“We could wait until after your dad’s visit next week.”
He took her hand and kissed it. “No, I don’t want to wait a second longer.”
She grinned at him, happier than she’d ever been in her life. “I love you,” she said, the words coming out more naturally than she’d ever dreamed they would.
He smiled so wide. “You do?”
She nodded. “Of course I do. But you knew that.”
“Well, I hoped.”
She reached over and kissed him. “It’s hard for me to believe that you’re real sometimes.” She bit her lip, feeling giddier than a twelve-year-old with a crush.
He nodded at the building. “Things are about to get really real up in here. Are you in?”
“Let’s do this.” She opened the door, and they headed into the animal shelter.
The Next Chapter…
Marigold sat on a beach chair, her toes digging into the sand, her pedicure going to hell. She took a sip of her water, wondering if it’d turn into a cocktail if she wiggled her nose. She’d had to seriously take a look at her life choices after she drunkenly slipped off Sebastian’s diving board and hit her head last fall. She still imbibed, she just had to pace herself. One drink per hour for a max of three drinks. Boring. But this way she didn’t have to go to the hospital, which was better, she supposed.
Chase stood on the other side of the bonfire with his hands on Shayla’s ample hips, wandering around to her curvaceous ass, the two of them glowing in the firelight like they were planted there for a professional photo shoot. Marigold pointed with her water bottle. “That’s absolutely disgusting.”
“Leave them alone,” Sebastian said. “His dad’s up at the bathroom. Chase is copping a feel while he can.”
“His dad’s kind of hot for an old guy,” Marigold said.
Sebastian shrugged. “What do you expect? Look at his son.”
“Do you think he’d do me?”
“Chase’s dad?” Sebastian asked.
“I doubt it,” she said, answering her own question. “No other hot guys in this town are interested.”
Sebastian patted her arm. “Your turn’s coming, sweetie.”
“When?”
“Give it time.”
She pursed her lips at him. “What time is it?”
He looked at his phone. “Eight forty-five.”
“That’s close enough. I’m getting another cocktail,” she said, but didn’t stand. She glanced around at their group of friends, loving and hating each and every one of them, but mostly loving them. They were just all so dang in love. “Look at all these assholes,” she said, motioning to their group.
“Mmm hmm,” Sebastian said, unfazed as usual.
“Blake’s about to lay Seanna out on this sand and do her, Chase can’t keep his hands off Shayla’s ass, and Bo just whispered something into Maya’s ear that has her cheeks redder than the flame from the bonfire. Hell, even Desiree and Ashe are over there cuddled up in that blanket watching the waves and probably pontificating on the depth of the ocean and their helplessness in surrendering themselves to it. They’re all so goddamned happy, coupled up,” she said. “And they’re all so damned beautiful.”
“Sweetie, you are beautiful.”
“Well, duh. But I don’t have that thing.”
“What thing?”
“I don’t know. That thing that attracts men. I don’t have Shayla’s cool, hot molten lava sexy confidence, or Seanna’s mouthwatering rack mixed with her candid charm, or Maya’s got-it-together but so sweet and demure appeal, or Desiree’s artistic, interesting, earthy vibe.”
Sebastian kicked some sand onto her foot. “You’ve got your own thing.”
“What is it?” she asked.
He thought about it. “You’re honest, fun, sincere, up for anything.”
“These are not character traits that reel in a man.”
“I’m trying here. You’ve put me on the spot. Let me think.”
“Oh, Jesus Christ,” she said, wiggling in her chair, wishing a cocktail would appear in her plastic cup.
“Oh, hang on. Look at this.” Sebastian nodded at Seanna’s Aunt Cassidy intercepting Chase’s dad with a smile and a beer, which he took with appreciation.
“Well, there went that,” Marigold said.
“You were not going to screw Chase’s father.”
“Why not?” Marigold asked.
“Because he’s like fifty-seven years old.”
“You know his exact age?” Marigold said.
“I listen. He told me he was twenty when Chase was born, and I know Chase is thirty-seven. I can do math.”
“Damn. I didn’t know Chase was thirty-seven. I thought he was younger than that.”
“He’s got excellent genes. He’s part Hawaiian. I’d kill to be part something interesting like that, have some color on these sad, white arms.”
Cassidy brushed his arm as he said something funny to her. “Oh, look at her now, making her move,” Marigold said.
“She’s into older guys. Bo’s going to be so jealous.” He looked over at him laying one on Maya. “Scratch that.”
Marigold took Sebastian’s hand and held it between them. “Will you marry me?”
“I won’t rule it out.”
She let go of his hand. “Sadly, that’s the most promising offer I’ve had.”
