Page 89 of Until It Was Real

“Don’t you have mail to chase after?” I ask as I make my way to the reception desk. A wave of dizziness hits me and I clutch the desk before I collapse on the floor. Once the dizziness has receded, I grab a juice box from my bag and drink from it.

“Are you okay?” Sadie asks.

“Fine.” I wave away her concern.

She narrows her eyes on me. “You aren’t pregnant, are you?”

My mouth drops open. “Pregnant?”

She shrugs. “Some women have dizzy spells when they’re pregnant.”

“No, I’m not pregnant.” In fact, I don’t plan to have children. The doctors claim it’s possible for me to have a healthy child but considering how I was born, I won’t risk it.

I haven’t told Rhett I don’t want children yet. Based on some of his throwaway comments, he wants kids. I’m afraid of how he’ll react to my not wanting any.

“Bummer. Those Raider men are sexy as all get out. I bet their babies will be gorgeous.”

“Why are you so interested in the Raider brothers? I thought you had your own thing going on.”

“No Raider brother for me,” she says and ignores my attempt to find out what’s got her buzzing with excitement every time the mail is delivered. “My sister dated one and it did not end well. No, thank you.”

“Who did your sister date?”

“Miles.”

“I get how dating him could be heartbreaking.” Miles is sweet and charming, but he doesn’t take anything in life seriously. Except surfing. I wouldn’t handle coming in second to a surfboard very well.

She sighs. “Hazel never got over him.”

“That sucks.”

“Men suck.”

“Preaching to the choir, sister.”

Her nose wrinkles. “What do you mean? Rhett is a perfect gentleman with you.” She leans on the desk as if she’s settling in for a chat. She’s going to be disappointed. I’m not telling her about Adam any more than I’d tell her about my sex life with Rhett.

There’s a commotion outside and I glance out of the window. A group of men stumble their way toward the hotel.

“I love mermaids!” one of them shouts right before he runs head-on into the door, rears back, and lands on his ass.

His friends try to help him up but they’re laughing too hard to be of any assistance. I go to help but before I manage to reach them, they end up splayed on the sidewalk.

“We should abandon them here,” Sadie says as we stare down at the group.

“The stars are beautiful on this island.”

“The mermaids are even better.”

“Dude. Mermaids aren’t real.”

“Those seashell bras felt awful real.”

“Don’t lie. You didn’t feel a thing.”

“She rejected you.”

“And somehow we all ended up drinking shots of moonshine.”

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