Page 69 of Raine Out (Grand Slam 2)

Raine

“Stop it!” I say, trying to break out of the human sandwich Sophie’s brothers, Luke and Jake, have formed around me.

Alex and I arrived at Seb and Sophie’s villa about five minutes ago. When her brothers saw me walk in with him, they grabbed me, pulled me away, and immediately started teasing me.

“But we’ve missed you, little Rainey,” Luke says, kissing the top of my head. “We haven’t seen you for years and now you show up to Sophie’s wedding with Alex Molina. Please tell us everything we’ve missed.”

“Everything,” Jake echoes as he starts tickling me.

“Get away from me! You’re grown-ass men with wives and kids. Why are you still acting like you’re ten?”

“Because we love you,” Jake says as he looks back at Alex who’s standing about ten feet from us, “but obviously not as much as Alex does. He hasn’t stopped looking at you once since we took you away from him. Maybe if we keep you over here long enough, he’ll come over and rescue you.”

“I don’t need anyone to rescue me from you anymore.” I finally break their hold. “And not that it’s any of your business, but I met him yesterday. I barely know him. He just gave me a ride over here.”

“Oh he definitely gave you a ride,” Luke says, whistling as he turns around to look at Alex again.

“Luke, I swear to God,” I say, grabbing his face and turning it back to me, “if you don’t shut up, I’ll tell both of our mothers that you got Sophie and me high when we were fourteen.”

He takes an exaggerated step back.

“And Maisie,” Jake laughs. “She was there, too.”

“Yes, thank you, Jake,” I say, pointing at Luke, “and Maisie. Do you want me to tell Melinda that you let her perfect baby girl smoke pot at fourteen? She still hasn’t forgiven you for teepeeing their house. That was twenty years ago. Mel holds grudges better than anyone I know. She’ll end you if she finds out you got Maisie high.”

“I seriously think she might.” Luke nods and narrows his eyes. “Well played, Rainey. You were always smarter than the other two.”

“I know you’re not talking about me,” Sophie says, pushing Luke from behind as she walks up to us. “Come on, Raine. Maisie and I want some alone time with you.”

“Alex wants some alone time with her, too.”

“Luke!” I mime smoking a joint with my hand and then point at him. “Don’t push me.”

He holds up his hands and starts backing away. “I surrender. You have me beat.”

As I watch them walk away, I link my arm with Sophie’s. “God, I still want to punch your brothers so badly.”

“Who doesn’t?” she says as she starts pulling me toward the beach. “I think I started falling in love with Seb when he told me he would kick their asses for me.”

I stop and close my eyes. “Ah, please tell me that happened and that it can happen again—with me watching.”

“Unfortunately it hasn’t happened yet,” she says, sighing as she continues to pull me toward the water, “but it’s something to look forward to.”

As we get to the bottom of the stairs that lead to the beach, I see Maisie lounging in an enormous inflatable pink flamingo on the edge of the water. Her head’s propped up on one side and her feet on the other. She has a plastic cup balanced on her bare stomach with a long straw that connects the cup to her mouth.

“About time,” she says as she peers at us from underneath a huge sun hat. “I’ve been waiting down here forever.”

“Yeah, you look really uncomfortable,” I say, flipping some water on her.

“God that feels good. It’s so hot out here,” she says as she sucks hard on the straw.

“Nice ride, sister,” I say, flipping the flamingo’s beak. “Is it sea-worthy?”

“I guess we’ll find out. It’s just the right size for three people and a pitcher of mai tais,” she says, pushing her hat back as she holds up an oversized thermos. “Get in. We’re going floating.”

“Oh, uh,” I say, looking back to the pool deck. “I should—”

“Tell Alex?” Sophie says, pulling me onto the flamingo. “I don’t think you have to tell him where you are. He hasn’t taken his eyes off you since you got here.”

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