A guy walked up to Chase and they did that cool guy handshake thing, the half hug the extra step that indicated they really were happy to see each other and not faking it. The guy shook Shayla’s hand.
“Who is this?” Marigold asked.
“I don’t know, but his physique looks yummy through the firelight.”
He turned for a second, and she got a quick view of his face. “Mmm, he’s got a little Alex Pettyfer thing going on.”
“Who?” Sebastian asked.
“The scrub from Magic Mike.”
“Hmm. I’m thinking more Chris Hemsworth.”
“Ha! He wishes.”
“No, I’m serious,” Sebastian said.
“Maybe.”
“Let’s get a better look.” Sebastian waved. “Yoo-hoo, Chase. Who’s your friend?”
“I see you took the subtle approach.”
“You’d have done it differently?” Sebastian asked, and she shrugged concession.
Chase nudged the guy and they walked around the bonfire over to them. Marigold should have stood, but she was really comfortable in her beach chair, and she was tired of standing up for guys who walked away.
“Howdy.” She held a hand out. “Marigold.”
The guy took her hand. “Dane.” She mentally rolled R’s through her head. Definitely Chris Hemsworth.
“Hello, Dane,” she said, with plenty of innuendo. What the hell did she have to lose?
His mouth tipped upward in an amused grin, and she let go of his hand first, though she was really enjoying holding it.
“That’s Sebastian,” Chase said.
“Hello,” Sebastian said, holding out his hand. “How do you know the Jolly Green Giant here?” Dane smiled at Chase, who shrugged, used to being teased by this group.
He considered Chase. “I’m not sure. Was it the tough man contest?”
Chase shut one eye like he was thinking hard. “MMA championships?”
Dane pointed at Chase and snapped. “It was the heavyweight boxing tournament. It was a tough match, but Chase knocked me out in the ninth round.”
Marigold lazily stared at Chase. “In your wet dreams.”
He looked back over at Dane. “He’s good looking, but not my type.”
She rolled her eyes, but she adored Chase. She teased Chase, Bo, and Blake and flirted shamelessly, but she’d never really fallen for any of the three of them. She’d come close with Blake before Seanna came on the scene, but she was really more interested in the idea of these three big, hot guys who would do anything for her. They really did make her feel like a princess, although, all three had princesses of
their own now. She supposed it was time to find a new prince or three.
“How do you know him?” Dane asked Marigold.
“I was his dominatrix, before he met Shayla, of course.”
The guy smiled, scratching at the side of his mouth, his eyes curious. Good. Keep ‘em curious. Maybe that was the way to work it. She held out her hand to him. “Help me up?” He took her hand, his strong and a little rough. Maybe he wasn’t a total pretty boy. She stood, and they were face to face, kissing distance, for sure. “It’s cocktail time for me. Nice to meet you.”
She made her exit and headed toward Sebastian’s cabana where the bar was set up. She shouldn’t turn around. She’d done so well so far. Turning around would undo her good work.
Maybe he’d be there when she got back. Don’t turn. Don’t turn. She took a few more steps…and then she turned.
He wasn’t there. Of course he wasn’t there. Oh well. Easy come.
She used the community restroom before heading to Sebastian’s cabana where she fixed herself another vodka cranberry with a splash of seltzer and another half a shot for good measure. She was way too sober for the couples’ retreat going on out there. She stepped back into the sand and found Dane walking toward another cabana where a handful of people gathered. He held up a hand in a wave. “Good meeting you.”
She lifted her cup. “Likewise.”
She held his stare a moment longer than she should have, but she never claimed to know how to hook a guy.
“Marigold,” he said, and she turned to meet his moonlit gaze across the beach. Maybe she did know how to reel ‘em in.
He motioned toward his ass. What the hell? That was forward. He pointed to her, and she turned around to find her flowy skirt somehow tucked up in her underwear. Goddammit. She’d thought she felt a breeze back there.
She freed the material and then gave him an embarrassed wave. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
“No problem.” He smiled and then walked up to the group where a beautiful girl put her arm around him.
Peachy. Just freaking peachy.
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About the Author
Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She’s a member of RWA and serves as the president for the Music City Romance Writers. In addition to the Love Along Hwy 30A series, she is the author of The Summer Before Forever and Falling for Forever (Entangled Teen).
Also by Melissa Chambers:
Seaside Sweets (Love Along Hwy 30A #1)
Seacrest Sunsets (Love Along Hwy 30A #2)
The Summer Before Forever (Young Adult)
Falling for Forever (Young Adult)
Seagrove Secrets (Love Along Hwy 30A) Page 25