Scott frowned. “I noticed you guys didn’t seem too caught up in the physical stuff, but I assumed it was because of the cameras.”
“It was, and it wasn’t.” Suddenly uncomfortable under Scott’s penetrating gaze, she shook her head in confusion. “Why are we even talking about this? I mean, no offense, but why do you care?”
“Because Ian’s my friend and one of the best guys I know. He deserves to be happy. You make him happy.”
Somehow the fact that Brian had told her the same thing weeks ago only made her more frustrated. “Fine. I’ll give you that. I make him happy. It’s obvious he cares about me. I care about him too. But, we were friends before we became anything more. That’s what friends do. And, none of that necessarily means he wants me to keep being his girlfriend or that he’s even attracted to me.”
“Why don’t you ask him? Why haven’t you asked him?”
“He left suddenly, ok? And, no, I’m not asking him right now before we go on a trip that could turn into something incredibly awkward if—”
“Hey, shh.” Scott glanced over her shoulder. “He’s coming.”
She clamped her mouth shut, then turned to face Ian as he strolled toward them. He barely glanced at her outfit. Without comment, he turned his attention to Scott. “I can take her luggage.”
She might as well be wearing a potato sack for all the reaction her modern clothes had raised from Ian. Not that she needed his approval. She’d stopped hoping for it after he’d completely ignored the barmaid outfit that had left other guys agog in St. Augustine. As far as she could tell, she was simply another Emily to him—someone he wasn’t attracted to but felt a need to take care of.
Her empathy for Emily increased tenfold. Man, that had to hurt. Wanting Ian. Loving him. And him not loving her back.
Scott handed over her suitcase while glancing back and forth between her and Ian. Meanwhile, Ian looked back and forth between her and Scott. “Sorry. Did I interrupt something?”
“No.”
“Yes,” Scott contradicted. “We were trying to figure out whether you’re attracted to Ava.”
Her mouth fell open. “Scott!”
Ian nearly dropped her suitcase in the dirt. “What?”
“What do you say, bro?” Scott framed her a la Vanna White. “Hot or not?”
Chapter Sixteen
“Wow.” Absolutely mortified, Ava batted Scott’s hand away. “Ok. Goodbye, Scott. Nice seeing you.”
She stormed toward the boat leaving a sputtering Ian in her wake. Perhaps should have reacted differently, played it off, pretended she had no idea what Scott was talking about. Honestly, right now, she was too angry to care. It would be easy to pin her anger on Scott for butting his nose in where it didn’t belong, but the truth was she was angry with herself.
What had she expected? That she’d go on a weeklong vacation with Ian and no one would question it? That the need to define their relationship would never arise? Had she considered anything beyond wanting to be with Ian?
Obviously not, but she should have. Instead, she was leaving here with a man who likely saw her as nothing more than a friend when her feelings were far more than friendly. What were the odds of him liking her back when he was still getting over what happened with Emily? Or having feelings he’d never hinted at? Or finding her attractive when he barely bothered to look at her?
Maybe it wasn’t too late to change her mind and stay here. With Scott? Or perhaps later, with Dash? They’d parted on relatively good terms— “parted” being the operative word. She had no desire to live in the same house with him for days whether she’d forgiven him or not.
She chanced a glance over her shoulder to see Ian and Scott following her slowly, caught up in their own conversation. Scott was probably revealing everything she’d told him about Ian. It didn’t matter. As far as she could remember, she hadn’t really said anything Ian didn’t already know about their relationship. She refused to let it bother her.
Releasing her anger with a deep breath, she regained her composure enough to smile at Miriam. The woman stood on the dock beside the boat that waited to transport Ava and Ian to the mainland. “Ava, you never finished signing your release forms.”
“Sorry.” She took the pen and the clipboard and dutifully initialed as she read over the agreement. All her property was accounted for. Yes, she’d refrain from communicating with the press, her family, etcetera for a week.
Miriam added her signature to the form once Ava handed it back. “I’ll email a copy of this to you. You will also receive a copy of your press tour information, so be on the lookout for it. You too, Ian.”
Ava didn’t dare glance at him as he handed her luggage to the captain of the boat. Instead, she nodded at Miriam. “Will do. Anything else we need to know?”
“There will be a car waiting to pick you up at the marina. The driver will take you to your hotel. We’ve reserved two rooms for the night. Tomorrow, I’ll call the landline listed for your rental in St. John to confirm your arrival, and I’ll check in periodically throughout the week. Otherwise, you’ll be on your own. We’ve enjoyed having both of you on Pirate’s Plunder and look forward to seeing you again at the reunion show.”
Ava reached out to give her a quick hug. “Thanks for everything, Miriam. It was great to see you again.”
Miriam hugged her back. “You, too.”
Scott tilted his head. “Where’s my hug, Ava?”
Eyes narrowing, she gave him a hug, but only so she could whisper, “You are a pest.”
“You can thank me later.” He released her with a grin.
Her gaze sharpened on his. Why? What had he done? Did she even want to know?
“Ava.” Ian extended his hand, then tipped his head toward the boat.
