Love Me Reckless (Love Me Dangerous #2)

Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

KIRILEE

Wolf Creek Lodge, Idaho

“Drink this,” I instruct the bride, who is practically hyperventilating with excitement.

Sofie exhales, puffing her cheeks, then sips from the cup of ice water. “Thanks, needed that.”

“Time for the dress,” Ava says, slipping the elegant white gown from the hangar.

Sofie fans her face. “I got this, right?”

I cup her shoulders and lock eyes with her. “You’ve totally got this.”

“Okay.”

While I steady her with one hand, Sofie steps into the dress. Ava slides it up, helping her with the satin straps, then fastens the handful of tiny buttons in the back.

I suck in a gasp. “You’re so beautiful, Sofie!”

Ava stands on her other side. I gaze at our reflection and think of all that we’ve overcome to be here together, about to celebrate something wonderful .

“I love you guys so much,” Sofie says, blinking back tears.

“Don’t start,” Ava warns, her voice cracking. Laughing, she dabs at the corner of her eye.

“Thank you for being here today,” Sofie says, taking both of our hands. She smiles as a tear trickles down.

I snatch a tissue from the box on the counter. I press a corner of it to Sofie’s cheek. “I wouldn’t miss this day for anything.”

She hugs me, and I hold her for a long moment, gratitude for the close friendship we share like a bright flame inside me.

“Love you, girl.” I plant a soft kiss on her cheek.

“I love you too!” she says, laughing.

Ava’s next, sniffling and laughing all at once. “I love seeing you so happy.”

A knock on the door startles us from our huddle. “You girls okay in there?” Rowdy calls.

“Yes!” we call out. I make one last pass with the tissue, and then the three of us hug one last time.

“See you at the altar,” Ava says with a sassy grin.

“Yeah,” Sofie says with a wiggle of excitement, her soft blue eyes so bright.

I hand Sofie her bouquet and give her one last kiss on the cheek. “Knock ‘em dead, buttercup.”

She laughs.

Ava and I slip from the cabin. Outside in the grass, Rowdy stands in the shade of a copse of tall spruce trees, his hands in his pockets. Dressed in a dark suit with a pink rose pinned to his lapel, his tanned face so handsome, he looks every bit the proud father.

“You doing okay?” I ask him.

His smile lights up his entire face. “Yeah. Just soaking it all in.”

Ava and I continue to the meadow, where the rest of the wedding party is gathering behind the rows of seated guests. Sofie’s sister Linnea and Neve join us, Linnie looking so grown up and elegant with her hair in loose waves and her easy smile. Neve gives her baby bump, now the size of a basketball, a loving caress as the guys file out of the groom’s cabin.

Sawyer’s gaze sweeps the rows of guests until he sees me. His face goes still and his eyes soften. I smile at him, my heart so full in my chest, like it could crack open.

He hurries over and pulls me into a soft embrace, his strong arms wrapping me in his warmth and his peppery fresh scent. “God, you’re beautiful.”

“How are your toes?” I gaze down at his dress shoes that I’m sure are causing him pain. By the end of ski season, both nails on his big toes had started turning blue thanks to his ski boots, which were several sizes too small.

“Can’t feel a thing. I’m walking on air right now.” He leans down to kiss me, his lips plush and soft against mine. I cradle him close and kiss him back. Heat blooms in my belly, warm and delightful.

From the other side of the chairs, the quartet begins to play.

“I love you,” he whispers in my ear.

I kiss him again, emotions thickening in my throat. “I love you back.”

He takes my hand and leads me to the rows of chairs, behind Ava and Hutch.

Sawyer leans closer. “I can’t wait to dance with you.”

“Me too,” I say with a happy sigh. “It’s going to be a beautiful night.”

Once Ava and Hutch are in place, it’s our turn. As we stroll hand in hand down the aisle, I think back to the ceremony I walked away from almost seven months ago. Though some people called it reckless, choosing myself over the wishes of others wasn’t done on a whim. It came from the culmination of a hundred little moments. I sometimes wonder if I hadn’t met Sawyer, would I have recognized them? Would I have learned to trust myself?

Sawyer gives my hand a squeeze before we have to part, and we take our places. I smile at the Huttons in the front row, Barb already blotting tears from the corners of her eyes. In the second row sits my mom and Grandma Dora, both of them grinning. Grandma now lives mostly full-time in my old bungalow. She says it’s to spend more time with me, Grayson, and Sawyer, but she and my mom have become close. The two of them have been a huge help in getting my community art center up and running. They even signed up for my first plein air painting class next month. Things with my dad are still rocky, but my mom and Grayson are helping us find common ground.

