Page 66 of Rebound With Me
“Wait, what?” Russell’s voice remains ostensibly calm, but I can see and hear the tension. “What’s going on here?”
I refuse to feel like a couple of kids who have been caught fooling around under the bleachers, because that is the tone he’s using right now.
“Hello, Russell,” I say. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Wait, so…That’s your Nina?” Sadie says to Russell. “That’s my Vince.”
“Not anymore,” Vince says, squeezing my hand.
Russell holds his hand up in the air. “What is happening here?”
“Not much, what’s happening with you?” Vince removes his sunglasses and looks Russell straight in the eyes.
“Nina, did you follow us here?”
“Are you kidding me? Did you follow us? Because I made reservations like three months ago, you can ask the front desk.”
Russell’s jaw tightens, but his shoulders relax. “Well, so did I.”
A look passes between us, barely anything, but we silently realize that we both made surprise reservations for our three-year anniversary here.
“Imagine that,” I say.
“So…wait,” says Sadie, dramatically rubbing her temples. “So you guys are together? How did that happen?”
“It’s really none of your business,” mutters Vince.
“You sure about that? Because it seems like it has a lot to do with me and Russell. Don’t you think, Russ?”
Russ? He doesn’t let anyone call him ‘Russ.’ He is so not a Russ.
He considers before responding, and then comes up with this jewel: “I think it’s their business how they choose to deal with things.”
Vince guffaws. “Wow. You really are a principal.”
“Okay,” says Sadie. “Okay. Whatever. So you guys are together and you’re here and we’re here. Okay. Hi, I’m Sadie,” she says to me, extending her hand.
I shake her hand. “Nice to meet you, Sadie. I’m Nina.”
Vince and Russell just stare each other down and I feel like I’m inCall of the Wildfor a second.
“So anyway. Good to see you, Vince.” Sadie sits down at the edge of the lounge chair and proceeds to towel-dry her hair. “How’s Charlie?”
“Fine. He’s great, actually.”
“I miss him.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I bet he doesn’t even remember me.”
“He remembers you. He missed you for like a week, but he’s okay.”
“I wish he had a phone so I could text him.”
“Yeah, well. He’s eight.”
“Right. God forbid a Devlin man should keep in touch with a girl.”