Briefly taking Ian’s hand, she stepped onto the boat and claimed a seat near the back. Ian helped the captain get underway. She waved at Miriam and Scott as the boat pulled away from the dock. She tensed, waiting for Ian to join her, but he and the captain struck up a conversation.
Relieved, she curled up on the seat and pretended to sleep. It was a silly thing to do since the loud drone of the motor and the men’s yelling over it would make it impossible for even Rip van Winkle to snooze. Much to her surprise, she was awakened by a hand gently rubbing her arm. Ian knelt before her. “Ava, wake up. We made it to the mainland. Time to get off the boat.”
Feeling fuzzy headed, she reached for her suitcase. “How long did I sleep?”
“About thirty minutes. There’s a car waiting to take us to the hotel.”
She followed him off the boat and into the car, then dozed all the way to the hotel. Once they’d checked in, Ian insisted on buying her a meal from the café in the lobby before seeing her to her room. She mumbled a goodbye, stored the sandwich and orange juice in the room’s mini-fridge, kicked off her shoes, and collapsed onto the bed.
All the exhausting, emotionally draining days she’d spent as a part of Pirate’s Plunder seemed to catch up to her at once. There was nothing left to do but give herself over to sleep. Later, she awakened to darkness. Her eyes sought the only light in her room—an electric alarm clock.
The glaring numbers read eight-forty. At night? It must be. Why wasn’t she in her bunk on the Intrepid? Right. She’d been eliminated from the competition. She was going on a trip with Ian. Ian…
She groaned. Hopefully, by now he’d forgotten Scott’s blunder. Surely, if she acted as though nothing had happened, Ian would follow suit.
Her stomach growled, announcing the reason her exhausted body hadn’t allowed her to sleep through the night. With a sigh, she pushed aside the covers and grabbed the sandwich she’d stashed in the refrigerator. She ate it in record time, then started on a bag of chips.
She glanced around the empty room. It was so quiet. No creaking ropes. No waves beating against the side of the ship. No one calling out orders.
She slunk outside to the balcony
and curled up on the lounge chair to finish eating. Out here, she could hear the ocean, even though she couldn’t see it because the other half of the hotel blocked her view. Instead, her third-floor room overlooked the hotel pool.
It didn’t compare to the amazing views of sea and sky that she was used to, but it was pretty enough. Lined with tall palm trees, the courtyard’s beige lounge chairs and patio umbrellas sat sentry along the pool’s edge. Lanterns and underwater spotlights provided soft lighting for the lone swimmer who churned the pool’s chlorinated depths.
Ordinarily, she would have whipped out her cell phone to entertain herself as she finished her meal, but she’d promised to abide by the agreement she signed with Living History. That meant no calling or texting anyone back home and no activity on social media. It should have been a burden. Instead, it was freeing. There were no expectations. No obligations to anyone other than herself.
She’d never experienced anything like this. Even on Pirate’s Plunder, the cameras had made it feel as though her parents were always there, judging her every move along with the rest of the world. For once, no one was watching or telling her who to be or what to do. It was up to her to decide.
A few weeks ago that might have intimidated her. Now, it still felt scary, but in a good way. Maybe, just this once, she could stop worrying about the consequences and live a little.
She smiled, then tilted her head as the swimmer surged out the water to sit on the edge of the pool. Broad shoulders, glistening muscles, and blond hair… She’d seen that particular physique enough to recognize it instantly. Leaning forward, she watched as Ian began fixing something on his goggles. He lifted them toward the lantern light and then paused. He lowered the goggles and smiled straight at her.
A blush warmed her cheeks. Caught, she waved. He beckoned her down. She wasn’t entirely sure she was ready to face him, but they were going on vacation together. She could hardly hide from him forever.
Grabbing the orange juice that had come with her meal, she headed down to the pool. Ian had gone back to swimming by the time she arrived. His long, powerful strokes devoured the distance of the pool in what seemed to be a ridiculously short amount of time. She kicked off her sandals and sat at the edge of the lane next to his, dipping her legs into the water so he’d know she was there.
He swam beneath the lane divider and surfaced to tread water in front of her. Hair darkened by the water, he lifted his eyebrows and smiled. “Are you coming in?”
She glanced down at the calm, sparkling water. It felt like silk on her legs after they’d been exposed to nothing but sand and salt-water for so long. “I wish. I don’t have a swimsuit.”
“That’s never stopped you before.”
“I didn’t have a choice before.” Still, she almost considered it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an option. “Besides, I just ate.”
He gave her an approving nod. “You’re right then. Better not. Safety first.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to make a quip about him being the Swim For Safety guy, but he probably still didn’t know if he’d be able to keep the sponsorship, and she didn’t want to remind him of it. He swam closer to grab the edge of the pool near her knee. “Did you get some rest?”
“Yes.” Her gaze swept over his bare shoulders to the red shorts he wore. “Where did you get your swimwear?”
“From my suitcase. I always travel with a pair of swim trunks.”
She met his gaze in surprise. “Do you?”
“Lots of hotels have pools. Swimming is good exercise and a stress reliever.” He ran his thumb over the edge of the pool, then glanced up to meet her gaze. “Should we talk about earlier? That whole thing with Scott, I mean.”
