Page 30 of Second Chance Vacation

“Looks as good a place as any,” I say as I turn my head from side to side, observing the secluded area. The expanse of rock stretches from the cliff’s edge to the tree line, leaving us with at least twenty feet of room around us.

Unfolding the oversized blanket, Wes shakes it out as he lays it out flat in the stone clearing. The look of stress from this morning was nothing compared to the look of anguish he was now sporting. The sweat accumulating on his hairline is more than the hike justifies. Wes is a seasoned athlete. His hands shake as he pulls wrapped hunks of cheese and fruits from the basket, laying them for better access on the blanket.

Gen’s eyes are entranced as her focus is set on the view in front of us. The fog of morning has cleared, and in its wake, we are left with a stunning expanse of the sea, completely untouched by the beachgoers and sailors we are accustomed to seeing. She is bathing in a serene environment, and I can’t help but join her.

I creep behind her quietly, approaching her side to watch over the edge of the cliff. I stand there for a solid thirty seconds before she notices me.

“Jesus Christ, Jackson!” She jerks, grasping her hand to her heart. “You scared the crap out of me. I could’ve fallen!”

“We’re feet from the edge, Gen.”

“It still could have happened.” Gen’s arms cross over her chest, her exacerbated expression fixed.

“Well—I would catch you.” I grin, the statement’s depth not hitting me until I watch her expression falter. I don’t take it back.

“Yeah, okay.” She rolls her eyes, a grin creeping through her otherwise withdrawn exterior. Since we arrived in France, it has felt like I am in a constant battle of wits with her. Every time it seems like I am making headway with her, she instantly jerks back.

“So, what’s up with Wesley?” Gen nods toward the couple standing ten feet behind us, just far enough to be out of earshot. Wes has been a ball of anxious energy since yesterday.

While I have a feeling why he’s so nervous, it’s not my place to tell Gen. I understand my friendship with Wes and her friendship with Savannah are interconnected, but it still feels like a breach of trust to tell Gen what he told me in confidence. My gut tells me she’ll know soon anyway.

“Beats me.” I shrug, looking back toward the water.

She doesn’t pry.

We stand there in silence for a few moments, Savannah and Wes’s voices barely making their way to us. Gen’s eyes are set on the water, and she is surprisingly calm. Whether it is the distance or the distraction of the otherwise gorgeous view, she seems almost serene. I sure as hell won’t be the one to disturb that. I keep my body facing forward, not wanting to startle her more than I have, peering at her through the corner of my vision. Gen’s beautiful espresso tendrils catch in the wind as I watch as a piece of hair sticks to her chapstick. She doesn’t move to fix it.

“You have a—” I turn toward her, motioning to the place on her mouth.

“Oh—” She reaches to pull the piece from its hold.

She successfully removes it, but I can’t help but let my gaze follow her fingertips resting against her lips. Kissing her again the other night awakened something in my brain that I have been desperately trying to keep at bay. Gen has been crystal clear that she wants to be just friends, so why is my mind so set on wreaking havoc on my sanity by reminding me of every little movement she makes?

“We should—” She tilts her head toward Savannah and Wes, who are now comfortably sitting on the blanket. Savannah finally seems to have shed the anxiety she has been carrying with her all day. Despite Gen’s lack of knowledge about it, I am convinced Savannah has a sense of why Wes is so nervous. We move toward them, plopping down on the blanket opposite them, allowing Savannah to hand us each a small plate of assorted cheeses and fruits.

While picnics are seldom my thing, I can’t help but admit that our day has been perfect. The never-ending strings of laughter have managed to loosen Wes up, and he is finally back to his typical self. Full of jokes but still doting on Savannah, as he often does. I feel like I am invading an intimate moment as he feeds her cheeses and grapes as if they are the only ones present. I work to divert my eye, looking at Gen, but she is staring back at me.

Her golden brown eyes catch in the waning sunlight as her gaze bores into me. I want so desperately to read whatever she is thinking at this moment. The tan she has amassed over the past week glistens, leaving me with the perfect object of my attention. I could look at her all day.

“Savannah, you are without a doubt the most magnificent woman I have ever met—” Wes’s voice manages to break through my fixation, mine and Gen’s eyes darting to Wes, who is now sitting on the heels of his feet. “I knew from the moment I met you that you were going to change my life, but I didn’t know just how much. You challenge me. You push me. You’ve managed to introduce me to a life that I didn’t even realize I wanted. Now, I can’t envision a world without it—”

My attention moves to Gen, her eyes misty, finally realizing exactly why we put so much work into getting to this picnic spot. The sky is shifting into a kaleidoscope of colors, painting the scene like a priceless work of art.

“—I love you so much. Will you marry me?” Wes is now fully on one knee in front of Savannah, her eyes now filled to the brim with tears. I realize at this moment that I have never seen her cry. She isn’t a particularly emotional person, making me realize just how big this is for her. Not that I don’t know proposals are huge, but I’ve never been present for one before.

“Of course!” Savannah’s squeal cuts through the air as she propels herself forward into Wes’s arms.

As they kiss, I feel the instinct to look away, my eyes instantly diverting to Gen.

Gen, who is looking at me again with a perplexed expression.

Her eyes are still misty with emotion, but she is undeterred by my looking back at her. I wish I could know what she is thinking with her lip caught between her teeth.

The champagne flute being shoved at my chest by Savannah pulls me from Gen’s gaze, looking to the happy couple as she wears a joyous grin.

“Congrats, you two! This is so exciting!”

“I’m so incredibly happy for you guys.” Emotion creeps into Gen’s voice as she looks to Savannah, whose eyes are still glassy. She reaches out, pulling Savannah into a hug.

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