Zach walks down the row and steps into his place beneath the arched trellis woven with flowers. The quartet pauses, and then the opening notes of the wedding march bring everyone to their feet.

When Sofie emerges on Rowdy’s arm, the crowd gives a collective “Ohhhh.”

Across from me, Zach releases a sharp breath and swallows hard. Sawyer puts a hand on his shoulder, and Zach reaches across his chest to grasp it, his eyes locked on his bride.

Rowdy’s handsome face is tense with emotion, but his eyes are bright with joy. He and Sofie make the slow advance down the aisle, then Rowdy plants a kiss on Sofie’s cheek and whispers something in her ear. She smiles, her eyes glistening. They share a sweet embrace, Rowdy’s eyes closing for an instant before he releases her. And then Sofie takes the final steps to join Zach beneath the arch.

Zach wipes a tear from his eye before taking both her hands. Sofie has to let go of one hand to wipe at her cheek, and they both laugh.

And then they lock eyes, and the world beyond our intimate circle falls away.

Sawyer twirls me around again, making me dizzy, then wraps his arms around me from behind, our bodies rocking in time to the music.

“I love holding you,” he says in that low tone, sending goosebumps down my arms.

“Kiss me,” I say, and turn my face toward his. I close my eyes as our lips touch. We’re both breathing hard from the dancing, so he’s quick to break away but his hands glide to my hips, his grip firm and sensual.

He spins me to face him, and I wrap my arms around his neck. We kiss again, the music and swish of fabric from the guests nearby fading to a happy buzz in my ears. Sawyer pulls me closer, our bodies moving together. We’re warm from the summer night and the dancing, which only seems to intensify my craving for his touch. Anticipation zips beneath my skin.

The song ends, and Barb Hutton steps up to the microphone. “Time for the bouquet toss! Let’s get all our single ladies up front.”

Cheers erupt from the sea of guests.

Sawyer pinches my bottom, making me yelp in delight. “You heard the woman.”

I send him a snarky glare but weave through the crowd to join the others.

Ava sidles up next to me. “This is such a silly tradition. I mean, why not include the single guys up here too? Why make it a big deal if women are single? I’m perfectly happy being single.”

I give her a sideways glance, taking in her flushed cheeks and the feisty gleam in her eye. “Does this have something to do with the fact that you and Hutch have been inseparable all night?”

“What?” She scowls. “No, of course not.”

“I’m glad you two made up.”

She laughs, her expression so carefree, so… joyful. “He’s impossible to stay mad at.”

I scan the crowd for Hutch, and sure enough, he is fixed on Ava, a tense look of yearning on his face. “Wait, are you two?—?”

The crowd counts down, “1, 2, 3… ”

Sofie tosses her bouquet over her head. Arms reach into the air as the flowers lob into space. A shriek of surprise rings through the crowd as the flowers land to our left. William’s girlfriend Charlotte hoists them, a goofy grin on her face. Zach grabs William in a headlock and the two tussle at the edge of the crowd, both of them laughing.

The music starts up again, getting people mingling and dancing again. I turn to find Sawyer just as he reaches for my hand.

“No bouquet for you, huh?” he asks, a playful gleam in his eye.

I shrug and give him an easy smile. “Guess not.”

Once our fingers lock, he leads me through the crowd. We leave the tent for the meadow, the grass trimmed for the ceremony but the surrounding hillsides lush with wildflowers and golden grasses catching the last of the sun’s glow. The heat of the evening is fading just as fast, sending goosebumps down my back.

“Where are we going?” I ask, though I don’t really care.

“Here,” he says, glancing up before pulling me into his arms. I follow his gaze to the darkening expanse of open sky above us, the stars winking to life one by one.

“So pretty,” I say.

“Sure is.” Sawyer caresses my hair from my forehead and combs it down my back. “Last winter, on clear mornings, I would look for your queen up there.”

I smile. “I love that.” I scan the sky until I find the distinctive ‘W’ of Cassiopeia on her throne, watching over us.

“I would think of that night we floated on our backs in the lake.”

“You helped me be brave,” I say, smiling at him.

“I only helped you see what was already there.”

Emotion thickens in my throat. “That night in your truck… did you plan to kiss me?”

He caresses my face, his eyes locking with mine. “No, but someone had to make that wish come true.”

