Page 45 of Fragile Hearts

“You’ll do great, Flynn. You’re an awesome surfer, a fucking world champion.”

Flynn laughs, shaking his head as he says, “Former world champion.”

“Whatever,” I say. “A former five-time world champion, so still a fucking world champion.”

“Alright, alright, settle down,” he says as Alana and Sloane both walk over to join us. “Ladies,” Flynn says, slinging an arm around Alana.

I turn to Sloane, who’s looking up at me with a smile on her face. Chuckling, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her close as I say, “Come here, you.” Sloane giggles, burying her face against my chest before she turns to our friends, her head leaning on my shoulder. “You good?” I ask, gently squeezing her neck.

“I’m good,” she says, glancing up.

With a grin, I lean in and drop a quick kiss to her lips, which is apparently enough to warrant loud cheers from all of our friends.

“Oh my fucking god,” I say, laughing. “Settle down. It’s a kiss, not a cure for cancer.”

“No chance!” Daisy says, grinning as she now joins us. “We’ve all been waiting forever for this to happen, so we’re definitely gonna be cheering for it.”

I raise a brow at her. “Really, Daze?” I deadpan.

“Yes, really,” she says, slapping my chest. “You two have always been like...I don’t know, the couple everyone wants to be together, so...” She trails off suddenly as her gaze moves away from us to land on Miles, who is standing quietly beside his brother, his eyes firmly fixed on Daisy.

With a grin, I lean in and say, “I don’t think we’re the only ones, Daze.”

“Yeah,” Sloane says, poking her friend. “When are you gonna ditch that dickhead and realize what a catch Miles is?”

Daisy slow-blinks at Sloane before crossing her arms over her chest. “Um, hello pot, would you like to meet kettle?” she asks, smirking.

Chuckling, I shake my head as I say, “Totes different, Daze.”

She scoffs at that, throwing her arms up as she says, “Whatever,” before turning and walking over to the cooler, avoiding Miles’s stare as he watches her the whole time.

“God, it’s almost painful watching those two,” Sloane mutters.

Alana bursts out laughing. “Jesus, Sloane, now you know how the rest of us felt watching you two!” she says, flinging her hand in our direction.

Sloane’s gaze snaps to Alana’s, her mouth open in an adorable little O shape. “What?” she asks.

“You two,” she says, flipping her hand between Sloane and me. “Watching Owen pine, watching you trying not to give in to it, knowing you were both being idiots, all of it!”

Flynn laughs, squeezing Alana into his side as he says, “Settle down, babe. Not everyone hooks up within five minutes of meeting each other.” Alana lets out a shocked yelp as she turns to gape at her boyfriend. Flynn is grinning at her as he leans down and nuzzles the side of her neck. “I know I was hard to resist, babe. You were too.”

Alana’s shock dissolves into giggles as she turns to Flynn, kissing him hard.

“Oh my god, I think we need to find someone else to talk to,” Sloane mutters.

“Agree,” I say with a laugh as I turn us around and we wander over to where Nate and Sage are. “Oh, and before I forget,” I add, my mouth at her ear so none of our friends hear this part.

God knows how much shit we will get when they find out I’m taking Sloane to my family’s soft opening of their newest hotel. I’ve never taken any of my friends to one of these because they are normally reserved for family and friends of my parents. I’d already been planning to ask my mom if I could bring Sloane, if only so I could treat her to something nice. But then she suggested I bring her anyway, obviously fully aware of my crush on this girl.

“We’re on the ten o’clock ferry tomorrow morning.”

I panic-packed on Thursday night after asking Owen a million times what I should bring. His response was literally bikinis. He was of zero help, and I’m back at it again this morning, pretty much shoving everything I own into a suitcase I borrowed from Sage.

It isn’t just the idea of spending time with Owen’s family and being at this luxury resort that has my anxiety through the roof. The idea of packing can be triggering for me because, as a kid, I did it so often, and with it came the unknown. I often think it’s why I’ve never left the island, not that I have the money to travel, but it scares me to leave.

Owen doesn’t know any of this, and I’m not sure I’ll ever tell him, already having unloaded way too much of my bullshit on him. He doesn’t know that I scrambled to Sage’s house to beg her for a suitcase so I didn’t look like the foster kid that I am in front of his parents.

“Sloane!” Owen calls, and I slam the suitcase shut, plopping my ass down on it so I can zip it closed. “You coming?”

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