An unpleasant burn ignited in my chest. “Probably reading a boring nonfiction book somewhere. Why?”
Luca shrugged. “She’s hot. She’s single. I could use a distraction from the Leaf situation.”
The burn exploded into a wildfire and set my teeth on my edge. “She’s not the rebound type.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do.” I slammed my empty drink on the side table. “Go for the Daugherty twins. They’re looking for a good time.”
“Can’t. Their family is in textiles, which reminds me of goats, which reminds of Leaf.”
For fuck’s sake. “What about Evelyn? She just broke up with her boyfriend. You can rebound together.”
“Nah. I hooked up with her years ago.” Luca stared up at the sky with a drunk, dreamy expression. “I think Sloane works best. She’s so…shit!” He bolted upright when I knocked over a champagne ice bucket and its contents spilled across his chest. “What the fuck, man?”
“Sorry. Must’ve had more to drink than I thought.” I stood. I didn’t know why the idea of him and Sloane bothered me so much, but I knew I needed to get out of here before I did something more unforgivable than dousing my friend in ice. “I’m calling it a night.”
“Wait! What about…”
The crowd drowned out the rest of Luca’s words as I stormed out of the beach club and toward the villa.
I’d convinced Sloane to come to Spain, hoping it would break her from her comfort zone, but I was turning out to be the one in over my head.
SLOANE
By the time I woke up, I’d already brushed off my moment of weakness from last night, but I wasn’t in the mood to face Xavier or his friends—who were thankfully staying at their own villa instead of ours—so I actively avoided them all day.
I woke up at the crack of dawn for a hike, holed myself up in a conference room for lunch, and waited until Xavier left for the beach club before I snuck back to the villa.
It was early evening, so I had a few hours to myself before he returned. I was tempted to work, but I’d promised him I wouldn’t, and a pesky sense of honor prevented me from going back on my word.
Instead, I curled up beneath a blanket in the living room and watched the Spanish rom-com onscreen with increasing disgust.
“Te amo,” the actor whispered in Spanish. English subtitles translated what he said. “Nunca te dejaré.” I’ll never leave you.
“Ugh.” I scribbled furiously in my review notebook. “Film an after-the-movie special and see if that’s really true.”
Romantic comedy was the most unrealistic genre in Hollywood. Falling off a seventh-floor balcony and getting up a minute later to chase after the bad guy was more believable than workplace rivals who suddenly “discover” they have feelings for each other and live happily ever after.
The concept of happily ever after was the biggest scam since the advent of the overpriced college textbook industry.
“It’s not The Bachelor, Luna. The after-the-movie special would just be the actors leaving set.”
My head snapped up.
Xavier leaned against the entryway, wearing a pair of linen pants, an amused expression, and nothing else.
“It’s rude to sneak up on someone,” I said, my pulse pounding from his unexpected interruption. Give me a heart attack, why don’t you? “And for God’s sake, put on a shirt. You’re not Matthew McConaughey.”
His laugh did nothing to ease my annoyance.
Two minutes later, he dropped onto the seat next to mine, fully clothed. “Happy? Now you won’t be distracted by my incredible physique.”
“No, I’ll just suffocate beneath the weight of your inflated ego.”
“There are worse ways to go.”
I sighed, my prospects of a quiet, peaceful evening going up in smoke. “Isn’t there a party at the beach club? Why are you here?” Our deal prevented him from hosting parties without my approval, but they didn’t stop him from attending them. That was another oversight on my part. I’m losing my touch. Something about Spain muddled my usually sharp instincts, and it put me on edge. “I was at the club all day, and I wanted a change of scenery.”
Xavier glanced at my notebook. “What have you been up to?” “Relaxing,” I said pointedly.
“Touché.” He rubbed a hand over his mouth, his expression conflicted. “Listen, about last night…I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. You aren’t that bad of a dancer.”
I would’ve laughed at the idea that I was upset over my dancing skills if I hadn’t been so thrown off by his apology. So few people apologized and meant it that a simple I’m sorry stripped away my knee-jerk defensiveness.
“Thank you,” I said stiffly. I didn’t correct his assumption about the source of my upset.
“You’re welcome.” His eyes crinkled at the corners when I didn’t tack on a snarky reply. “Wait, are we having a bonding moment? Is this the start of a new Xavier and Sloane era?”
“Don’t push it.” I tapped my pen against my notebook. “By the way, how’s Luca doing?” I’d texted Vivian earlier about seeing him in Spain, and she’d mentioned how concerned she and Dante were about him. I’d promised to update her on his well-being if and when I could.
Xavier’s dimples disappeared. “Fine.” He shifted, his leg brushing mine. I was so startled by the contact, I almost yanked my knee away before I caught myself. “I didn’t realize you two were so close.”
“We’re not. I was just curious.” A burn spread from my knee up to my stomach. Huh. I knew I should’ve worn more sunscreen while hiking. This was not normal.
“Hmm.” A shadow crossed Xavier’s face. He opened his mouth, then gave a small shake of his head like he’d changed his mind about whatever he was going to say. “So what’s the movie about?”