I laugh. “It could only have been you. ”

He squeezes my sides in a teasing tickle, making me squirm. “Damn right.”

With a happy sigh, I reach my arms around him. “It’s been you from the start. Even when I didn’t know how to trust it.”

“We both had to learn to trust.” He kisses me, embracing my lower lip between his. Our tongues flick and swirl in a playful duet, heating my core.

“Did tonight restore your faith in weddings?”

I give him a look. “Who says I lost faith?”

“You were a no-show at your last one.”

I laugh. “That was about the person, not the promise.”

His eyes soften. “That’s good to hear.”

With a gentle sigh, he plants another soft kiss on my lips. I wrap my arms tighter around him as we kiss beneath the starlight, the summer night like a soft blanket around us. He caresses down my bare arms to my waist. The heat between us pulses through me, making my belly warm and my heartbeat thump lower, harder.

He cups my backside over my dress, urging me closer. The hollow between my thighs gives a needy ache. All night I’ve felt like a magnet, drawn to him. From the ceremony where we watched our best friends share heartfelt vows of love and devotion to a lively dinner full of speeches and laughter and a few tears to dancing until we’re breathless, we have scarcely been more than two feet apart. And yet I cannot contain my craving for more.

“Think we can find a quiet corner somewhere?” he says, kissing the sensitive place behind my ear.

“Our cabin,” I whisper, rocking my body into his, wanting him closer.

“Too far away,” he replies, his voice a needy purr.

Though the lakeside cabins we’re staying in for the weekend are only a five-minute walk, he’s right. It’s too far. “The bridal cabin.”

He kisses down to the curve of my neck, drawing my skin into his lips, the tight sting zipping straight to my core. “Lead the way.”

Feeling bold, I take his hand and half-run to the little cabin where Ava, Sofie, and I prepared for the wedding earlier, and slip inside the door. Sawyer presses the lock on the knob, then pulls me to him, my back to his chest, and caresses down my body while his lips trace the curve of my neck. He strokes both of my breasts, bringing on a tense yearning for his hands on my bare skin.

Across the dim room, the vanity mirror catches our movements, adding another layer of anticipation. As if reading my mind, he locks eyes with me in the reflection, releases the zipper in the back of my dress, and slips the straps from my shoulders. The fabric falls to the floor in a soft whoosh .

His erection presses into me as he molds my body to his. He closes his eyes and kisses me behind my ear while he cradles my bare breasts. I watch as he strokes me, desire surging to life inside me in a rush. I kiss him, and our tongues flick and tease, our breaths quickening. He glides his fingertips down my stomach, each inch lighting me up, then strokes exactly where I want him.

“I’ve been dying to touch you all night,” he says, caressing me over the slick satin.

The delicious shock of his rough fingers where I’m tight with need sends a tremor down my thighs. “Then touch me.”

He groans, stroking my breast with the flat of his palm, his rough skin adding the perfect edge of friction. He kisses the back of my other ear. “Patience, princess.”

A needy whimper escapes my throat. I reach back to grip his thighs.

“I had to know what you were wearing under that dress,” he says. Sawyer hasn’t been shy about his appreciation for my guilty pleasure, which makes it twice as fun.

He dips his fingers beneath the pink fabric, groaning in appreciation at how wet I’ve become. With his skilled fingers and his dirty promises in my ear and the intensity of watching it all in the mirror, my release comes fast and hard. My legs turn to jelly but Sawyer grasps me around the waist to keep me upright, his lips pressed to my shoulder .

“Fuck, I love making you come,” Sawyer says with a groan.

Panting, I wrap my arms around his and squeeze him tight, trapping the firm ridge of his erection between us. The craving for him is wonderfully seductive, like a swift current drawing me out to sea. He lifts me from the well of my dress and carries me to the vanity. Our kisses turn rushed as I hurry to unbutton his shirt while he unbuckles, then steps out of, his pants. His shirt falls open and I press my body to his, wanting his bare chest on mine. I stroke the cursive heart etched to his chest, healed and vibrant now, a constant reminder of the promises he made to me that night.

“You feel so good.” He gives my ass a little tap, sending a jolt to where I’m aching for him again. With a groan, he cups my thighs, lifting me onto the vanity, then kisses down to my breasts, taking his time to stroke and tease me. I tug the waistband of his briefs down to touch him. He hisses in pleasure. Lost in each other, we caress and kiss, the space around us turning heated, electric.

