I’d never been in a relationship where a man adored me. I loved spending every night with Alex, and though we couldn’t make it five minutes in the door after work without giving in to our desire for one another, it was heavenly to experience a man who adored me with or without flaws.
I loved how he made me feel—empowered, in love, and more than anything else, appreciated. Alex had made it clear that being with me had changed him for the better, and somehow, I believed him. I could finally say that I knew what love truly felt like, to be someone’s treasure while treasuring them yourself.
The ultimate asshole had already played me, and I almost married him. Thinking about the nightmare that could’ve been if I’d married Max made me sick to my stomach. Even though Max and I had started as good friends—we laughed, we lived, and I thought we loved—I’d spent years with that fool, and yet it paled in comparison to how Alex made me feel within the span of two weeks.
Jim had mentioned this morning that my dad was to be honored at a masquerade event in San Diego, and I was to accept an award on his behalf for his work. I’d never been to San Diego before, so I hadn’t a clue about what to expect. I didn’t even know what my dad had done to receive an award, making me attend a full-blown charity event thrown by socialites from all over the country. Thank God Avery and Jim were going, and if Alex could break away in three more days, I hoped he’d be an arm I could cling to if it became overwhelming.
Jim had assured me that Mr. Monroe would be in L.A., bouncing back and forth between his business and the firm to ensure no one tried to slide anything behind mine and Alex’s back while we were away. So, I gave in and welcomed the help that was offered to get me into a fancy gown and prepped for the event.
While on the flight to San Diego, I was introduced to Alex’s friends and couldn’t help but smile at the scene onboard the luxury flight: the guys were joking, the children were playing, and the wives were excited to get out of town. On top of being reunited with Elena, Collin, and their newborn son, the flight was the perfect way to bond with everyone over getting to surprise Alex.
I’d finally met Jim’s younger brother, the heart surgeon, Jake. Between him and his best friend, Collin, the jokes never ended. Together with Avery and Ash, Jim and Jake’s wives, and Elena, I had a blast goofing around with the men, who were relentlessly teasing each other. It was a great way to get to know the gang, and I could see why Alex loved them all so much.
Now, we sat and waited for Alex to show up after he’d texted to say that he was twenty minutes away and was looking forward to seeing everyone. The sun was bright, the weather ideal, and the ocean just steps away from the perfect park where the kids now played while Elena fed baby Alex.
I was entirely caught off guard when Alex answered my yearning thoughts about him, and he kissed me on my cheek. Then, as if his friends weren’t at the table with us, Alex and I were wrapped in each other’s arms, laughing and kissing, until the comment I’d anticipated finally came.
“Jesus Christ, get a fucking room,” Jake’s humored voice said.
“I had one, but I had to change that venue when I learned all of you decided to come to San Diego,” Alex said, sitting at my side and bringing his arm around my lower back. “Turns out, unless Bree has a nice room waiting here, we’re going to have to get arrested while we make up for missing out on each other last night.”
“I’m glad I didn’t place bets against your sorry ass,” Collin said. “If I had, I’d have lost a lot of money.”
“Isn’t that what Alex is, anyway?” Jim said with a smile.
“The joker’s wild. The unpredictable mystery man, to be sure,” Collin said.
“Oh, he’s predictable,” I teased, rubbing his back and offering him a sandwich. He declined and stole a few grapes out of my fruit bowl instead.
“I’ll bet,” Jake snickered. “Let’s change the subject. I’m already gagging down this tuna fish sandwich, and I don’t need the details of why Alex has had this cheesy-as-fuck grin plastered on his face for two weeks solid now.”
“Jacob!” Ash snapped at her husband.
“Listen,” he held his hands up, “I love you to death, Laney, but God dang. What’s with the raw onions, olives, fucking celery, and whatever else bullshit is in this goddamn sandwich? You don’t fuck a fish over like this.”
“It’s cilantro, jerk,” she said with a laugh.
“Oh, God. All together? Sometimes less is more, you know. Regardless, it certainly isn’t a Cuban sandwich, something you promised me quite a while ago,” Jake said with a playful arch of his eyebrow, most likely to ensure I was hanging onto the way all of these friends bantered with each other.
“You’ll never get one after insulting my grandmother’s tuna salad recipe either,” Elena shot back.
“Don’t tell me this is the shit Collin ate to impress you.”
“No, it was her egg salad sandwich,” Collin chuckled. “And it complemented our picnic at the lake perfectly.”
“No shit?” Jim interjected. “What was in that recipe?”
“Probably grass or tree bark to complement their picnic at a lake,” Jake laughed.
“Bark is great for your heart. You know that, fucker?” Collin said.
“And the neurosurgeon figured this out how? Because his heart found love?” Jake said. “Egg salad, tuna salad. Why so many salads? Aren’t these concoctions supposed to be saved for potlucks?”
“Oh, shut up and eat it. Or don’t!” Elena said with a laugh.
I suddenly felt like we were all back on the plane, the guys debating the Sea World versus the San Diego Zoo experience, and the children were pulled in to learn about the marine life and zoo animals. Everyone ended up being compared to either a monkey or a meerkat.
