I nodded.
He was being himself. Beingus. While I was spiraling inside.
It killed me in a whole new way.
“Make it six. Will that work?”I texted Rio the moment I shut the door behind him. It had to be Rio, she was the onlyone of my friends who actually knew Sebastian. Daphne and Evangeline weren’t from Blueshore like us, they were from Coral Bay. And whenever Sebastian came by, it’d only been to see me. All of me.
“See you then,”Rio replied a moment later.
THE SUN HOVERED JUSTabove the horizon as I crossed the sand, shoes dangling from my fingers.
My favorite spot on Coral Bay beach was just beyond the promenade, where the sand-strewn tiles ended and an empty stretch opened toward the lighthouse on the far end. The bay bent like a bow: jagged rock at the tips, soft sand in the middle where the town sat. My inn perched where the slope began on one side, the lighthouse marking the other. Pretty for postcards, a landmark for locals, it wasn’t functional anymore.
White pleated slacks and a soft black camisole or not, I dropped onto the damp sand, digging my toes in.
A moment later, I spotted Rio making her way toward me.
“What happened?” she asked, sinking beside me with a soft thud.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d called her—or any of my friends—for an emotional emergency meeting. Maybe back when I was scrambling to turn a profit at the inn that first year. Or a few years ago, when I’d tried my version of monogamy, told a guy he could stay, then needed helpkicking him out. That was around the time Rio moved into Owen’s house to take care of his grandfather.
“Sebastian said point-blank last night that he wants more. Not just more. He wants it all. With me.” I didn’t mince words, I needed it off my chest fast.
Rio pressed her lips to the side and nodded slowly, the sun glinting off her engagement ring. “And that’s bad, right?” she asked, not in a mocking tone, just making sure she had the facts straight.
“It’s not good.”
“Are you surprised? Men fall for you left, right, and center, Ruby. You got a trail of broken hearts behind you.”
“You’re giving them too much credit. They don’t even know me. They fall for what they see, not for my personality.” I rolled my eyes.
“So, they fall for your looks? Funny, I remember the days you used to think all you had was personality. Now you think all you have to offer is external beauty?”
“No. Well, not exactly. Shut up.”
Rio laughed. She knew that when I said that, she was winning.
“It’s not about that at all,” I protested.
“Oh, not at all,” Rio said, all dry sarcasm. “It’s about Sebastian. Who knows you inside out, before and after, all the phases, all the layers. And wantsallof this. He’s not confused.”
I swallowed and jumped to my feet. “I need to walk.”
Rio toed off her shoes, gathered them in one hand, and followed. We paced along the waterline, where the waveslicked at the sand. The wind picked up, whipping our hair across our faces.
“When did he say it, and what did you say?” Rio raised her voice over the gusts and crash of the surf.
“Last night. And I said I didn’t want to complicate things. That I wanted to keep them the way they are.”
Rio gave me a look. “That’s the Ruby’est thing you’ve ever done.”
“You know me. I’ve experimented with monogamy, and all it did was prove it’s not for me.”
“What, that guy you let stay nearby and tried to play serious dating with before you kicked him out soon after?That’syour case study?” Rio chuckled, pulling a strand of hair out of her mouth where the wind had plastered it.
“Well, yes. I know it’s not what you or Evangeline would call monogamy, but I bet you that Daphne would agree with me.”
“I doubt it. Daphne’s as serious and deep as they come. She won’t waste it on just anyone.”