He tugs the scrap of fabric down my thighs and urges my knees around his waist. He slides the palm of his hand to my lower back to urge me closer, bringing our bodies into contact, and slowly pushes inside. We kiss as he rocks deeper, the fullness of him satisfying my craving for him, only him. All of him.

Our kisses turn sensual as we move together in a slow, intense rhythm. I wrap my arms around his neck and give in to the beautiful way my heart is synched with his.

“I love you,” Sawyer says, breathing hard.

I kiss him as everything unravels. “I love you so much, Sawyer.”

The moment turns sweet and so bright, our bodies so perfectly in tune, our breaths fast and sharp, the vanity thumping softly against the wall. When I close my eyes, I see us dancing, touching, laughing. I see us walking hand in hand through a meadow, our hands swinging lazily between us. I see us in his truck, headed to some adventure. I imagine us swimming in the lake, skiing together in the winter, candlelit nights of little sleep. I see us learning new things together, supporting each other. It comes to me in a flash of warmth and trust.

For so long I was scared of wanting a future I couldn’t see.

I only needed to trust that it was right there, waiting to unfold.

We come together and I hold him tight, wanting to make everything last. Sawyer kisses my cheek, and I can’t help but laugh. He starts laughing too. Holding each other, our laughter filling the quiet cabin, I shuck my fears and let them fall away.

I wake to Sawyer’s soft caresses on my arm. I curl closer to him, soaking up the warmth from his body and the steady calm of his slow, relaxed breaths.

“That was so fun last night,” I say, caressing his chest.

“Lotta love in the air.” He kisses my temple. “Definitely filled my cup.”

“Why did you ask if I’d lost my faith in weddings?”

He releases a soft sigh. “Because if you had, I would have waited.”

“Waited for what?”

With a huff that sounds more like a nervous chuckle, he rolls so we’re facing each other. “It wasn’t that long ago you were under a tremendous amount of pressure to marry someone you didn’t love.”

Excitement hums through my body. “Is that why you did this?” I caress the heart on his chest.

“Yeah. I know what I feel, and it’s not going to change. But you might need longer, and that’s okay.”

“That might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“When you’re ready, I’ll be waiting, okay?”

I close my eyes and savor the sweet emotions expanding inside my heart, and then I kiss him softly. “I don’t want to wait, Sawyer.”

He blinks at me, surprise filling his expression. “You’re sure?”

I laugh. “Haven’t I waited long enough? ”

He tackles me, his eyes wild with a zealous energy. “So if I asked you to marry me, you’d say yes?”

“Yes!” Laughter bubbles up through me as he pulls me into his arms and holds me tight.

“Wait here,” he says, and dashes to his bag on the floor, where he removes a small white bag folded once at the top. Carrying it in his big, rough hands, he returns to the bed and sits on the edge next to me.

I scoot up to sitting, bringing the sheet around me. A twinge of anticipation zips down my spine as he sets the small package in my hands. With a glance at his calm brown eyes for reassurance, I unfold the bag and peek inside. There’s something small wrapped in a square of turquoise tissue. It slides into my palm.

I unwrap a delicate rose gold bracelet with an opal gemstone.

“Oh, Sawyer!”

“I wanted something to match the one your grandmother gave you.”

“This is so beautiful.” The opal glitters like it’s lit from within.

“Let it be my promise to you,” he says.

I caress his face and kiss him. “It’s perfect.”

“Can we put it on? I’ve been dying to see it on you.”

“Oh,” I say with a laugh. “Right. Yes!”

His rough fingers fitting the clasp around my wrist is another reminder of how opposite we must look to those on the outside.

Our hearts know the truth.

“I love it,” I say, and pull him to me for a kiss. “And I love you.”

He tackles me. “Say you promise.”

“I promise.”

He pokes me in the side, making me laugh. “Say it again.”

“I’m yours, Sawyer. I promise.”

Breathless from our tussle in the sheets, he kisses me.

After a morning spent in bed, we finally saunter into our little cabin’s kitchen to make breakfast. While Sawyer is whipping eggs for cheesy omelets, I pour us each a cup of coffee and toast two slices of sourdough. I set a bowl of the blackberries we picked yesterday on the table, too, my new bracelet flashing in the sunlight streaming through the windows.

I smile to myself and hug Sawyer from behind. He gives me a quick squeeze before pouring the eggs into the heated pan.

On my way to the toaster, my phone lights up on the counter. It’s a text from Ava. I expect her to gush about the ceremony last night or to see a link to download her pictures, but instead, it reads:

I think I’m in trouble

Frowning, I scoop up my phone and type out a quick reply.

