Page 139 of Unraveling Rain
Rain’s hand finds mine under the table, and I give her a gentle squeeze. If Trin doesn’t get the message now, she’s not the kind of person I thought she was.
“That’s awesome, guys,” Trin finally says, taking a sip of her water.
“Alright, who’s hungry?” Rain asks, now that the air has cleared. I immediately raise my hand.
She chuckles, rolling her eyes—blinding smile in full effect.
“Have you guys been here before? What do you recommend?”
Trin and Matt dive into a list of their favorite dishes. Bit by bit, the tension fades.
The meal turns out great.
We’re now waiting for dessert, and Matt is clearly on a mission to humiliate me.
I cover my face with both hands, not wanting to see Rain’s reaction.
“The funniest one,” Matt begins, “has to be the time Xander got conned into going to the sauna—naked.”
Raingasps. I chuckle.
“We had an off day and decided to hit the spa—massages, facials, and whatnot. Xander’s new to the crew, eager to fit in. So, of course, he got the most expensive package on the menu.
“The thing is, Seth, a player who retired a couple of years ago, told Xander that this was a clothing-optional sauna. And your man believed him.”
Rain cackles, and I can’t help but laugh along.
“So in he goes, in his birthday suit, and the second he opens the door—chaos. Shouting, swearing, the whole spa hears it.
“There were a few older gentlemen in there who just frowned. But the ladies? Three older ladies lit up like it was Christmas morning.”
Rain’s in tears, gasping for air.
“And when they started walking toward him, Xander panicked and bolted for the locker room. And they chased him.”
The whole table explodes in laughter, and I finally drop my hands and shake my head.
“Hey, in my defense,” I say grinning, “I was young and naive.”
Rain wipes her eyes and rests her hands on my bicep, still trying to catch her breath.
“Did they find you?” she asks, voice rough from laughing.
“They did. But I had a towel by the time they got inside.”
She dissolves into giggles again.
“Please don’t tell Granny. I’m sure she’ll find a way to get you naked in front of the entire town.”
My eyebrows shoot up as I get very serious.
“No fucking way, Cherry. This body is for your viewing pleasure only.”
I kiss her forehead, and she nods, still grinning.
“I didn’t know that story about Xander,” Trin says as she stands and places her napkin on the table. “But it’s exactly what I needed. A good laugh after my little inquisition earlier.”
She turns to Rain. “Want to come to the restroom with me?”
