes through me.

Before I can stop myself, I have our conversation up on my screen.

There hasn’t been a message since he told me he was heading home on Friday.

But I’m about to change that.

Effie: I’m sorry. I love you, and I’m sorry x

I stand there staring, waiting for it to be delivered, and maybe even read.

But it never happens.

Refusing to regret reaching out, I stuff my cell back into my purse and secure it in the locker.

As I walk out to join the others, my head spins with all the reasons it may not have been delivered.

“There she is,” Lori sings from the jacuzzi. All three of them have glasses of bubbles in their hands and wide smiles on their faces.

Shrugging off my robe, I climb into the jacuzzi and reach for the fourth glass.

“Best idea we’ve had in a long time,” Tate sighs before sipping her drink.

The next four hours pass in a blur of heart-to-heart, laughter, champagne, and relaxation.

All three of them obviously want details about what’s happened with Kieran, but they didn’t linger on the subject. Instead, they distracted me with tales of the other Callahan brothers, of Prince, of work, and everything in between.

It’s amazing. And the perfect reminder that while I might be feeling lonely after losing Grams and all this shit with me and Keiran, I’m not actually alone.

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