Did something happen?

Call me when u can I’m freaking out

The toast pops, making me jump.

I press CALL and lift the phone to my ear.

“What’s up?” I say when she answers. Ava doesn’t freak out about anything, so my worry meter is pegged.

The sound of a door gently closing fills the silence.

“Aves, you okay?” I ask over the sound of movement like she’s running.

Sawyer sends me a concerned glance.

“Hutch and I um, spent the night together,” Ava says.

A shock wave zips down my spine. “What?”

“He’s going to break my heart.”

“Aw, honey,” I say. “Why do you think that? Did he say something?”

She laughs, but it sounds a little unhinged. “No. He didn’t have to.”

“Did you, erm… enjoy yourself?”

She releases a tight groan. “It was the best sex of my life. My god, that man has stamina. ”

I laugh. “Maybe it’s not so bad then?”

“You know how he is.” The soft thunk of her car door shutting fills the background. “Oh no, he’s coming. God, he looks good in the morning. Shit. I gotta go.”

“Call me later,” I say just before the line clicks off.

“Everything okay?” Sawyer asks, loading a plate with the omelet.

I butter our toast, deep in thought. “I may need to take care of a friend today.”

He leans to kiss my temple. “Let me know how I can help.”

“Maybe the four of us could do something together?” I ask.

A knowing look crosses his face. “Oh fuck. Ava and Hutch?”

“Yeah.”

“How about, like, mini golf? Or the swimming hole?”

“Too risky. Ava might club him, or drown him.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Possibly.”

He grimaces.

We’re still tossing ideas around in between bites when there’s a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it.” Sawyer crosses the small living room while I finish my bite of eggs. Moments later Sawyer’s back, with a haggard-looking Hutch in tow.

“Hey guys,” he says with a heavy sigh. “I hope it’s okay I’m here.” He glances at us both, his usual confident gaze edged with apprehension. “I think I’m in trouble.”

Ready for more of Sawyer & Kirilee? Catch up with them in the future with this bonus scene that begins with a special birthday celebration and ends with swoon-worthy spice!

Eager to dive into Ava & Hutch’s friends to lovers romance that starts with a bang? Keep reading for a sneak peek!

Love Me Fearless

Ava

I step from the cab, the scent of mountain pine and fresh-cut grass filling my senses. I savor the feeling of home settling inside me for an extra second before meeting the driver at the trunk to gather my suitcase and garment bag.

“You gettin’ married?” the driver asks, cocking his head at the tidy meadow, giant white shade tent, and the twin bride and groom cabins tucked into a shaded grove on the far side. The guest cabins are just out of sight below, hugging the lake shore.

“Me?” I laugh to cover the jolt to my stomach. “No. My best friend is.”

The man grins. “Aw, tell her congrats. I been married thirty-one years. Best decision I ever made.”

“I will.” I turn away before he notices the wistful edge in my voice.

Gravel crunches beneath my shoes as I cross to the resort registration building, a quaint one-story cabin bordered on both sides by bright pink and purple hollyhocks as tall as my waist. When I reach for the door, it swings inward, throwing me off balance, and I crash into a solid wall—only it’s not a wall—it’s my friend Hutch.

“About time, Greely!” He pulls me into a bear hug.

I laugh into Hutch’s chest as relief and a soft warmth spreads through me. His T-shirt smells like him—citrus and a hint of minerals, like he’s already had a swim in the lake. Combined with the rich scent of the pines, my sense of home is complete .

Ryan Hutchins has been my best friend since he moved to Finn River in fourth grade and beat up the bully who kept stealing my lunch. We spend a lot of time apart now that he’s a special forces operative for the Air Force, currently stationed in Florida, and I’m attending medical school in San Francisco. But the separation has only seemed to intensify my messy feelings, and it’s annoying. Hutch and I are friends, only friends, and that’s all we’ll ever be.

“Are you checked in?” I ask as we part. From his text that popped up just after my plane landed, I knew he stopped to see his mom Louisa before getting a ride to the resort.

Hutch’s deep green eyes flash with a playful gleam. “Uh, there’s been a bit of a mix-up.” He shoves his hands into his cargo shorts pockets. “Looks like we’re cabin mates.”

“Um, what?” I try to cover my shock with a glance at the receptionist, but she’s busy with a phone call, her focus on her computer screen. “I mean, what happened?” We’ve had these reservations for nearly a year.

