Page 119 of Resting Beach Face
“Basically.” He slapped my ass. “So let’s go get ready.”
We arrived at the LandShark Retreat RV park twenty minutes later, mainly because Kat had taken that long to do her hair and makeup. Apparently, sitting around a bunch of trailers at a campground required full glamor.
When I mentioned it to Cash, he laughed. “I can tell you’ve never been with a woman.”
I scowled. “And you’ve been with so many?” He opened his mouth, and I raised a hand. “Don’t answer that!”
“I haven’t been with that many,” Cash said. “My preference has always been tall, dark, and grumpy.”
He kissed me playfully while Katelyn pretended to gag behind us—and in full view of Cash’s friends, which included Hudson. At least I had one ally in the bunch.
It reminded me of what he’d said to me only a few weeks ago. That I was supposed to date Cash and make Hudson feel less like an old man among them.
It had seemed so impossible when he said it, and yet here we all were.
“The lovebirds are here!” Fisher called from where he sat cozied up on Hudson’s lap in an Adirondack chair.
“You’re one to talk!” Sawyer called from his spot by the grill.
He followed up his words by eating a bite of shrimp from his boyfriend’s fingers with an indecent moan of delight.
“Neither are you,” Poppy said, sticking out her tongue. “I’m all alone on The Love Boat and you’re all making me seasick!”
The woman seated beside her at the picnic table nudged her. “What am I? Chopped liver over here? I don’t have anyone slobbering over me either.”
As we rounded the table to take the empty seats next to Brooks and Skylar, I was surprised to see Poppy’s friend was the baker from Hot Buns.
“Slobbering sounds so romantic though,” Cash teased. “How can you resist?”
Jasmine snorted. “Been there, done that. Now I just want someone who’ll listen to me bitch and moan about my crap day, you know? My brother has no patience for me, and Poppy here has been a great listener and all, but I worry I’ll drive her up the wall.”
Brooks chuckled. “You can’t be any worse than the rest of us. Poppy is kind of our relationship glue.”
“Ironic, huh?” Poppy joked. “I’m the aro ace, and yet I keep these guys in line when they’re being stupid about love.”
Poppy’s ease with speaking about her ace identity surprised me. For too long, I’d treated my asexuality like a dirty secret, a source of guilt and shame that I couldn’t fit in the same as everyone else.
Before Cash, I’d given up on relationships. I hadn’t just given up on love, I’d given up on eventrying.
I reached for his hand, lacing our fingers under the table. So much had changed. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to express to him how happy he made me.
Hudson grabbed a couple of beers from the cooler and handed them out. He clinked the neck of his beer bottle against mine. “How are the repairs coming along at the B&B? It’s a shame about the vandalism. I could come by and help on my next day off.”
“We’re nearly done with those repairs,” I said, nudging Cash’s shoulder. “This guy is the hardest worker I’ve ever met.”
Sawyer pretended to be shocked. “Cash? Hard-working? I don’t understand…”
The friends laughed and trash-talked each other, but there was no meanness to it. Skylar jumped in, singing Cash’s praises at the resort. It didn’t surprise me. Cash was dedicated when he cared about something, and despite initial appearances, he cared deeply for his friends.
And for me.
Ash brought over a platter with skewers of shrimp, steak, chicken, and slices of bell pepper, onion, and thick mushrooms. He set a sauce dish beside it.
“Kababs with a homemade teriyaki sauce,” he said. “I hope you enjoy.”
Sawyer went inside and came back with a bowl of salad. “And here’s some rabbit food, which is all I’m allowed to prepare these days.”
“Thank all that’s holy,” Cash cried.
