Page 15 of One Last Memory

I smiled despite myself, his easy warmth loosening the knot in my chest. “Hey. It’s fine.”

“So, how’s the vacation treating you?” he asked. “The family being nice to you?”

“For the most part, I guess.”

Phoenix paused and I could almost see him tilting his head, reading me through the phone. “How are youreallydoing, Lee? You sound… happy, but not. What’s up?”

I sagged deeper into the hammock, the woven ropes creaking under me. “I’m confused,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You know I know you, right? You’re probably trying to figure out if you’re worth it for something, and you’re telling yourself you probably aren’t or don’t deserve it. Lee, you’re the most beautiful, courageous woman I know.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes even though he couldn’t see. “You’re just saying that. We all know Elissa’s the best of the siblings.”

“Actually, I’m the best, but that’s beside the point,” he shot back, and I could hear his grin. “Lee, what’s going on?”

I sighed, my gaze drifting to the journal, its pages a mess of my spiraling thoughts. “I met these guys,” I started, and Phoenix let out a low whistle, making me huff. “But they all know each other, and I just… it feels like a joke.”

“Did you talk to them?” he asked, direct as always.

“Um…” I bit my lip, guilt twisting in my gut.

“You ran, didn’t you?” Phoenix said, not accusing, just knowing. “Sis, you have no idea what they were thinking, but to be honest, I’d think the same. You won’t know the truth until you ask. If that’s what you want to do.”

“That’s terrifying,” I muttered, wrapping an arm around myself like I could hold the fear at bay.

“Life’s terrifying. Call me later when you’ve figured out what you want, okay? Then you can tell me how pretty the guys you found are and don’t tell me they aren’t pretty. I know your type and they’re usually the ones I’d drool over too.”

That brought a laugh out of me because he wasn’t wrong. I remembered the nights we’d pore over model magazines, both of us picking out the same men we’d marry if we could. “I miss you,” I finally managed to push out.

“Miss you too, Lee.” He blew me a kiss and then hung up, leaving me with his final words.

I didn’t feel like I deserved the happiness that those sweet moments had brought me. That was the problem, though, right? Because I did deserve more than I was giving myself credit for. I just had to figure out what I wanted and take it. Which meant that I needed a shower and then I had to face those men to hear the truth from their own mouths.

Secretly I hoped that this wasn’t a game, that I had somehow caught their attention because for the first time in a while, I felt beautiful beneath someone’s gaze.

MASON

Isatatthekitchen table, the knot in my gut still there from last night. Angelo was across from me, his dark eyes staring at the coffee mug he hadn’t touched, his face drawn like he’d barely slept. Benji slouched beside me, his leg bouncing under the table, a mirror of my own restless energy. The three of us had crashed hard last night, tossing and turning, haunted by the same question: what the hell happened with Bailee?

One minute, Angelo had been up in the DJ booth, looking like he’d seen a fucking angel descend from the heavens. His grin had been so bright it lit up the club, and I’d followed his gaze, curious. Then I saw her—Bailee, her nervous smile catching the neon lights, her leg bouncing like she was ready to bolt. My heart had tripped over itself, because fuck, it was her, the same woman Benji and I had already fallen for on the beach.

What were the odds? A miracle, maybe, that Angelo had found her too, that our paths had crossed like this. But then she’d taken off, her eyes wide with terror as Angelo called after her, his voice lost in the crowd.

We’d caught up to him outside the club, his confusion palpable. “Who was that?” he’d asked, and Benji and I had exchanged a look before spilling the truth. Angelo’s face had crumpled, like he thought he’d broken something precious, and none of us had slept worth a damn after that.

And now, the next morning, all three of us were a bit of a wreck. We didn’t have her number, no social media, no way to reach out without crossing lines that’d make us look like creeps. I could stop by the rental house she was staying at, but that felt like a violation, like showing up uninvited to her safe space. Reaching out to one of her sisters—the older one, maybe?—was an option, but it was unprofessional as hell, and I wasn’t sure I could stomach the awkwardness.

Angelo hadn’t said a word all morning, his phone untouched on the table, his hands clasped tight like he was holding himself together. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I leaned forward, grabbed the leg of his chair, and dragged it closer with a scrape that made Benji flinch. Before Angelo could protest, I cupped his face and pressed a firm kiss to his cheek, the stubble rough against my lips. “We’ll figure it out,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I’m pretty sure she’s freaking out just like we are.”

Benji let out a chuckle, but it was a hard, bitter sound. “Yeah, but the problem is she leaves in, like, three days, and we’ll still be here. Even if we fix something that barely even started, where does it go? One night together and then goodbye? She gets a fantastic memory, and we just… move on?”

I leaned back, my hands dropping to my thighs. “Maybe it doesn’t have to end?”

Benji snorted, his eyes narrowing. “Mason, let’s be real for one moment. Someone like Bailee isn’t gonna drop her posh life in whatever city she’s in and move in with us.”

Angelo groaned, finally breaking his silence. “Who said she’d do all that? We all came here for a vacation at some point and decided to stay. I canceled my return ticket three years ago after two days of being here. I’m not saying she’d do the same, but all I want right now is to clear the air. She lookedbetrayed,Benji. I can’t leave things like that.”

Their eyes turned to me and I sighed, knowing that showing up at their villa would be the least strange option we had. I was the one who’d always been good at wading into awkward situations, at smoothing things over. But this? This was gonna be messy as fuck. I pushed to my feet, the chair scraping against the tile. “If this goes south, both of you owe me a drink.”

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