Hutch gives me an exaggerated shrug. “It’s cool though, right? You can have the bed. I’ll crash on the couch.”

I laugh while my thoughts swirl out of control inside my head. A part of me wants to march up to the reception desk and demand another option, but I don’t want to be that girl, especially at my best friend’s wedding. Sofie deserves a stress-free, amazing day. Hutch and I can share a cabin. No problem.

“You won’t fit on the couch,” I say. “I’ll take it, you have the bed.”

“Request denied,” he says airily. “You’re gonna need a good rest after your long travel day.”

His kind smile blasts my protests to bits. “Fine,” I sigh.

He gathers my garment bag and suitcase like they weigh nothing, his muscles practically straining to break free of his T-shirt, and we turn for the door.

Outside, we follow the path past the wedding grounds, the gentle summer breeze cool on my skin.

“How’d your Cardio final go?” he asks as the path descends into a grove of tall pines.

It’s surreal to have been in the lecture hall just yesterday then biking home in the steady commuter traffic. “Oof. I’ve never studied so hard in my life.”

“But you aced it like usual,” Hutch says, shooting me a sideways grin.

“We’ll see. Grades won’t get posted until Monday.”

Through the trees, the deep indigo of the lake glistens in the sunshine. The mineral scent I detected on Hutch strengthens, blending with the sweet notes from the meadow.

“How’s training going?” I ask.

“Brutal like always,” he says, adjusting my garment bag on his shoulder.

Hutch can’t share very much of his military life for security reasons, but I know that they do crazy hard things to prepare for intense rescue situations all over the world. Hutch is a skilled paramedic, an expert rock climber, an endurance swimmer, and regularly jumps out of airplanes in the dark of night. I’m betting he could survive for a week with just a buck knife, scrap of tin foil, and dental floss.

Hutch leads me on the spur to our cabin, a single-story wood cottage shaded by aspens and tall spruce.

“Home sweet home,” he says, opening the door for me.

Inside, a square dining table and two chairs hugs the right side of the one-room cabin, with a tidy kitchenette behind it. A big window over the sink offers a view of the lake. On the left side is a couch, where Hutch has deposited his green duffel and backpack. A ladder in the middle leads to a loft where I’m assuming the bed is located. In the back is a bathroom. As in singular.

It’s only two nights. I can do this.

“You want to take a shower before rehearsal?” he asks, carrying my suitcase and garment bag up the ladder.

He says it casually, but my mind takes a dive. To the gutter.

I force myself to continue into the little kitchen and pour myself a glass of water from the tap. “Why don’t you go first?” I call out. “You’re faster.”

He descends the stairs. “Kay. Out in a minute.” He rifles in his duffel, then disappears into the bathroom. A moment later, the steady hum of water through the pipes fills the silence, muffling his soft singing.

A knock on the door startles me. I hurry to open it, abandoning my glass of water on the counter.

“Ava!” Kirilee screams, nearly tackling me with a full-body hug. Her long hair is wet, like she’s been swimming. Behind her stands her boyfriend Sawyer, dressed in damp swim trunks and a faded T-shirt, a towel hanging from his neck.

He hugs me next, his burly arms like pythons. “Heard about the cabin thing. Why don’t you and I switch?”

“We don’t mind,” Kirilee insists as Sawyer slips his hand into hers.

“And split you two apart?” I protest. “No way.”

“We’ll survive,” Kirilee says with a quick glance at Sawyer, who smiles. The energy between them seems to tighten the air molecules around us. Six months ago, my sweet friend Kirilee was engaged to a rich jerk named Birch Callahan, a green energy guru her parents had decreed suitable for saving the family business. But on the day of her wedding, Kirilee decided she was ready to chart her own path, with Sawyer at her side, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them both.

“We’ve got it worked out,” I say.

“But there’s only one bed,” Kirilee says, frowning.

Behind me, the bathroom door pops open, and Hutch steps out dressed in just a towel.

“Oh, hey guys,” he says, completely at ease barely dressed, his tanned skin glistening with beads of water that seem to catch the rays of the lowering sun, turning them golden. “Forgot my razor,” he adds, plucking a small kit from his duffel and slipping back into the bathroom.

“It’s fine,” I say to Kirilee, forcing a smile.

We say a quick goodbye, and I gather my things for my shower.

Inside my mind, I say a little mantra: It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine. Maybe if I say it enough, it’ll help it become true.

Because I’ve never felt so nervous in my life.

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