“Goddamn,” Avery said, coming back from the walk she’d taken with her kids. “You guys just can’t get enough of the jokes today, huh?”
“No kidding,” I laughed. I rubbed Alex’s leg, who was quieter than I imagined, given the jokes floating around. I didn’t fail to notice Jim’s expression, which was more solemn than it had been all day, and I saw him looking over at his best friend multiple times.
“Where’s your sister? I hope we didn’t pull you away from her?” Jim questioned before I could.
“Seems she’s got her own man to please,” he grinned, but it looked forced. “We had a nice breakfast, and as usual, it’s the same old shit whenever I see her. Breakfast, some catching up, and then we go our separate ways.”
“Was she happy that you surprised her at the hangar?” I asked.
“She certainly wasn’t expecting it, but I’m sure she appreciated the sentiment,” Alex said.
Alex suddenly grew robotic in his answers, and my lips tightened when I noticed the entire group at the table felt the awkwardness of it too. Everyone was silent, trying not to make it evident that something was off. I guess asking about Alex’s sister wasn’t the best topic to bring up.
“So, what brings two surgeons, the owner of a global company, and the co-owner of a badass firm all the way to San Diego?” He looked at Ash, Avery, then Elena. “I’m sure you all had to close up shop too?”
“We have people covering for us. You know what they’re referred to as, right? Employees?” Ash winked at Alex, who was forcing yet another smile on his face.
What the hell went weird for him today? Did we interrupt his visit with his sister? Here I was so proud to be in love with the man, but I had no idea what to think, say, or do when it came to him being in this mentality.
I eyed Jim, seeing the man more as Alex’s best friend now than the intimidating owner of the company that’d bought mine. When you got Jim away from the workplace, he was entirely different, just like the two surgeons I sat in the midst of.
When I questioned Jake and Collin’s explosive cursing and pranking, they quickly made it known that they never spoke or behaved this casually around their patients. It made me chuckle to wonder how many other doctors behaved like real humans outside of work. I, personally, liked that they had such fun personalities, given some of the sad things they must’ve witnessed regularly. It displayed a certain resilience that I found endearing.
We spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach. Alex ran up to the hotel to change after encouraging us to head down to the shore and set up things for the kids to play in the water. I watched as I played with Jim and Jake’s adorable daughters and Jake’s little son, John. We built pitiful sandcastles, and I laughed as Addison informed us that our work was certainly not making it into a sandcastle competition anytime soon.
I watched Alex go out with the guys when John forced them to get wet and enjoy the warm water, which was as beautiful as any resort in Mexico. I could’ve easily lived in San Diego if I was freed up to do so.
Once the men were fully engrossed, Addison joining them and Ash and Avery bringing out the little ones as well, I laid on a lounge chair next to where Elena was shielding baby Alex from the bright sun.
“I told Alex that I predicted he’d marry you,” Elena chuckled as I stretched out on my stomach, feeling the gentle ocean breeze brush over my back.
“I’m sure he didn’t argue,” I teased with a smile.
“I’m always right,” Elena said. “You’re good for him.”
She said that in a way that made me lean on my side to face her. “He seemed pretty off when we brought up his sister. It makes me wonder why he says things like I’ve saved him when the truth is the opposite.”
She grinned at me. I had to admit that Elena’s smile was as contagious as her personality. “When I watched him with his ex—I hardly knew him then, of course—it didn’t take long to see how miserable he was. He has always been firm, but he’s friendly and understanding, selfless, and all of the stuff that makes him a beautiful human being. However, he never seemed truly happy until you.”
“I’ve done nothing special, trust me.” That was a fact.
“You don’t have to, you know. When the heart is joined with the one it knows it wants, it’s all over except for the screaming babies that wake you up at night.” She laughed.
“I’m happy that he’s happy. I love being around him. Even when he does ruin the old movies that I like to watch to unwind after work.”
She giggled. “Collin was the same way. Sex, right?”
I laughed in return. “They all must somehow be related.”
“They’re cut from the same cloth; that’s for sure.”
“Whenever a kissing scene pops up, he uses that as an excuse to prove how he can outplay those actors.” I rolled my eyes in humor behind my sunglasses.
“I positively love hearing this,” she looked out at where the men were playing with the kids, “it proves that two souls have found each other. Now, I just want to know how long we’ll have to wait to watch you get to finally walk down the aisle like the beautiful bride you must’ve been the day you had to play a sex tape.”
“The only thing special about that day was when I mortified all of the wealthy people my aunts invited and my ex’s ability to lie his way out of the affair. You know, all the stuff that goes along with playing sex tapes at weddings.”
She relaxed further into her lounge chair with a grin. “You’ve got the same feisty spirit that I have; although, I would’ve cut the bastard’s dick off.”
“Holy fuck,” I heard Alex state as he walked up to us. “Please don’t give Breanne any ideas about how you and Collin like to get kinky, Laney.”
I shivered when his dripping wet hair ran down my spine as he kissed my cheek. “You all good?” he asked. “I heard that something came up with the Julip project. What was that about?”
