“Why?” Sara asked. “If he’s that smooth, why not go home with someone?”
The waitress shrugged. “If I had to guess? He’s been in this scene too long. He’s tired of playing the game. He wants something real. But until he finds it? He’ll keep showing up, having conversations that don’t go anywhere, and making the rest of us wonder if we almost had a shot.”
Then she was gone—off to the next table, leaving the girls stunned.
Macie turned to Claire with wide eyes. “He’s clearly into you.”
Sara leaned in. “So why aren’t you doing anything? The waitress just gave you all the answers.”
Claire shook her head. “Because… we’re only here for two wee—”
Before she could finish, Sara raised her hand and called out to the waitress again, who was only a few tables away.
“Hey! Can you tell Jaxon and his friends to come out here and talk to us?”
Claire’s mouth dropped. “Sara!”
“What?” she said, unbothered. “There are three of them and four of us. Could be fun.”
Claire sank into her seat, mortified, heart hammering like it was trying to punch its way out of her chest. “I cannot believe you just did that.”
The waitress nodded and headed back inside. Claire watched every move, stomach in knots. She felt like she was bracing for impact—unsure if he’d show, if he’d laugh it off, or if he’d ignore it altogether.
But then she saw him.
The waitress leaned in. Said something to Jaxon with a whisper and a smile. He tilted his head, listening. Nodded slowly. Then turned toward the deck.
And smiled.
It wasn’t polite. It wasn’t casual. It was a slow, dangerous kind of smile.
Jaxon leaned toward his friends. Said something quick. And then—he was moving.
Straight toward her.
Macie grabbed Claire’s arm.
Taylor whispered, “Well, shit.”
Sara just grinned.
Claire couldn’t move. Could barely breathe.
He was twenty steps away. Then ten. Then five.
And when he stepped onto the deck, light hit his face, and everything in Claire stilled.
He wasn’t just walking toward them.
He was walking straight into her vacation.
And she had no idea what the hell she was going to do about it.
6
The Point
Jaxonandhisbuddiesare standing at the end of the table. Jaxon speaks up and asks, “do y'all mind if we pull another table over here?”
