I fan my sweltering face with both hands while relocating myself to the other end of the small hotel room. One that only has one bed because again, this trip was planned for a romantic couple. Not a girl and her best friend who could be featured on the Hunks of Hallmark Instagram page.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket, so I take it out to find Lorelei calling me to video chat. I answer, and Lucy’s wide smile and Lorelei’s soft smile greet me.
“Sorry we didn’t text back earlier,” Lorelei says.
“Did you two kiss?” Lucy questions me right as Lorelei finishes speaking. She bumps Lorelei out of the screen and grabs the phone. “What? Look at her flushed face!”
“Lucy!” Lorelei barks before wrestling the phone back from her twin. Lucy shouts something about needing this conversation to distract her from Jake.
“Uh, ladies?” I interrupt their bickering, obliging Lucy’s request. “We have a problem.”
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” Lorelei asks, shocking me. My heart speeds up hearing someone else say those words.
“Duh.” Lucy rolls her eyes. “Weaaalllalready knew that. Besides them, of course.”
“Pipe down,” I hiss. “He’s in the shower and these walls are paper thin.”
Lucy wiggles her brows and makes kissy faces while Lorelei smirks with a nod of approval.
“Fine, yes. I’m in love with my best friend,” I whisper, praying to the universe that Braxton doesn’t hear me. The water is still running, so I think I’m good.
But my word…that felt so good to say out loud. Soright.
My so-close-we’re-sisters friends are dancing on the other end of the screen. Hate to bust their party but… “I’m in love with him, but I am doing absolutelynothingabout it.”
They freeze, rushing back to the screen and filling it with their concerned faces.
“And why the heck not?” Lucy snaps.
“I’m with her on this one,” Lorelei says, raising her brow. How does that brow raise make me feel like a child who just got busted sneaking a cookie before supper time?
“He’s my best friend. What if we don’t work out? I’d lose him forever.” There’s no use in trying to keep my fears at bay with them now. “He is way too good for me.”
“HADLEY ANNE DAWSON!” They shout at the same time. I cover my ears and look anywhere but the screen for a moment. When I finally direct my attention back to them, their faces are sharp arrows.
“Do noteversay that again,” Lucy says, wagging a finger.
“He’s a good man,” Lorelei agrees, “but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve him. You are a one-of-a-kind woman. He’d be lucky to have you.” The water shuts off in the bathroom, and I bring my index finger to my lips.
“I’ll text y’all later,” I whisper. “Lucy, we need to talk about…things.”
I hear them hollering for me to wait before I hang up.
I busy myself on my laptop on the small desk in the hotel room. I do need to check online sales and touch base with Karoline to see how the boutique is running. No doubt she is doing an awesome job as always. I have to admit, it’s nice to be away from the store and the Tease Jewelry warehouse. Running your own boutique and jewelry line is a full-time, seven-days-a-week job. I can’t recall a time since opening that I’ve had a vacation.
The bathroom door opens, and I command my eyes to remain glued to my emails on my laptop. The fresh scent of pine, moss, and a hint of lavender assaults my senses.Don’t inhale too deep, Hadley. Be cool.
“Shower’s free,” Braxton says. Should I risk a glance? Surely he put clothes on before walking out. I decide to go for it.
I turn my head and bite my tongue.
He sports gray sweats, but that’s it. A chiseled, very bare chest stares back at me.
I’ve seen him without a shirt plenty of times, but the view never fails to suckerpunch me, leaving me breathless. And knowing he just stepped out of the shower smelling so clean and earthy… A few water droplets still roll down his abs. I watch them streak down ab one, two, three, four, five, six…
“Hadley?” He raises an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. I continue to stare, watching as he brings the towel in his hands to his onyx hair to dry it. His biceps bulge at the action, and I think I’m going to pass out.
Hunks of Hallmark, people. He is THAT attractive.
