Page 90 of Win My Heart

I blush at just hearing Wade and I coupled together in her speech. It makes me giddy because for the first time, there really is an us.

Morgan points to my face. “Look at that blush. I love it.”

“Okay, but there is one thing I’m dying to know.” Ruby looks conspiratorially at me. I almost sag in dread because that face means I’m about to have to talk about something I’d rather not. “Has our dear Wade given our girl the bigO?”

Gia snorts, choking on the water she was drinking. Morgan says, “Ruby. Warn a girl.”

“What? Don’t tell me you guys aren’t just a little invested in the progress of our girl’s orgasm status.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“It’s kinda personal, don’t you think?” Morgan chastises her.

“Well, yeah, sure. But she told us fair and square, and remember, we are a team.” She waves her hand toward us. “We’re a unit of kick-ass women who have one another’s back. We are invested in one another’s journeys , so yeah, she’s gotta keep us in the loop. It’s only fair.”

We all a look at her.

“Damn,” Gia says.

“You could do a TED Talk,” I mutter.

“Do you need help climbing off that soapbox, Ruby?” Morgan’s sweet voice cuts through the moment.

And that’s why these three are my best friends.

“So after that whole speech, now I kinda want to know.” Gia leans into my shoulder.

Rolling my eyes, I can’t help but smile. “Fine. Yes. I’ve experienced the bigOseveral times.”

Collectively, they squeal. And then, per usual, we fall into a fit of laughter. We finally calm down and move on to other topics, thank goodness. The guys were on a mission to check out what kind of snacks they could find on the small hike to the concessions. Fried pickles, Italian beef sandwiches, fish and chips, and popcorn were all on the approved list. Viewing the fireworks from the park was a much better idea than braving the crowd on the pier. But even so, the park around us is getting more popular as the evening turns to night. I can’t help but feel a little uneasy, which should be my new default setting, it seems. I look over my shoulder and scan the crowd but see nothing that sets off alarm bells. But still, the feeling of being watched remains unsettling.

I wish Wade would get back here soon. I’m craving pickles, but also, I feel safer when he’s near.

The early evening turns into night, and when the temperature cools down, the breeze off the lake sends a cold chill down my spine.

Wade puts his arm around me, pulling me into his warm body, his breath puffing on my cheek. “Cold?”

“Kinda, but better now.” I hunker down, snuggling further down into his side. He grants me a chuckle and a kiss to my temple.

Live music and entertainment can be heard from all around us, but people watching and good conversation with my friends was a well-needed outing. Being here with Wade, not hiding, has been my favorite part. It isn’t awkward. No one looks at us funny or tells us it’s strange to see us together. They all just accept it, and I love them for it.

The fireworks show that graces the sky every Saturday night in the summer on the pier will start in about an hour as the sun sets. Since it’s Memorial Day weekend, the buzz in the air is louder than normal.

Wishing I had brought a hoodie, I snuggle into the portable heater that is Wade just as Link stands from the picnic table, saying my name.

“My guy Ryker wants to talk,” Link announces as he looks down at his phone, moving his thumbs over the screen.

Instantly, my mind scrambles up my bliss of the night and morphs into panic. I was doing such a great job in ignoring the paranoia of being watched. Heck, I was able to stop looking over my shoulder every few minutes about an hour ago.

Wade straightens as Link rises from the second big blanket. Wade pulls me up with him. Once standing, I hesitate to follow Link over to a quiet area away from the group. While I want this all to end, I’m not ready to go deeper into this whole thing. I was hoping this Joe Salt guy would just disappear.

Link’s phone rings and he answers, holding his phone face up between us. “Hey, man, I’ve got Bernie here. You’re on speaker.”

“Hey, Link, Bernie. I wish I was meeting you under better circumstances, but life is shit sometimes.” Ryker’s smooth voice fills the tiny space the three of us have created around the phone.

“What ya got for us?” Link asks him. I swallow down what feels like a massive lump in my throat.

“This fucker is good. I’ll give him that. Normally, it doesn’t take me long to track scumbags like this down. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I’m the best at what I do.”

Link chuckles. “Bro, it’s why I called you.”

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