“No!” She bit her lip, realizing she’d been too emphatic. “No. It was a silly conversation. He was being a pest. That’s all.”
He frowned. Indecision warred on his face. Finally, he gave in. “Ok.”
“Listen, I’m still pretty tired. I should probably go back to bed and get some more sleep before our flight in the morning.”
“Sure.” He released the edge of the pool. “Goodnight, Ava.”
“Goodnight.” She watched him push off the wall and dolphin kick away. A relieved breath eased through her lips as returned to her hotel room. There. It was done. Over with. Now she didn’t have to worry about them being uncomfortable around each other or him pretending an interest he didn’t feel.
Everything was back to normal. They could go on their trip with no awkwardness. Just two friends on vacation together. She could live with that.
She’d just finished brushing her teeth when a knock sounded on the hotel door. She called out, “Who is it?”
“Ian.”
Unlocking the door, she opened it a crack. She had a serious moment of déjà vu as her gaze landed on his bare chest, then leapt to his face. Apparently, he’d decided to stop by her room on his way back from the pool. The white towel draped around his neck somehow making his eyes seem all the bluer. Her eyebrows lifted. “Hey, Ian. What’s up?”
He pulled in a deep breath, then released it. “Never mind.”
She stared in bafflement as he turned to walk away. Reaching out, she caught his arm. “Wait. What? What were you going to say?”
“Nothing.”
Frowning in confusion, she tilted her head. “Are you sure? Did you need something?”
He hesitated. “To answer Scott’s question.”
She stiffened. “Ian, you don’t—”
“Hot. Ok?” The intensity in his gaze silenced her before it shifted into vulnerability. His voice lowered. “Definitely hot.”
The elevator at the end of the hall dinged softly before emitting a worn-out looking family of four. They gave Ian and Ava curious looks as they stepped into the hall. So much for privacy. Ava automatically stepped backward to let Ian into her room. He immediately headed for the balcony.
Joining him there, she gestured to the chair she’d used earlier, then sat on the small table beside it. He stared up at her, searching for her reaction. She shook her head as she tried to wrap her mind around his words. “I… What? You think… You’re attracted to me? Since when?”
“Since we met.” He ran the towel over his still-dripping hair. “Why are you so surprised?”
“Because you never told me! How was I supposed to know?”
He grimaced a little. “It felt like it was written on my forehead.”
Somehow it still didn’t seem real. “Is this a joke? Did Scott put you up to this? If so, it isn’t funny.”
“Ava.” He leaned forward to capture her gaze. “I’m telling you the truth.”
She searched his eyes. Sincerity stared back at her, making her breath catch in her throat. She glanced away. “I didn’t think you noticed anything about me.”
“I tried not to.”
She frowned. “You tried not to?”
“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. You had so many other guys hanging around, being creepy. I didn’t want to add to it. Plus, I’ve only had one relationship since I became a Christian and…” He lowered his voice as though Emily might pop out from around the corner. “I wasn’t exactly attracted to her. I’m not sure how to deal with all this.”
She met his gaze with a hint of teasing as she lifted an eyebrow brow. “All this attraction?”
His lips quirked into a smile. “It isn’t just attraction. I really like you.”
“I really like you too.”
“So you’ll continue being my girlfriend?”
Continue being his girlfriend—meaning everything up to this point had been as real and relevant as they’d agreed it was when he’d claimed her as his girlfriend. Meaning she was still, in fact, his girlfriend. Not just a girl he happened to be dating, but someone special and meaningful. Someone he wanted to be with for the long haul. “Am I dreaming?”
He grinned. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes.”
“Goodnight.” She followed him to the door and locked it behind him. A peaceful smile spread across her lips as she shook her head in awe. Had that really just happened? It seemed too good to be true.
She pulled in a deep breath. “Lord, you know I have no idea what I’m doing here. I really don’t want to mess this up.”
But… What if she didn’t mess this up? She’d still have her parents to contend with and a life to figure out once she got back to Texas. How would Ian fit into any of that? Would her parents approve of him? Her father liked Treasure Hunters. He’d even met Ian before. That had to count for something, right?
Surely, it was too soon to be concerned about all of that. Besides, hadn’t she promised herself only thirty minutes ago that she would stop worrying about consequences so much and live a little? This was her chance. She was going to take it.
R
Of all the guys on the Intrepid, Ian certainly hadn’t expected Scott to turn out to be his most effective wingman. The man’s efforts had been clumsy at best and could easily have made Ian and Ava’s trip to St. John incredibly awkward. Instead, Scott’s interference had given Ian the courage to hope that Ava might truly be interested in him.
The fact that Ava was willing to continue their relationship after the show with no cameras or outside forces at work was purely… Well, it was heavenly. No joke. It was heavenly. Ian finished his last set of sit-ups, then collapsed onto the floor with his arms outstretched. “Thank you, Lord.”
Honestly, it still felt too good to be true. Other than Emily, he’d never had a relationship that lasted more than a few months. He’d never wanted them to. He’d been looking for fun, not commitment. Ava was the kind of woman a man would be crazy not to marry if she gave him the chance. She was intelligent, caring, funny, and gorgeous.
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