I turned onto my back as Alex took the lounge chair to my left. “Nothing that Sexy Spence and Natalia can’t fix with the sales team and architects involved.”
Alex pulled his square aviator sunglasses down. He wasn’t even trying to be flirty or unforgivably gorgeous, but he nailed both in one simple move. “Please, God, tell me that’s a joke.”
“What?” I grinned.
“Well, I’m walk up to hear Elena, advising you about cutting off dicks, and now you’re putting your poor friend in a shitty work situation?”
“Are you kidding?” I laughed. “Natalia will wear her most classy yet tempting outfit and make Spencer drool and wish he’d never answered his phone while in bed with her. Besides, she’s the agent on the job, and she doesn’t let shit slide. So, matters and issues will get handled. If it makes you feel better, Jim warned Spence about her being involved and mentioned something along the lines of this is what happens when you fuck the wrong one!” I laughed, repeating what I heard Jim tell Spencer Monroe when he asked him to help Natalia and the firm in our absence.
“You okay, though, Alex?” Elena pried. After learning more about her personality, she was the type to concern herself more with her friend’s well-being than what the friend thought about her asking.
“I’m fine, Laney,” he answered, lying flat on his back now. “I know you mean well, but there’s a reason my holidays are spent with all of you. You’re all my real family.”
“You can check out all you want,” she became firmer. “We all know you don’t need the tan you’re pretending to soak up, Mr. Olive-toned skin.”
“I know I don’t.” He smiled. “Thank you for bringing my girl with you, though. Seriously, I’m good, just tired from being up at the ass-crack of dawn.”
I studied him as he pointedly avoided us, ignoring Elena’s kind concern. “Well, I’m going to go cool off in that enticing water,” I said as I stood and then brought my lips to Alex’s. “Then I’ll be sure to come back, kiss you, and drip all over your body.”
His lips pulled up on one side. “If you wake me out of a dead sleep out here, I might just ruin everyone’s day and take you here and now under a beach towel.”
“Good God, there’s a baby who’s named after you that shouldn’t be allowed to listen to this come out of your mouth,” I said.
“It’s been too long,” he chuckled. “Now, get out there, and give me a show so tonight will be as amazing as you dreamt it would be all day.”
“Arrogant ass!” I said.
“Don’t talk like that in front of baby Alex,” he teased back, and then I was pulled over his stomach, and his lips were on my ear. “Tonight is ours. I’m addicted to every last part of you, and I plan to prove that later. Now, go run in slow motion on that beach like you’re on Baywatch.”
“You’re sleep-deprived.” I looked at Elena’s smile as she pretended to ignore us two. “If he starts snoring, just shove him off the lounge.”
“Violence in front of my godson?”
Elena giggled. “Go enjoy the water. I’m about to trade with Collin, so I can too. Why don’t you ask him if he’ll do a Baywatch slow-motion jog up to me from that water, will you?”
“Super slow-mo or just slow?”
Elena and Alex laughed at my lame joke together. “Make it super slow,” Alex said.
I went out to the shoreline and informed Collin what awaited him up the beach between his wife and Alex.
“Is Alex cool?” Jim asked.
“He says he’s fine, given his sister seemed to have blown him off.”
“Yeah, it usually takes him a day or two to get his head right after he sees her. I don’t know why he tortures himself with it all. I get that they’re family, but without Alex ever explaining anything, I never know where he’ll end up whenever he sees her.”
“So, you’re in the same boat as me?”
“As Alex likes to say, we’re in a rowboat,” he smirked as he swung his youngest daughter’s feet over the water. “And we’ll just keep on rowing.”
“The man has a past that he doesn’t want to be dug up,” Jake added. “Might as well leave it all there. He’s a badass, and he’s doing okay. I’m certainly one for allowing him to keep it buried.”
“I almost lost Avery over burying stuff,” Jim said.
“Your stuff was different,” Jake countered his brother. “Besides, we all have something shady that we hate bringing up and reliving. Who doesn’t?”
“That’s the damn truth,” I said.
“That’s too bad because you know that we all want that sex tape so we can sneak it into Jim’s rival company and embarrass that piece of shit ex once again.”
“Well, if that company is anything like the guests at my wedding, you’ll look like the asshole in the end.”
Jim smirked. “And here I thought my brother was on track to take down our stiff competition.”
“So close.” Jake shrugged his shoulders.
We spent the rest of the day letting the kids enjoy the warm water and mild surf. It was a beautiful day to unwind at the beach, and Alex’s brighter smile by the afternoon and his teasing demeanor with the kids told me it was a better day for him.
I did worry after Jim told me he was also in the dark about Alex’s past. It wasn’t just that, though. He’d met his sister on what seemed like it would be a killer reunion trip, and either the man didn’t give a damn about fighter jets and his sister flying them, or they didn’t have that tight of a relationship. I wouldn’t know unless I peeled the guy’s brain open and dug deep into his past—something I never intended to do. If Alex needed to talk about something that upset him, then he would.
