Page 33 of Love on Deck

“A guy Lauren dated,” Amelia said. “He was really into himself.”

“You would be too if you had such a successful law firm,” she muttered.

“A lawyer?” I gave a low whistle. “I bet the man could really appreciate a good list.”

“He could,” Lauren said, her voice still high and breathy. She pushed up. “You know what, I think I’m done. I’ll Venmo you, Ames. I just—I can’t.”

I lifted my head to see Lauren slipping back into the waiting area where the changing rooms were located. She’d pulled the entire sheet from the bed, wrapped around to cover herself, and left her massage therapist standing at the table with wide eyes.

Amelia sighed, pushing herself up.

“I’ll go.” I shot my massage therapist an apologetic smile, sliding from the table in my boxer briefs and into my robe.

Amelia shook her head. “She’s my sister, I should talk to her.”

It was time to play the card I really didn’t have the right to use. “She’s my girlfriend. Stay, finish your time together, and don’t worry about Lauren. She’ll be fine.” I gave Amelia my most reassuring smile, and she relaxed. At least my charm worked on one of the Foley girls.

Now to find the other one.

CHAPTER TWELVE

LAUREN

It had been so long since I’d had an anxiety attack, I hadn’t seen the signs until it was too late to stop them. Maybe it was Kevin bringing up my ex-boyfriend or feeling trapped in the room with Jack and my sister. I felt vulnerable with no escape. In the waiting room, I was alone, with space, and I could breathe. My heart rate was already starting to regulate, which was proof that I’d done the right thing leaving that massage. I inhaled deeply, letting it out slowly. Then inhaled again—

“Lauren?”

I sputtered, spitting my exhale without dignity. I pulled the sheet around me tighter and peeked over my shoulder at Jack in a bathrobe slipping out of the massage room. I was covered by a thin white sheet. He kept his gaze on my face, like a gentleman.

That was unexpected.

“You okay?” he asked gently.

“Totally.” My heart hammered again, and I worked on slowing my breathing. “It’s normal to freak out in the middle of an activity that’s specifically designed to bring you relaxation.”

He squinted. “There were no spreadsheets involved, so could we really call that peaceful? The least they could do would be to provide you with a PowerPoint presenting the different benefits of the massage in real time.”

I chuckled, turning away from him and sliding into the changing room. He was ribbing me, but it didn’t feel malicious. In fact, I could feel the way my body was relaxing on its own again. “You can go back and finish. I’m not imploding anymore.”

“I don’t think it’s quite the same without the fourth wheel.”

Yikes. He was right. Third-wheeling the bride and groom would feel awkward, even if neither of them cared. I pulled my tank over my head and slid into my shorts. Using the mirror, I smoothed my low ponytail again. When I stepped out of the changing room, Jack was standing there, waiting for me, fully dressed. He wore the same tan shorts and bright blue casual T-shirt he’d had on earlier, only now the combination seemed to make his eyes stand out. His hands were slung in his pockets, and he watched me.

“I’m not fragile,” I said, walking past him and heading for the door.

He was right behind me. “Didn’t think it for a minute.”

“Then you don’t have to babysit me.”

“Didn’t really think of it that way, either.”

I stopped halfway down the walkway that led to the stairs. We were on one of the highest decks for the spa, so the view was incredible, but I tore my gaze away from the brilliant ocean, landing squarely on Jack’s worried eyes. “You’re not my boyfriend. This isn’t real. So you don’t have to follow me and make sure I’m okay.”

Especially because I wasn’t okay. I had almost had a mild anxiety attack in front of my sister and her fiancé and a guy that already thought really terribly of me.

Audience aside, the annoying thing was that I didn’t know why it had happened in the first place. I didn’t know what triggered the anxiety running through my body like an explosion of fire ants. I’d had massages before, and they were fine. If I hadn’t gotten out of there when I did, maybe it would’ve been worse, but I had stepped away before anything could escalate. While my heart was still galloping and my nerves were a little frayed, I could feel I was coming down from whatever that had been.

It wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t even a thing. And I certainly didn’t need Jack Fletcher thinking I was fragile.

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