Page 17 of Made for Us

“It really is. I have a trainer there who comes over every day. I train in the morning, and then in the afternoon, it’s either hiking, or I take Penelope fishing.” I smile, thinking about how much fun we have there. “It’s a dream, and it’s so peaceful.” I look at her. “You should come up sometime.” The minute the words come out of my mouth, I want to take them back. Why the hell would I say that? It’s not that I don’t want her there, but I don’t know how I can last living in the same house as her. “I mean, if you are ever in the area.”

CHAPTER NINE

ABIGAIL

Did he just invite me to go to his house in Canada? My brain screams at me as my mouth wants to ask, “When is a good day for you?” But instead, I take another small sip of my pina colada. “Your house sounds like a dream,” I finally say, “and not going to lie, I might be a bit jealous of you missing the summer heat in Dallas.”

He chuckles and takes a sip of his drink, and all I can do is wish I was a fucking plastic straw. This is insane. From the minute we started building the sandcastle together, my body has been on fire. I’m blaming the sun for it, but the truth is that it’s all him. I want to climb him like a monkey climbs a tree, wrap my legs around him, and basically hump him to the ground. The thought of me humping him makes my head spin, and I stare into my drink to avoid him looking at me. If he knew what I was thinking right now he would be so grossed out.

“It’ll be nice to get away from the heat,” he confirms. “Not going to lie, we went back to Canada during the winter break, and I swear my blood has gotten thinner. I was frozen the whole time.”

I can warm you up. The words almost slip out of my mouth, but I catch them just in time.

“Dad.” I hear Penelope from behind me and look over at her. “Watch!” she yells as she stands up on Xavier’s shoulders as he holds her ankles until she jumps off. Xavier takes two steps forward to make sure he can grab her. She smiles at Tristan and then swims over to us. “Did you see?”

“I did.” He puts his hand out to grab her and pull her to him.

“Did I make a big splash?” she asks, and he lies to her.

“So big, I felt it here,” he fibs, and then I just look at the two of them.

“I’m going to head out and take a nap. All this playing in the sun,” I say, “it’s rough.”

“I’m not tired at all,” Penelope declares to me, and I just laugh.

“The joys of being eight,” I say and get up, walking out of the water and to one of the daybeds. I spot Gabriella sitting down with Erika, Franny, and Vivienne so I make my way over there.

“What did I miss?” I ask, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my waist before looking around for a chair to drag over. I sit down in the shade, looking at Gabriella lounging on the daybed. Her camera is right next to her in her hand.

“I got a couple of candid shots of you guys building a sandcastle.” She tells me, looking out toward the water. “I got a couple of good shots of Xavier tossing Penelope into the water also.” She looks back at me as I lie down next to her. “We are having the welcome barbecue on the beach in two hours,” Gabriella informs me.

“What time is it?” I ask them.

Erika presses the button on her phone before turning to me. “Five thirty.”

“Oh my gosh, I just said I wanted to take a nap,” I huff, knowing there isn’t going to be enough time to nap.

“No rest for the wicked,” Franny teases me as she looks over at Wilson, who is sitting on the sand with their daughter. “I need a snack.” She gets up and puts her hand on her belly, which is starting to show. She announced at the beginning of the playoffs she couldn’t drink because she was expecting.

“A food snack,” Gabriella asks, “or his dick as a snack?”

“You are so crass,” Franny chastises her, then turns. “Mom, can you watch the baby for me? I need Wilson to help me with something.”

We burst out laughing as I get up and turn to Gabriella. “I’m going back to relax before dinner.”

“Well, playing in the sand can make one tired,” she taunts, and I just glare at her and then look at Erika, who rolls her lips.

“I know nothing. I see nothing.” She puts up her hand.

“I remember a while back, a certain couple hooking up on our family vacation one year.” I point at her, and she laughs as she gets up.

“Best vacation of my life,” she swears to me and then turns to call my cousin. “Cooper,” he calls him, and he springs out of his chair, coming over to her. “Will you come in the water with me?”

“Anything for you,” he says, grabbing her hand and walking with her into the water. I watch how he gets into the water, and she hugs him before placing her head on his shoulder. I take a second to look at Tristan, as I see him chatting with Xavier while Penelope plays close by. What I wouldn’t give to have just one kiss from him. What I wouldn’t give to have the love that any of my relatives have.

I turn away and walk back, rinsing my feet off as soon as I leave the beach. I walk into the room and head straight to the shower, washing off the sunscreen before I unpack my luggage. I walk out of my room, still wrapped in the towel, to grab a bottle of water and hear the shower coming from Gabriella’s room.

I grab a white strapless bra with a white silky tank top that falls just under my boobs. I grab my long, blue flowy pants that fall straight to my ankles. The minute I walk, my legs poke out of the peekaboo slit that goes all the way up to the top of my thigh. I slip on a pair of black flip-flops before walking back into the bathroom to do something with my hair. I comb it and then shake it out, letting the air dry. I don’t even bother putting on makeup because my face has a nice tan color.

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