Page 33 of The Tides Between Us

“Heaven knows I don’t deserve you, but I’ll never stop trying to prove my worth.”

The tides between us ceased to exist.

Our mouths collided and we crashed into one another.

Again and again… like the relentless waves crashing against the coast.

Together, wewerethe tide.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

GIANA

“Who’s ready for a round of shots?” Winter giggled as she walked back over to the high-top table, juggling three small shot glasses. She wasn’t a big drinker, but since we were having our first girls’ night in a little bit, she felt we needed a shot.

Harper sipped her martini and smiled brightly at her. “Hey, why not? If they’re coming to the table anyway, I’m not going to turn them down.”

My eyes traveled back and forth between the two of them, rapidly reading their lips. It had become second nature over my years of life and came easily to me. They were both conscious of my hearing loss that they signed while speaking to make it easier for me, but it didn’t really make much of a difference. As long as my brain was focused and engaged, I could follow along.

But it was equally exhausting, trying to keep up and constantly process what everyone was saying, whether it was reading the way their mouths formed around words or their words forming with their fingers.

Add in alcohol and things always tended to get a little more muddled.

Winter sat at the other seat at our high-top table and handed Harper and I each a shot. I looked at the pale green liquid in the glass and raised my eyebrows as I looked back to my best friend.“Green tea shot?”

“Remember the summer before college?” she started as she spoke aloud while simultaneously signing to me. “That one bartender from the country club came to Eloise Gervais’s graduation party because they were sneaking around together and he made them for everyone?”

I stared at her for a moment, my eyebrows pulling together before I burst out into a silent laugh. My shoulders shook and I almost snorted while shaking my head.“How the hell would I remember that? That was, like, six years ago, and I’m fairly certain I blacked out that night.”

Winter shrugged. “I don’t know. I never really drank much and I always remembered them because I liked how they tasted.”

“They are good,” Harper added with a wink as she took a sip of hers. It was a mixed shot and it seemed to be one most people preferred to drink slower because of the taste.

We all sipped on our small glasses, ignoring the mixed drinks we already had. Harper had already told us all about her recent endeavors with her photography business. Considering the fact that she was dating my brother, I knew enough about their love life that I kind of tuned her out as she clued Winter in on how great their relationship was.

I truly was happy for my brother. I loved Harper. She was great for him and together, they were an amazing couple.

The same was true for Winter and Malakai. They had just gotten home from another trip. If there was one person who would literally burn the entire world to fucking ash for someone, it was Malakai. Winter was the only person who mattered in his life. He didn’t care much for anyone but her. And if anything ever happened to her—I’d hate to see the destruction he would cause.

“So, Giana,” Harper started to speak and sign with her eyes bright and curious. “We need to know what happened with Declan Parks. Did he ever come back to see the turtle?”

Heat instantly crept up my neck before spreading across my face. I was waiting for this moment, yet I still felt one hundred percent unprepared. Surprisingly, neither of them had bothered me about him until this moment. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were waiting for a time when I wouldn’t be able to avoid answering them.

“He did,”I admitted before picking up my shot to occupy my hands with something other than answering their questions.

Winter was smiling brightly at me. “Did he come just for the turtle or to see you too?”

I swallowed a mouthful of the mixture of liquor before setting the shot glass back down.“He didn’t just come to see the turtle.”

“I knew it!” Harper exclaimed while slapping her hand on the table. “I told you he wanted to see you too.”

I looked back and forth between the two of them, reading their facial expressions. A smile was pulling on my lips and I hated the way my body was betraying me. I couldn’t even fight it if I wanted to. Harper’s excitement was contagious and Winter was so curious.

“Come on, G. You have to give us more than that.” She raised her eyebrows at me. “The suspense is literally killing me.”

My phone vibrated on the table beside me and I glanced at it, seeing Declan’s name on the screen. Jesus. That man had impeccable timing. It was like the universe buzzed in his ear and let him know we were talking about him.

“Is that him?” Harper questioned me as she tried to look at the screen before it went dark.

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